Karnataka Egazette Name Change Online Guide

By Deborah Priyadharshini, Consultant, Bengaluru | 12+ years helping Karnataka residents navigate government portals and name change procedures

Most persons can now change their names online in Karnataka at the comfort of their homes through the gazette notification. No agent required. No queuing in government offices. I have assisted dozens of clients in filling this in the Karnataka e-Gazette portal, and of course, the entire process works, but not always without any issues.

First of all: the portal is https://egazette.kar.nic.in . Save it. It is the one you desire.

Gazette Notification for Name Change Online in Karnataka: e-Gazette Portal Guide

Introduction to the Karnataka e-Gazette Portal

Karnataka e-Gazette portal became operational a few years back to offer citizens apps. It includes some types of notification - lost documents, mortgage notifications, change of name - and the Part 2 section is dedicated to personal name change notifications.

One thing that I inform all clients before they begin: this portal does not receive half-complete submissions. It will allow you to stuff five pages and then fail you at the upload document phase as a result of file size or the incorrect format. Here are the conditions below to be read before you open a single form tab.

The best thing is that after the approval of your application, you can directly download the gazette PDF on the portal. No rushing to Government Press. No weeks spent waiting until one gets a printed copy by mail.

Prerequisites Before Applying Online

Before you touch the portal you need these prepared. Not after. Before.

1. Affidavit on stamp paper

This is sworn before a notary or First Class Judicial Magistrate. The majority of individuals apply ₹20 stamp paper. The affidavit will have to say your old name, your new name, and the reason why you are changing. There are notaries who have a template - request them to provide an affidavit of change of name.

2. Newspaper advertisements

Two newspaper ads — one in a regional Kannada paper, one in an English daily. The advertisements need to include your previous name, your new name, address and a statement of the change. This step can not be omitted. These ads are mentioned in the gazette notification as a part of the public record.

(The requirement of the Kannada newspaper is what catches people off their feet. One of my clients once presumed that any Bengaluru paper would work and placed an ad in two English newspapers. Was forced to re-write the whole thing. Assure yourself beforehand that your Kannada paper is circulating in your district.)

3. ID proof (old name)

Aadhaar card, PAN card, or passport — in the name you're changing from.

4. Address proof

Utility bill, ration card, or bank statement showing your current address.

5. Passport-size photograph

One recent photograph, clear background. This is requested independently of the uploads of documents.

Store any files less than 2MB as PDF or JPG. The portal is very strict on file size.

Step 1: Register or Log In to Karnataka e-Gazette Portal

Visit the https://egazette.kar.nic.in site and select one of the options, namely Citizen login or New registration, based on whether you already have an account.

Registration requires the mobile number and email ID. To both, an OTP arrives. After verification, your account is up.

Enter a mobile number that you will have access to all through the process - status updates are made available through SMS.

Step 2: Selecting "Change of Name Notification (Part 2)"

Upon logging in, you will find Publication Requests or Apply for Notification in the dashboard. The categories include a number of choices. You require Change of Name Notification and this falls under Part 2 of the Karnataka Gazette.

Do not choose Part 4 at random. Part 4 contains company and trade-related notices. Individual name change notifications should be found in part 2.

Step 3: Filling Name, Address, Reason and Uploading Documents

The application form asks for:

• Complete first name (as it appears on your present ID)
• Full new name (as you wish it to be printed in the gazette)
• Father's/Husband's name
• Date of birth
• Present residential address Karnataka.
• Reason why changed name (marriage, religious conversion, personal preference, etc.)
• The names of the newspapers and the dates of publication.
• Name and date of affidavit of the notary.

Fill these carefully. The problem of spelling errors in the gazette notification occurs later - banks and passport offices do exact-match verification.

You can then upload your documents individually. The portal typically contains distinct upload sections of affidavit, newspaper clipping, ID proof, address proof, and photograph. In case of a larger document, compress it prior to uploading. I go to ilovepdf.com to do this, it is free and good enough.

Step 4: Paying Online Gazette Fee and Submitting Application

As of now, the price of changing name online in Karnataka is approximately 600-1000 rupees with regards to the length of notification with or without any extra fee. Check the specific values on the portal prior to payment out — these values do change.

The payment methods are net banking, debit card, credit card and UPI. After a successful transaction, a portal will create a payment reference number. Screenshot it. The payment history section of the portal does not always show older transactions in a clean manner.

Once paid, press on Submit Application. The reference number is displayed on the screen and it is also emailed to your registered mobile and email. Everything that comes ahead is tracked by that reference number.

Step 5: Tracking Application Status via SMS/Email and Portal

Log back into the portal and go to "My Applications" or "Track Application." Enter your reference number if prompted.

This application follows the following steps:

• Submitted
• Under Review (District/Divisional Officer)
• Approved
• Published

SMS notifications are sent to your registered mobile, at every level. When it comes to my experience, the period between submission and publication is quite usual 15-30 working days, but may be extended during peak periods or public holidays. Do not think that being silent is being rejected, just check the portal.

In case the status is rejected there will be a reason provided. It is typically a document legibility problem or a discrepancy between the form name and the affidavit name. It is usually just a matter of re-uploading with the fixed copy of the document.

Downloading Online Gazette Notification for Name Change PDF

When the status becomes published, log in and visit your application. It will have a Download Gazette Copy button or a link.

The PDF will include the Karnataka Government header, date of publication, notification number and your old and new name as it will look in the official gazette. This is the one you will provide to banks, passport offices, education institutions and all other authorities that would request them to provide evidence of change of name.

Keep multiple copies. The gazette PDF is signed online, and can be verified online - you do not need to resign it.

One thing to note: the gazette PDF is generated only after the issue is officially published. You can not download a copy that is in draft. Other clients provide a preview, which the portal does not provide.

Safety, Data Privacy, and Common Portal Issues

The information in the Karnataka e-Gazette portal is stored in NIC servers (National Informatics Centre). NIC provides information to state and central government portals in India. That being said, do not post any documents more than necessary. In case the form does not request your PAN, it should not be listed in your affidavit PDF.

Popular problems that people encounter:

• After no activity on portal, it goes dead. You might lose your entries, should you step away in the middle of the form 20 minutes. Type and post.
• The OTP is at times slow. Allow two minutes and then request resend. The spam-clicking on Resend OTP builds a queue and slows everything.
• Some redirects of payment do not work sometimes - that is, the money comes out of your account, but the portal does not record the payment. In case this occurs, do not repay at once. Wait 48 hours and review your application list. It is normally reconciled through payment. Otherwise, call the e-Gazette helpdesk using the reference of your bank transaction.

The email address of the helpdesk is displayed under the portal on the Contact Us page. Response time varies. Be factual in your tone and add your reference number of