How to Change Your Name Legally in India?

There are multiple reasons to change your name such as

• Initial is missing or not expanded

• Middle or last name is missing

• The name differs in certificates issued in schools or colleges.

• The name differs in identity documents

• Name is misspelled by mistake or during translation from local language to English

• Change of name after marriage for women

• Change of name after divorce in case of a woman’s re-marriage

• Change of name in birth certificate & school leaving certificate, especially for a passport

• Change of name due to spelling mistakes in the old name

• Change of name of a child in case of an adoption

• Change of name due to numerology or astrology

• Change of name in case of change in religion

• Change of name for change of profession (like films)

• Change of name for a personal fancy

• Change of name of the minor child

Documents Required for Changing Name in India

Following documents are required to for changing name in India

• One recent advertisement Only in Daily Local National Newspaper (In Original) -(Either in English newspaper or in Hindi Newspaper and matter should be in Hindi or English language only.)

• An undertaking

• One CD- Compact Disc 

• One CD —Certificate —Signed by the applicant by old name- declaring therein that the contents of hard copies and soft copy are similar

• Two-Recent passport size photographs- duly self attested(cross signed) by the applicant

• One-Self attested photocopy of PHOTO ID Proof for OLD Name and Gender and Address, either —Date of Birth/Aadhaar card / Voter I card / Passport of the Applicant

• 01-Self attested photocopy of ID Proof for Name and Address either —Aadhaar card / Voter I card / Passport of each Witness

• GID photocopy/photocopies.(Till NALSA guidelines are implemented or law is passed in the Parliament as suggested by the Supreme Court)

• Request Letter- Addressed to: The Controller of Publication

The person attaining the age of 18 years and above who wishes to get his/her change of name and gender notified in the Gazette of India Part IV has to comply with the following formalities prior to notification of such advertisement.

• One recent advertisement Only in Daily Local National Newspaper (In Original) -(Either in English newspaper or Hindi Newspaper and matter should be in Hindi or English language only.).

• lt should give full details-old name and gender, father's name, full residential address, new name and gender

• It should be from the individual side and not from the lawyer side.

• lt should be advertised in the Public Notice heading in the newspaper only. It should not be advertised in the Change of Name heading. Its format in which way it is to be advertised is given in .(New Modified Public Notice Format) .(N.B. Weekly, Evening Daily, Fortnightly Newspaper etc. will not entertained)

• An Undertaking

• Two Original Copies of Change of Name for Public Notice fully typed on Computer on A4 Sheet - Type your old name and signed by your old name only of the applicant detail of two Witnesses. 

• One CD- Compact Disc-It should contain the Prescribed Performa for Public Notice for Change of name i.e. Portion above the witness

• Two-Recent passport size photographs- duly self attested (cross signed) by the applicant.

• One Self attested photocopy of Photo ID Proof for Name and Address —Aadhar card / Voter I card/ Passport of the Applicant

• One Self attested photocopies of ID Proof for Name and Address — Aadhar card/ Voter I card / Passport of each Witness.

• GID photocopies issued from CMO/Head of Department of the respective hospital where treatment had been done

• Request Letter- Addressed to: The Controller of Publication

Matter CD should Contain

CD should only contain the following matter.

• I (Old Name) S/o, D/o (Father's/Mother name)(As mentioned in ID) residing (Address as mentioned in the applicant ID) do hereby undertake that I (old Name) want to change my name to (New Name) and gender(New Gender). 

• I (Old Name) henceforth be known as (New Name) S/o,D/o(Father's /Mother's Name). 

• The above statement made by me is true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief. If any legal issues arise in this regard at any stage , I will be personally responsible for the same and the Department of Publication will not be liable for any consequences arising therefrom.

CD should not contain

• Scanned matter. (No .pdf,jpeg,jpg format)(only doc. docx). 

• Signature. 

• Witness Details. 

• Application, Photographs, Affidavit details, ID Details.

Procedure for Changing the Name Legally in India

Even though there are various reasons to change your name, the procedure to change your name includes the following 3 steps.

1. Create an affidavit for change of name

2. Publish about your name change in Newspaper

3. Notify it in State Gazette

Detailed step by step instructions to change your name is provided below.

Affidavit Submission for Changing the Name Legally in India

An affidavit needs to be made explaining why the name change is required. These details need to be included in the affidavit.

1. Full name of the applicant

2. Father’s name or husband’s name (in case of married women)

3. Full residential address

4. A declaration stating that the facts provided in the affidavit are true and correct

Here is an affidavit format for name change.

The applicant should sign the affidavit and get it attested by a Notary or Judicial Magistrate or an Oaths Commissioner.

Newspaper Publication for Changing the Name Legally in India

After Notarizing the affidavit, you need to publish the change of your name in two local newspapers.

• One classified should be in daily publishing news in the local official language of the State.

• The second classification should be published in a local English Newspaper.

You can contact the newspaper office to update your name. They generally have an exclusive section dedicated to naming change advertisements and can advise you on the format.

Gazette Notification for Changing the Name Legally in India

Gazette Publication is mandatory for government employees and optional for others. However, if you need to update your name in various certificates and id cards, they might ask you for a copy of Gazette.

So you need to publish your name change in the gazette. You can approach the office of Controller of publication, Govt. press in your State for the same. Following documents are required for publishing your name in the State Gazette.

• An affidavit duly signed by the applicant and attested by Judicial Magistrate/Notary.

• Original newspaper in which name change ad is given.

• Prescribed proforma (should be computer typed and not handwritten) with signatures of applicant and two witnesses.

• A C.D. (compact disc) that contains the soft copy (typed content, not a scanned copy) of the application in MS Word format. In the place of the signature of the applicant, the applicant’s old name has to be given and witness details need not be included.

• A certificate in which the applicant declares that the contents included in both soft copy and hard copy are similar. The applicant should duly sign the certificate.

• Two passport size photographs, both self-attested by the applicant.

• A photocopy of valid ID proof, self-attested by the applicant.

• A request letter along with the requisite fee as per the Authority.

Name Change Cost in India

It might cost you around INR 3000 to change your name. Following are a few of the charges included in it.

• Affidavit - INR 20 stamp paper

• Notary charges - INR 200

• CD - INR 50

• Newspaper - INR 750

• Gazette Notification - INR 1500

Name Change Application Forms and Affidavit Format

• Change of name of a child in case of adoption - Guidelines and Affidavit

• Change of name for minor - Guidelines and Affidavit Format

• Change of name due to change in religion - Guidelines and Affidavit Format

• Change of name of Adult - Guidelines and Affidavit

• Change of father's name of children after remarriage - Guidelines and Affidavit Format

• Request for change of name - Public Notice

References

While crafting this guide, we have consulted reliable and authoritative sources, including official government directives, user manuals, and pertinent content sourced from government websites.

Change in name Guidelines