Change of Name in Birth Certificate

A birth certificate is one of the most important documents that a person needs to possess to prove or give a proof of his age, citizenship and identity. It is required in the process of obtaining licenses, passport and various other government issued documents.  

In fact, a birth certificate is also required at the time of admission to Schools, colleges, etc.

Registration of Births in India

The registration of births in India is regulated by The Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969. The said Act makes it mandatory to get the births recorded with the Registrar in the Register to be maintained by him within a period of 21 days from the date of birth.

• In India, birth certificates are issued by the Municipal Corporation, Tehsildar or the Gram Panchayat, depending on the place of birth.

How to Make Changes/Corrections in the Birtch Certificate?

Many a time a person needs to make certain corrections or changes in the Birth Certificate. The process of making such changes and corrections varies from state to state but broadly it is similar for all the states.

Guidelines for changing Name in the Birth Certificate:

• First, the person who needs to change his name has to go to a Notary Public and get an affidavit made regarding change of name. The reason for the need to change the name has to be specifically mentioned. The affidavit can be used to change the first, last or the complete name.
• In case the individual is working with Central Government, they may submit deed for change of name in accordance with the guidelines of the Department of Personnel & Training, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions. An intimation of the same has to be given to the head of the department where the individual is working.
• In case of an Indian living abroad, he/she will submit deed duly attested by the respective Indian Embassy/Indian High Commission, in original to this Department.
• NRI applicants seeking to change first name or surname or both, are required to place advertisements to that effect in a prominent newspaper of the place of residence in the country they live in and also in a leading daily newspaper of area of permanent address in India. Original clippings of these advertisements along with a sworn affidavit in the prescribed format are required to be furnished with the application.
• Then the person needs to get it published in two local leading newspapers. The advertisement should mention that one is changing his/her name, include old and new name, mention father’s / husband’s name and address. One must keep a copy of the original advertisement as it appears in the newspaper when it is published. It may be prudent to keep a few original copies.
• The last step is to get your Change of Name published in the Gazette of India.
  • According to the guidelines issued by the Department of Publication, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, the following documents are required for publication of advertisement in in the Gazette of India-An undertaking duly signed by the applicant,
  • The original newspaper advertisements
  • Prescribed proforma duly typed with signature of applicant and two witnesses
  • Self attested photographs and ID proof
  • A request letter along with the requisite fee
• An application would thereafter need to be made to the concerned Municipal Corporation or the Gram Panchayat to issue the fresh birth certificate post the change of name. The Authority after verifying the application form and the documents appended in support thereof, would issue the updated birth certificate to the Applicant.

CONCLUSION

The entire process for changing the name on the birth certificate may appear to be cumbersome in as much as various steps and legal procedures are to be undertaken, however given the importance the document holds in a person’s life, it is imperative that the birth certificate be updated and reflects the correct name of the person.