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FAQ: How to Enter Names in Join Form

Despite the fact Assurance Policy says, that names to be entered in a line, the current join form splits the names into fields.

Many Arbitration cases reasons are based on wrong entering Givennames to Surname field, Surname entered into Givenname field, wrong Suffixes entered. This is also caused by culture and country variations (eg French standard to enter names as SURNAME, Givenname)

General rule: Names should be entered as seen in at least one ID document.

Givenname

Givenname - sometimes called Firstname is the users individual name.

Maria, Mark
The Givenname to be entered without abbreviations. Eg if your givenname in your ID doc is Markus, you should not abbreviate the Givenname to Mark
Nicknames aren't accepted
Exception: known Dutch short givenname variation (read also Practice On Names)
French name: if your name is LEFEVRE Pierre, your Givenname is "Pierre"

Surname

also known as Lastname
Jones, Brown, Taylor, Smith
French name: if your name is LEFEVRE Pierre, your Surname is "LEFEVRE"

Middlename(s)

you can enter one or more middlename(s) into the Middlename field
For later certificates inclusion you have the option to enter the middlename into the cert or not. So if you enter a middlename here, you have later the choice to select your Givenname + Middlename to be included in your certificate or only Givenname. You don't have to think about certificates inclusion of Given- and Middlenames at this stage of process.

Suffix

Currently only Suffixes are allowed that can be read in at least one ID document that you use in assurances.
Other certificates are not accepted to validate a title.

Just keep in mind

... that Assurers are advised to only accept names or name parts that they can read in at least of your govermental issued photo Id's. This counts especialy for not written suffixes in Id documents.
... that Assurers are advised to add missing names on your CAP form, but can accept shortened names, if at least one givenname and one surname left complete as in your ID doc.
There are a couple of name variations allowed that cannot be all written here. To be on the safe side have a look into Practice On Names
If your name contains a hyphen: CAcert is an international organisation. Most countries handles hyphens optional. Following the CAcert principles Non-discriminatory hyphens are treatened optional for all users, no grading where you come from. So this rule may overrule local country laws in name handling regarding hyphens.
All name rules applies for givennames and for surnames too. So the rule - reduction is allowed - addition is prevented - counts for surnames the same ways as it counts for givennames.

UTF-8 currently not supported

[2013-08-20] (u60) Is this still current state?

Currently there is no UTF-8 support on CAcert's website. So we have many problems with Umlauts and diacritics.
So we propose to enter your name without Umlauts and diacritic letters.