A person’s name is a part of his identity as well as a method of identification. We generally have such a casual attitude towards names that we are unaware of their significance in our day-to-day activities. Think of a world without names. It would be completely disordered and chaotic.
It’s customary to give a newborn child a name soon after birth. However, you are not required to continue using the name your parents gave you. A person may change their name for any reason they choose thanks to a law passed by the Indian government.
Procedures to Change Name Legally in India
Basically, the Process is Divided into 3 steps
Step 1 – Affidavit
The affidavit must be printed on plain stamp paper and signed by two witnesses after completion. Two people with the rank of gazetted officers must sign it.
If you’re a central government employee, you must go through the Ministry of Home Affairs O.M. instead of changing your name.
Married women who want to add their husband’s name as initials or change their last name must provide the information below:
- Husband’s name and address.
- A new name with the father’s name and address.
- Wedding date.
Indians living abroad can legally chan ge their name by submitting a deed that is duly witnessed by the Indian High Commission or the Indian Embassy. You can use this affidavit to change your first or last name, as well as to completely change your name.
Step 2 – Newspaper Publication
The next step after making the affidavit is to publish an advertisement or notice that you have changed your name in the neighborhood newspaper. You must choose two publications for this—one in the state’s official language and the other in English daily.
For instance, if you live in Madhya Pradesh, you can choose between Times of India and Hindustan Times and Dainik Bhaskar. You can choose between Dinakaran/Dina Thanthi and The Hindu/Indian Express if you’re from Tamil Nadu.
The requirement is to choose two well-known daily publications and make the following requests of them:
- Your old name
- Current name
- Date of Birth
- Address
- Birth name
Name Change Advertisement Example:
The newspapers can help you with this because they dedicate a column for these notifications. Any newspaper can provide the format upon request. Here is an easy illustration. Assume that XYZ is adopting the name ABC.
“I, [current name], currently residing at [place], have changed my name to [new name] and will hereafter be referred to as new name]. In support of this, I’ve provided an affidavit that was signed by one.”
If a married woman wants to change her last name after getting hitched, she should include her husband’s name and address in the notification.
When your announcement appears in the newspaper, don’t forget to gather as many copies as you can and save them for later use. Despite the fact that one copy will do, it is preferable
Step 3 – Gazette Notification
After completing the first two steps, you must have the official state or federal gazette of your state or country published with a notice of your name change. To do this, you must submit the declaration, the affidavit you previously provided to the court, as well as an application for the printing of your notification. Your notification will be published as soon as your application has been processed in the monthly gazettes, which are printed. Your name is legally altered once the Gazette is printed.
Your affidavit, newspaper announcements, a court order in your favor, and the Gazette publication can all be used to change your name on other documents. You only need to show the certified copy of the decree wherever it is required.
How to Change a Name Legally Online?
Your name change procedure has not yet been fully digitized. The process has only been partially digitalized by the Indian government. You must follow Steps 1 and 2 exactly as they are stated above. For Step 3, which is Gazette publication, there is an online portal. Requests for publication in the State Gazette must follow these steps:
1.Go to the new user registration link.
2. Enter all the necessary data to sign up as a new user on the portal.
3. Log in to your ID if you already have one with the relevant citizen service.
4. Once you’ve logged in, go to the application page and select the Directorate of Printing and Stationery.
5. Then choose Gazette Part 2 for Change in Name and press the Continue button.
6. You’ll be taken to the online portal for the Maharashtra Gazette.
7. The Gazette Advertisement (Change of Name) option should be chosen.
8. An online PDF document will open. The instructions and the necessary form for a name change are both included in this file.
9. Return to the page where the PDF file was online displayed and fill out the form after downloading it. In order to move forward, select I accept the terms above and then click Next.
10. An information and documentation form can be found on the following page after you have been forwarded there.
11. Complete the form with all the necessary information, upload the required files, and pay the required fee using your preferred payment method.
12. Your payment will be received as soon as possible, and you can check on the status of your request using the ID you made on the Citizen Services website.
At Taxxinn, we offer a variety of legal and compliance services to our clients. We are one of the top providers of online name change services in India. Submit your online application for a name change now!