In India, there was a poor track record of maintaining birth certificates but since the implementation of the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, it is now mandatory to record a child’s birth. These birth certificates are either issued by the Government of India or by the Municipal Corporation or Gram Panchayat. There is also a scope of filing a online birth certificate these days.
Table of content:
- Importance of Birth Certificate
- What is the Procedure to change the name on Birth Certificate in India?
- Sample Affidavit for changing the name in the Birth Certificate
- Verification
- Fees Involved
- Documents Involved
- How to get a name change published in the Official Gazette?
- How to apply for the Birth Certificate?
- FAQ's
Importance of Birth Certificate
Birth Certificate is very important for any Indian citizen as it helps prove our age, identity, citizenship, and location of birth. It also helps a child in getting educational facilities, medical aid, as inheritance proof and provides recognition in terms of citizenship for a child. Unfortunately, it's very common to see a spelling error or other kinds of mistakes on your birth certificate. In such cases, it’s imperative to modify or update the birth certificate to reflect all of the relevant details that will identify who you are.
“The WHO along with the UN has mandated that a birth certificate should be issued for every child as it will ensure a lot of benefits like Medicaid, citizenship and educational facilities for them in the future,” says Advocate Karan Bajaj
What is the Procedure to change the name on Birth Certificate in India?
Steps for changing the name in the birth certificate in India are as follows:
STEP 1: To change the name on your birth certificate online, download the online form here.
STEP 2: Get the 'Birth Certificate Update/correction Form' from the Municipal Corporation Office or the Gram Panchayat in the vicinity of where the birth took place.
STEP 3: Affidavit Submission: An affidavit needs to be prepared to change the name in the birth certificate. For that, you need to contact a local notary officer who will help you mention the current name and the desired new name, and may mention in brief the reason for a name change. One must make the Affidavit on a Non-Judicial Stamp Paper of minimal value.
STEP 4: Fill up the correction form and then submit it to your respective District Court before a Magistrate along with an affidavit or certified copy with the judge’s original signature.
STEP 5: Ad Publication: An announcement should be published in two newspapers -- one in the local official language and the other in English.
STEP 6: Gazette Notification: Get your name published in the Official Gazette of the respective state. For that, you can approach the Government Press of your respective state. Fill up the form for the same and pay the required fees. The state’s Official Gazette will publish your name change notification. They will send you the copies of the same at the address you have given.
Sample Affidavit for changing the name in the Birth Certificate
The affidavit should contain the following:
Verification
The verification of the affidavit needs to be done by the notary. The Municipal Corporation might need to verify certain documents like the hospital records.
Fees Involved
The fee for the affidavit is that of a non-judicial stamp paper ranging between Rs. 20 - 100 and the fees to change the name on the birth certificate vary from state to state. One can get to know about the fee through the online state government or municipal portals.
Documents Involved
The documents required to change your name in the birth certificate are,
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A copy of the 'Deed changing name form' to be taken from the Controller of Publication, Department of Publication;
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A letter of the declaration which states the need for changing the name
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Original copies of advertisements published with the date.
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Attested photographs
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Address and identity proofs
How to get a name change published in the Official Gazette?
The documents mentioned above need to be sent to the Director of Publication at the given address
“Controller of Publication, Department of Publication, Civil Lines, Delhi – 110054”.
Fees: The process for getting a notification published in the official gazette would involve you to spend either Rs. 700 or Rs. 900 for notification. The payment can be made via a DD to the Controller of the Publications office.
How to apply for the Birth Certificate?
The process to apply for the birth certificate is as follows,
STEP 1: Obtain a Birth Certificate Registration Form from the registrar's office of the Municipality where the birth took place.
STEP 2: File the completed form within 21 days of the birth, post 21 days, police verification is required.
STEP 3: Post verification by the registrar, the birth certificate can be issued for the applicant.
STEP 4: A follow up with the Municipal authority needs to be done after 7 days to ensure that the process happens smoothly.
STEP 5: The address where the person resides must be mentioned so that the birth certificate could be sent directly.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I officially change my name in India?
A person’s name can be changed after an affidavit is filed post in which an advertisement needs to be published and a gazette notification needs to be made.
How to change your name after marriage?
After marriage, the name can be changed by filing an application along with an affidavit before the registrar. You need to notarize the affidavit followed by an advertisement in the official gazette and a public newspaper.
How long does it take to legally change your name in India?
Changing your name usually involves three steps: filing of an Affidavit, Newspaper Publication and lastly a Gazette Notification. The entire process could take upto a month and the gazette notification along with the newspaper publication can take 2 weeks.
Is an affidavit required for a name change?
Yes, it is a very important document as it shows the person’s willingness to go for a change in name, adds to the evidentiary value and brings accountability and verification in the entire process.
How much does it cost to change your name in India?
The entire process of official notification takes Rs. 900 and the affidavit is made on an Rs. 100 non-judicial stamp paper thereby making the process cost about Rs. 1000 excluding the newspaper publication rates which differ from newspaper to newspaper.
What are the documents required for a name change?
The documents required are:
- Affidavit of the name change
- Birth Certificate
- Proof of address
- Attested photographs
- Copies of the advertisement published in the newspapers
If I change my name, do I need to update my birth certificate too?
No, if you change your name, you don't need to update your birth certificate as well. You should, however, have the possession of the notarized copies of the name change certificate and there should be an advertisement of the change in name in a public newspaper and in the Official Gazette.
Can names on the passport be different from the birth certificate?
No, the names on the passport and the birth certificate must be the same. If you have changed your name on your birth certificate then you need to file an application at the passport office to change the same.