Name Change After Adoption Process in India

The procedure involves getting an adoption order, writing a notarized affidavit, placing a name change ad in two newspapers, and getting a Gazette notification.

You will need the adoption order, a notarized affidavit, newspaper ad publication clippings, Gazette application, IDs, old birth certificate, and other documents.

Yes, but only with court approval. The biological father’s name stays unless changed via court order.

Getting your new name legally accepted is mandatory to get the Gazette notification done.

The whole process can take two to four months. It all depends on the steps and procedures involved.

Yes, every document, including Aadhaar, PAN, academic records, and passports, must be updated with the new name.

We offer comprehensive Gazette services for various name changes, including name correction, religion change, adoption, surname change, and more. Here’s how the process works:

• Making an Affidavit:The applicant must prepare an affidavit, adhering to state-specific regulations, as each state has its own rules. The affidavit should be written in English. It’s a mandatory document for placing name change advertisements in local and state newspapers. The adopted child’s new name should be announced through these newspaper ads. This advertisement and other required documents must be submitted for Gazette notification.
• Publishing in Newspapers:A name change must be advertised in one national daily newspaper in English. The original newspaper advertisement should be attached to the application. Click here to book your name change ad through newspapers.
• Gazette Notification:The final step is to get the name change published in the official Gazette of India, which is printed by the Government of India Press.

Name changes after adoption are carried out at the end of the adoption process, depending on the adoptive parents' wishes. The child’s updated birth certificate bears the newly chosen name. In most circumstances, the original birth certificate is a court record material.

Yes, parents who adopt a child can change their birth certificate. However, they must have a court order to make any such changes. The name of the biological father cannot be substituted with that of the adoptive father without such an order. The court order is vital in making the child's birth certificate show the new name.

Yes absolutely Once a child has been adopted through the Hindu Adoption and Maintenance Act 1956 or through the Juvenile Justice Care and Protection Act it has been established that the adoptive parents are free to change the name of the child These are some of the future legal documents including the birth certificate Aadhaar and school records among others that can be put in this new name Nonetheless to ensure that this change of name is legally binding in the country the change should be published in the official gazette of India thus a known record by the citizens

• The legal process entails a number of key processes such that the new name of the child becomes a registered and permanent name
• Adoptive parents should prepare a notarized affidavit with the original name new name date of birth reason for the change adoption and address
• Newspaper advertisement should be placed in a local language in addition to an English daily
• Parents are supposed to send all the necessary documents to the Department of Publication in Delhi where publication of Gazette takes place
• As soon as the change has been posted in Part IV of the Gazette it becomes official legal evidence and can be relied upon to change the records of the child in all government departments

• Original and notarized affidavit declaring the name change
• Adoption deed or legal guardianship order from the competent court
• Birth certificate of the child if available
• Aadhaar card or other ID of the child and parents
• Two passport-size photographs
• Newspaper clippings showing the name change announcement
• CD or pen drive with the soft copy of the declaration in MS Word format
• A signed declaration letter addressed to the Controller of Publications
• Demand Draft/IPO for Gazette fees

The Gazette notification is not merely a formality of the procedure it is of critical legal value After publication the change of name becomes a permanent public document recognized by all the authorities in India This will be crucial in documentation that will be made in future like school enrollment Aadhaar renewal passport applications or visa procedures Without Gazette publication many institutions may regard the validity of the name change particularly in adoption cases as a matter of doubt so the publication of Gazette is a key step

The notification is usually printed in the Gazette after 25 to 45 working days to the entire set of application being lodged with the Department of Publication This involves review and verification of documents as well as weekly updates of publications Applicants are expected to check the eGazette portal egazette.gov.in on a weekly basis on a Saturday to have their published notice Delays could be experienced when documents are not complete not in the right format or there is a postal problem

Although altering the surname of adopted child is not a legal requirement majority of the adoptive parents opt to change the name for emotional cultural or identity reasons The new surname is legally binding and universally accepted in India once made and published in the Gazette In case the surname is not changed there must be a statement in the affidavit to explain this to prevent confusion

Yes so the adoption registered under Indian law and the adoptive parents are Indian citizens or have Overseas Citizen of India OCI status they may have the adopted child change their name by the Indian Gazette In these situations a notarization of the affidavit through the Indian embassy or consulate has to be done and the address evidence has to indicate an Indian association Gazette notification ensures the change of name recognized internationally vital for passports or immigration documents

At present Gazette name change is not a 100 percent online process Though you can access and download the final publication using the eGazette portal you have to submit the application offline This involves submitting printed materials photographs and a CD or pen drive containing the declaration to the Department of Publication in Delhi either through registered post or courier The process of applying for Gazette name change is not fully online however the online mode will be used on later stages

Yes these days Gazette notification is being asked by most schools and government institutions as a form of official name change particularly in matters regarding adoption Whereas there are cases when the affidavit or court order itself can be accepted in some schools the renewal of Aadhaar passport and PAN typically needs a copy of the published Gazette It is the most legally-reasonable document reducing the possibilities of refusal and repeated document requests in future

Yes--but every alteration is to be made in accordance with the complete Gazette procedure affidavit publication in the newspapers and filing to the Gazette Frequent alterations could raise red flags within some institutions such as passport offices or during immigration processing It is better to complete the name one wants after adoption and use it consistently to prevent unwarranted investigations in the future