Preserve the original records and provide reliable evidence linking the names. Do not alter documents to make them appear uniform.
Explain the identity chain
Collect passports and relevant birth, marriage or name-change documents. Identify transliteration or spelling differences and ask what the selected process requires. Foreign-language records submitted to USCIS require full certified English translations. A consistent narrative should explain the differences; a translator should not silently replace the source name with a preferred version.
Make an evidence index that identifies what each document proves: identity, citizenship, relationship, name history, prior immigration record, or funds. Keep originals intact and use certified English translations for foreign-language USCIS submissions where required. A first review should identify expired passports, variant spellings, incomplete civil certificates, and records that need official copies. Hypothetical example: a maritime heritage archivist has a birth certificate with one middle name and a passport with two. The solution is not to edit either document; retain both and add the official evidence that explains the variation if available. The deciding record is the documented identity chain. Collect official program notices and payment records separately, because an application receipt does not prove a family relationship or resolve a passport discrepancy. Finish these document decisions before relying on a household filing timetable.