Changing your name in India is a rather lengthy and tedious process. Whether it’s a change in the first name, last name or complete name, it involves legal and documentation formalities. In India, changing your name if you’re a citizen, a Non-Resident Indian (NRI), or a Person of Indian Origin (PIO) has a set of legal procedures and documentation requirements. In this blog, we’ll take a look at the documents required for changing your name in India.
The procedure to change your name can differ from state to state, but some of the general documents that need to be submitted are:
Affidavit: The first step is to create an affidavit stating the reason for the name change. The affidavit should be signed by you alone and notarized on a stamp paper of a prescribed denomination as per state regulations.
Gazette Notification: Once the affidavit is notarized, the next step is to publish a notice regarding the name change in at least two newspapers – one in the regional language and the other in English. The publication should include the reason for the name change and the old and new names.
Proof of Identity: For an Indian citizen, the documents required for proof of identity are Aadhaar card, voter ID card, PAN card, Driver’s License, or Passport. For an NRI or PIO, the valid document must be from their country of residence.
Proof of Residence: The documents required to prove your new residential address can be utility bills, ration card, bank account statement, or rental agreement.
Marriage Certificate: In case of a name change post-marriage, the marriage certificate needs to be submitted.
In conclusion, changing your name in India can be a daunting task. In addition to the above documents, various legal formalities such as notarization and publication of the name change notification and potential changes to other official documents mean that the process takes time. It may also be challenging to know what documents to use or where to get them. However, it is essential to note that the purpose of changing one’s name is to ensure personal identity. If you are unsure about the process, a professional document service can guide you through the procedural formalities to make the experience smoother.
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