In India, changing your name is legally done by preparing an affidavit, placing a newspaper advertisement, and informing the change in the Gazette of India. It also includes legal compliance and submission of required documents including ID verification and publication of Gazette notice.
Write your old and new name and why you changed your name.
Put an advertisement about your name change in a local paper and English paper.
Make an application to have your corrected name published in the official Gazette.
Uncover the most popular legislative causes of name change in India, such as marriage name change, divorce name change, adoption name change, a mistake in school certificates, etc. Understand the procedure and legal procedure of every case under professional help.
Gazette notification gives you a formal legal status of your corrected name by the government and government institutes.
Ensures all your documents such as passport, Aadhaar card, bank accounts, and academic records are consistent.
Used as a verified document for employment, visa, banking, and court procedures where identity proof is required.
International travel, visa interviews, and immigration processing require matching names on all documents.
Helps prevent errors that can lead to legal problems or delays in future personal or professional matters.
Publish an advertisement in 2 newspapers (one English and one local language) about your change of name.
Access the site of the Department of Publication at egazette.nic.in.
Register as a new user, log in, and choose "Change of Name." Fill in the online form with your old and new name and submit supporting documents.
The fee is usually about **1100 INR** to individual applicants. You will be paying the Gazette publication fee online.
You normally wait 1 to 2 months until it is processed. Once published, you can get it off the site.
The total cost is generally around **₹3,000**. Here's a breakdown of the approximate costs:
*These are approximate costs that can vary with your state and requirements.
Location: Charni Road, Mumbai (Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Road)
Landmark: Near Charni Road Station and the Maharashtra State Jawahar Bal Bhavan
The Gazette Office in Mumbai is located at the Government Book Depot & Publication House, situated on Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Road, close to Charni Road Station and the Maharashtra State Jawahar Bal Bhavan. The office plays a key role in the publication of Gazette notifications, including name changes.
Contact: 022-23630695
Opening Hours: The office is open until 5:30 PM.
Gazette notification gives you a formal legal status of your corrected name by the government and government institutes.
Makes sure that all your documents such as passport, Aadhaar card, bank accounts, and academic records are consistent.
On employment, visa, banking, and court procedures where identity proof is required, it is used as a verified document.
International travel, visa interviews, and immigration processing require matching names on all the documents.
Helps prevent errors that can lead to legal problems or delays in future personal or professional matters.
Write an affidavit to state you have changed your name. It must be notarized, must contain your old and new name, the motive of change, and a statement that you are not changing because of any criminal intent.
You must have an advertisement in the local newspaper concerning your change of name. This can be what is needed in your case.
The basic steps are:
Change Of Name is therefore the legal process of formalizing, documenting and legalizing a change of name in Maharashtra, which offers security of the new name and universal acceptance of the new name in all the realms.
This process is recognized throughout India and is accessible through the Maharashtra government’s online portals for a straightforward, mostly digital workflow.
To publish a Gazette in Mumbai, the address is Ground Floor, Government Book Depot & Publication House, near Charni Road Station, Charni Road, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400004. Since 2014, the process has been online.
The price of a Gazette publication in Maharashtra depends on the kind of affidavit that you are using. The charges are usually 1,000 to 2,000 rupees. The process has become online; therefore, you may also need to consider any other fee to any online services or documents.
The following is the procedure to apply online to a Gazette certificate in Maharashtra:
These steps will assist you in filling your application form of a Gazette certificate online.
Gazette notice is normally handled in a time span between 6-8 weeks after a completed application. A Gazette notification may take different periods to be processed, depending on your application among other aspects.
To order a Gazette to change your name on Aadhaar card, proceed in the following way:
The following is the process of acquiring a Gazette notification to change the name:
It normally takes 6-8 weeks to complete the whole process.
Gazette notification alone is not normally sufficient in India to change the name on your passport. You will typically need:
You will require the two documents to change your name in your passport. Then you can apply to update your passport by handing these documents at the Passport Seva Kendra (or Regional Passport Office).
A name change gazette is a government document that legally registers a change of name to it. Having your name change published in the gazette is an everlasting document that allows you to make amends to important documents such as your passport, bank documents, and ID proofs. This legal support is a guarantee that your new name will be readily accepted and you will not have problems with banks, government offices or even the employment applications.
The Controller of Publications, Government of India, is responsible for publishing the Gazette of India. If you're in Mumbai, here's how to reach the Gazette office:
Controller of Publications,
Civil Lines,
Near CST Railway Station,
Mumbai - 400001
Monday to Friday: 9:30 AM to 6:00 PM
Saturday: 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM
Sunday: Closed
The entire name change process typically takes between 4-8 weeks. This includes preparation of documents, newspaper publication, and Gazette notification. The Gazette publication alone can take 2-4 weeks after submission of all required documents.
While not strictly mandatory for all purposes, Gazette notification is required for official name changes that need to be recognized by government authorities. It is essential for updating documents like passport, PAN card, and other government IDs.
Yes, you can change your name multiple times, but each change requires the same legal process. However, frequent name changes may raise questions with authorities, so it's advisable to have valid reasons for each change.
After a legal name change, you should update your name on: Aadhaar card, PAN card, passport, voter ID, driving license, bank accounts, credit cards, insurance policies, property documents, and educational certificates (if applicable).