Change of Name Due To Spelling Mistake in Tamil Nadu

The Gazette comes in when you are applying a name change process. This is since when your name appears on the Gazette, it becomes official and also the Gazette gives your name a legal validity enabling you to make changes to your name on your legal documents such as Aadhar card, Passport or voter id and other important documents. You are not in a position to continue with the use of the name without publishing your name in the Gazette.

Now, we shall consider in details how the Gazette provides a great contribution to the procedure of changing names. First, Gazette of India is the official government publication and falls under the Press and Registration of Books Act, 1867. Secondly, regarding publication in Gazette, the Department of publication is in charge of the same, under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. In addition, the Gazette publication is also required in respect of significant government and citizen related notifications.

Key Functions:

• Legal Force: Gives statutory force to the rules, acts, and amendments, and public notices.
• Official Record: Creates a permanent, verifiable government record that is legally binding.
• Authoritative Source: Relied upon by the courts, administrative organs, banks and other regulatory authorities to validate.

Gazette Classifications:

• Part I: Deals with government appointments, promotions, and resignations.
• Part II: Has Ministerial Rules, Regulations, and Orders.
• Part III: Contains notifications of state governments to be published in the centre.
• IV. Personal notifications like name changes, gender identity statements and corrections of records.

You will be notified when your name appears in the Gazette. This Gazette Notification is known as Gazette Notification. It acts as a formal statement to the people about name change, change of legislation or acquisition of land. Above all, it has a certain validity on the basis of several acts, including the General Clauses Act, 1897, which comprise provisions that require certain modifications to be made formally in the Gazette.

A Gazette notification of a name change would mean that the name has been accepted by the government and therefore legally effective. Besides, It guarantees that:

• The change of name is documented in an open document that can be accessed by the law.
• Government agencies and institutions are in a position to correct their records.
• The new naming is accepted in all legal and administrative spheres and is the same throughout all the legal and administrative channels.

Any Indian citizen can use the process of name change through Gazette, these are:

• Minors (with parent or legal guardian).
• Married persons (post marriage surname changes).
• Single women (to revert to maiden name or to assume a new name).
• NRIs/PIOs (with valid Indian documents).

It needs documents such as a valid identity/address proof, affidavits, and the Gazette publication process must be followed correctly.

State Gazette: Issued by the individual state governments, only valid in the jurisdiction of that state. The state level institutions are the ones which accept them mostly

Central Gazette: A gazette of the Government of India, having nationwide validity. It is vital to:

• Central government employees
• PAN, Passport, Aadhaar updates
• Inter-state legal documentation

Here are the steps to proceed with the publication of a name change in the Gazette includes:

• Make an Affidavit: Make an affidavit referencing the old name, new name, and the reason you want to change it and have it notarized.
• Newspaper Advertisement: Place advertisements in English and regional newspapers about the name change process so that people are aware of the name change.
• Submission: Send the Gazette application along with a CD containing the typed text, declaration form, ID/address proofs and payment to the Department of Publication.
• Review and Publication: Your name change will be published in part IV of the Gazette of India in case everything seems fine.

Some of the common reasons for a legal name change are:

• Marriage Divorce: Change of surname after marriage or the previous name after a divorce.
• Gender Transition: In recognition of gender identity.
• Spelling Errors:To correct clerical or typographical errors.
• Religious Name-Change: Changing names to reflect a change of religion.
• Numerology Astrology: Depends on the spiritual or personal beliefs.
• Personal Choice: Simplifying or rebranding of identity.

Yes, you can definitely apply for a name change, if you get converted to a new religion. The procedure is same. Submit affidavit and newspaper advertisements, a certificate of conversion from a mosque, temple, church, or legal authority should be included, as an authentication of the conversion.

There may be some history of crime, scandal, trauma, or abuse. Thus, in order to rid yourself of the old negative past, you can change your name. Submit your affidavit and any supportive documentation of your psychological/legal evidence of the name change to initiate the name change process.

Yes. The naming process applies to minors as well. The parent or the legal guardian must submit:

• The minor’s birth certificate.
• An affidavit from the parent.
• A school ID or bonafide certificate.
• Newspaper advertisements as required for name change.

The documents to initiate the process of name change for the Gazette name change are:

• Notarized affidavit (original + copy).
• Identity proof (e.g., Aadhaar, PAN, Passport).
• Address proof (e.g., utility bills, voter ID).
• Two newspaper publications (one regional + one national).
• Photographs.
• CD with soft copy (MS Word format).
• Declaration letter.
• Signed request to the Controller of Publications.

The gazette process of changing the name is long. This will take some time depending on the nature of your submission and busy-ness of the department. The average length are

• Preparation of document: 3/7 days.
• Publication processing: 25/45 working days after submission.

Note: Delays can be caused by holidays or incomplete paperwork.

The publication of your name after submitting your application can be checked by:

• Visiting the eGazette website.
• Using the search function to locate your name in the Part IV publications.
• Searching by submission month/year or old/new name.

eGazette updates are published every Saturday.

After your name has been published in the Gazette of India:

• You may use the Gazette copy as an evidence to update your Aadhaar, PAN, and passport.
• Submit the Gazette notification along with your request for change to the concerned authorities.
• You may be required to submit additional documents like the affidavit or newspaper ad, especially for older Gazette entries by some institutions.

The Gazette Notification is not necessarily legally mandated, but it is legally valid to your name. Nevertheless, it is a critical tool when it comes to cases like

• Government jobs, PAN, passports, and immigration records.
• Bank accounts, academic certificates, and insurance policies may require it, depending on institutional policies.

Yes. After the Gazette publication of your name, the Gazette Notification becomes a legal document which will be a crucial legal document to prove the change of name under the Indian Evidence Act, 1872 and General Clauses Act, 1897. You must add also that some institutions might require you to produce supporting documents, which will include the original affidavit or newspaper articles.

Not every time we must publish Gazette on a legal basis. In other instances, you may also be required to submit the affidavit only such as in schools. In case of official records relating with central government such as UIDAI, Passport Office, and central government employment records, there needs to be Gazette publication to provide legal validity.

Online method of name change application process is not available in Central Gazette. You need to submit the application in person into the Department of Publication in New Delhi. Important: the e-Gazette portal (https://egazette.gov.in) will only enable you to see the published notifications and not make the name change application online.

The CD containing Gazette name change declaration should be in the Microsoft word format (.doc or .docx). It should:

• Be virus-free.
• Follow the prescribed format as per Gazette guidelines (including font, size, and declaration language).
• Avoid formatting errors or scanned images.

Yes, there is a fee, you have to pay for the initiation of the Gazette publication:

• Name change for individuals: ₹1,100/-
• Name change for minors: ₹1,700/-
• Name change after divorce: ₹2,750/-
• Minor’s name change after divorce: ₹3,350/-

You can make the payment via Indian Postal Order (IPO) or Demand Draft addressed to the Controller of Publications.

Once your affidavit and newspaper advertisement has been submitted, it will typically take 25-45 working days to process depending on how complete your file is and how busy the department is. But there may be delays due to

• Incomplete or incorrect submissions.
• Public holidays or backlogs.
• Technical issues with the CD or non-compliance with formatting requirements.

You can trace the status of your submission and follow up after 30 working days when you cannot find any update on the same.

Here’s how you can download your Gazette notification:

• Visit www.egazette.nic.in.
• Select “Search Gazette”.
• Choose “Weekly Gazette” under the search category.
• Select Part IV from the dropdown.
• Use the calendar tool to select the publication date range.
• Locate and download the PDF of the notification.
• Use Ctrl + F to search for your old/new name.
• Download and save the PDF.

A Gazette Notification for name change contains the following:

• Old and new name.
• Name of father/husband.
• Full address of the applicant.
• Reason for the change (optional).
• Reference number and publication date for verification.

As per Government of India notification dated October 1, 2015, you will no longer be sent any printed hard copies of the Gazette. You could also view your publication online at the e-Gazette portal: https://egazette.gov.in.

Yes, we do Gazette bookings for name changes across the nation. To know more, you may reach out to us at (+91) 9326098181.

The reasons for rejections includes:

• Incomplete documentation.
• Formatting errors or illegibility.
• Missing CD or declaration.

If rejected, you will receive a return notice explaining the reason. Reapplication is allowed without legal penalty, but the process will restart.

Yes. Names must not:

• Imitate official titles (e.g., Dr., Prof., etc.).
• Contain offensive or communal content.
• Mislead identity (e.g., adopting a celebrity's full name).

Non-compliance to these guidelines would result to rejection of application.

Yes, in case of a minor, the parent or legal guardian should sign the application on their part and other related documents like:

• Minor’s birth certificate.
• Parent’s identity proof.
• School ID or bonafide certificate.
• Affidavit and declaration from the guardian.

Yes, NRIs and PIOs or persons of Indian origin are eligible to apply for a name change in the Gazette of India, all they have to submit are:

• Indian passport copy.
• Overseas address proof.
• Attested affidavit from the Indian Embassy or Consulate.
• Mailing details for sending the Gazette copy.

Yes, for Central Gazette publication, your name change notice has to be published in two newspaper:

• One in English and one in the regional language.
• The ads must clearly state the old and new names, and the applicant’s address.
• Attach original clippings with your application (ads should not be older than 1 year).

The contents in the CD should be consistent with the hard copy, in MS Word format, following these guidelines:

• Font: Times New Roman or Arial
• Font size: 12 pt
• No special formatting (bold, italic, color)
• File name should match the applicant’s name
• The CD must be virus-free and properly labeled.

A bad or missing CD would result in rejection of application. This is why it is highly imperative to verify before sending or you can maintain a backup copy of it. In case of technical problems that force the CD to be returned, ensure that you immediately send the corrected CD with a new cover letter as a reference to the previous one.

For a name change, the affidavit has to be drafted on ₹10 or ₹20 non-judicial stamp paper and notarized. It must include:

• Old and new names
• Reason for the name change
• Full residential address
• Date of execution and the signature of the deponent
• Notary seal and registration number

The new guidelines require physical signatures in original ink to be used only on the declaration and cover letter. Documents scanned or digital signed will not be admissible

The Gazette publication belongs to the community and is part of the community domain. Therefore, it must not be held as a secret.

In case of a spelling error in your Gazette entry, immediately request a correction by submitting:

• A covering letter explaining the error
• A copy of the erroneous Gazette entry
• The corrected affidavit and documents
• Fresh fee payment, if applicable

The rectification process will take time for approval and usually it takes 25–45 working days.

Yes, you can change your name more than once via Gazette but every time you do it you must attach a new application form with relevant documents and a good reason. Frequent amendments can be the subject of closer inspection, particularly in legal or financial terms.

Once published in the Gazette it is a permanent record, and can be used as a lifetime record with no expiry. It is also necessary to add that the applicability may be influenced by the policy of the institution. As an example, banks can request documentations which are up to date.

Yes, the Gazette copy is compulsory to use it abroad in the Immigration or education purpose it must be attested or apostillized by the External Affairs. It can be used as a valid evidence by most embassies, particularly when accompanied with an affidavit and a translated document (where necessary).

No, every applicant is required to file his or her own affidavit, newspaper publication, and Gazette entry. In order to change the name of all the family members, each member of the family including minors is required to submit an individual application.

You need to enter the address on your valid government-issued identification such as Aadhaar, Voter ID or Passport. Your application will be rejected in case of any difference in your address proof. In case of change of address, file a self declaration with both old and new address proof.

Aadhaar enables name updates including documentary evidence, but in the case of significant name changes like surname addition or a significant spelling change, then a publication in Gazette is required. But when updating Aadhaar a second time or in case of differences in various records, you might have to provide a Gazette publication to carry out the verification process.

Note: The information presented here is subject to change as per the prevailing procedures. It is always advisable that you cross-check with official sources before you proceed with your application.

For official information, please visit: https://egazette.gov.in