Despite the fact that most people detest their names, not everyone would want to change them. Dale Carnegie once said, “Names are the most beautiful and important sounds in any language.” Most people refuse to change their names because they either are not aware of the possibilities or believe it will take too long and be difficult. It is actually not that difficult to change your name.
Many Indian women change their first and last names after marriage in accordance with numerology and Vastu. Other factors that contribute to changing a name include divorce, a change in social or political background, a change of gender, or a change in personality. This article explains in detail how one can alter their name.
What Is the Process for Changing the Gender of Your Name in Documents?
There are three steps to changing one’s name:
- In order to change your name, you must prepare an affidavit.
- A newspaper advertisement should be placed to inform the public about the name change.
- Please submit documents to the Department of Publication so that they can be published.
In order to change one’s name, the most important requirement is that the applicant must be over the age of 18 years old at the time of application. In order to change the name of a minor, a different process needs to be followed. In such cases, it is recommended that the minor’s parent or guardian performs the procedure on behalf of the minor. In this article, we will look in more detail at what you need to do in order to apply to change your name in India.
1. Prepare A Change Affidavit:
A person with legal authority to change one’s name must first draft an affidavit, which serves as a substantial written declaration of fact.
You can use this method to change the entire name, the surname, or just a few letters. In the district court, affidavits must be filed with the assistance of an oath commissioner, notary public, or first-class magistrate.
A local notary must be contacted in order to change a person’s name. On the notary’s stamped paper, the applicant’s current address must be included along with the old name, the new name, the reason for the name change (marriage, divorce, religion, numerology, gender change, etc.).
Print the affidavit on stamp paper and get two witnesses to sign it. It is required by law that two individuals holding the gazette officer sign a stamp (rubber stamp). This document should be kept on file in case of future legal requirements.
2. Publish An Advertisement:
After that, at least two newspapers will need to advertise a change of name, one in the government’s official language, and the other in English.
By announcing the name change publicly, a person can show in an event of a conflict that they formally declared their name change.
The scanned copies of newspaper copies should therefore be maintained carefully. It is required that the announcement or notice include the candidate’s previous and new names, their full residential address, the witnesses’ names, and the date of the affidavit.
The Ministry of Home Affairs issued Memorandum No. 19016/01/87, which outlines the guidelines for filing a change of name deed for government employees. When the petitioner is a foreign-born Indian. A properly attested original deed should be delivered to the Authority by the Indian Embassy or Indian High Commission.
3. Publish in Gazette Notification:
The Department of Publication requires substantial proof before accepting the name change application. Gazette notifications cost 700 or 900 rupees, depending on whether public notice is given. Payments can be made by cash or demand draughts made payable to the controller of publication at the Department of Publication, civil lines, Delhi-110054.
You must carefully fill out and follow the instructions on the “Deed changing surname form.”. Within seven days of applying, the name change must be published in the official gazette. The gazette notification must be sent to the address listed on the deed.
To submit a Gazette Notification, a person must submit the following supporting documents:
- Name change affidavit.
- The original newspaper article that contains the name change advertisement.
- Two witnesses must sign a prescribed form, which includes their relevant personal and contact information.
- CDs contain soft copies of the application in MS Word format. Where the signature would be, the applicant’s old name, as well as information about witnesses, must be written.
- Applicants must confirm that the information in the hard and soft copies is the same. It is necessary for the applicant to sign the certificate properly.
- A passport-size photograph of the applicant and two self-attested copies.
- You will require a photocopy of a valid identification card such as a passport, Aadhar card, voter identification card, pan card, or license.
- Cover letter
- Fees must be paid by demand draft.
Make copies of all documents and verify them
The paperwork necessary for legally changing your name on bank records, certificates, and any other paperwork you may need to do so must be kept despite the legal change being completed. If you plan to renew your passport or apply for other transactions in the near future, you may be required to submit the name change paperwork.
It is common for newspaper advertisements and name change affidavits to be completed, but the Gazette notification remains to be sent. While government employees are excluded from this requirement, banks may still require a Gazette notification before altering your account name.
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