What is Gazette Notification for Name Change

The Gazette Notification for Name Change is the official public announcement published in The Gazette of India, a public journal issued by the Department of Publication under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India. It serves as irrefutable legal proof that you have officially and irrevocably changed your name. Whether you're changing your name after marriage, for astrological or numerological reasons, or simply due to personal preference, the Name Change in Gazette process is mandatory for updating crucial documents like your passport, Aadhaar card, PAN card, and academic certificates. Skipping this step can lead to significant discrepancies in your legal identity, rendering your new name invalid for official purposes. The Central Gazette Name Change holds the highest legal validity compared to State Gazettes. 

The entire Name Change Process in India is standardized and involves three main steps, culminating in the publication of your new name in the official Gazette. Knowing How to change Name in Gazette simplifies the journey considerably.

Phase 1: Creating a Name Change Affidavit

The first legal requirement is to prepare and notarize an Affidavit.

1. Drafting the Affidavit: This is a formal declaration made on paper (typically Rs. 10/Rs. 20 value) and must contain the following details:

   • Your Old Name and New Name.

   • The reason for the name change (e.g., marriage, astrology, personal preference).

   • Your current residential address, father's/husband's name.

   • A declaration that the facts stated are true and correct.

Phase 2: Public Announcement through Newspaper Publication

The second crucial step is to inform the public about your name change.

1. Publishing the Advertisement: You must publish an advertisement in local leading newspapers.

2. Content of the Notice: The advertisement should clearly state your Old Name, your New Name, the name of your father/husband, your full address, and the date the affidavit was notarized.

3. Preserving Copies: You must keep the original copies of the newspapers for submission to the Gazette office.

Phase 3: Applying for Gazette Publication

This is the final step where you submit your application to the Department of Publication, Delhi. The entire process is moving towards an Online Name Change system, which streamlines the filing.

To apply for the Gazette for Name Change, you need to compile a file containing:

• The original Notarized Name Change Affidavit.

• Original newspaper clippings of the published advertisements.

• A prescribed Proforma (declaration form) which should be computer-typed, signed by you and two witnesses.

• A soft copy of the application in MS Word format on a digital CD (as per official guidelines), containing the typed matter of your advertisement.

• The application form and a certificate declaring the contents of the hard copy and soft copy are the same.

• Two self-attested passport-size photographs and a self-attested copy of your ID proof (like Aadhaar, PAN, or Passport).

• A request letter along with the fee payment receipt (paid online through the Bharatkosh website).

The application must be submitted to: The Controller of Publications, Department of Publication, Civil Lines, Delhi-110054.

Once your application is received and successfully verified, the Department of Publication will publish your name change advertisement in Part IV, Section 2 of The Gazette of India, typically within 15 days to 2 months.

Since the physical printing of hard copies of the Gazette has been ceased since 2015, the official Gazette Name Change is published in the e-Gazette, which you can download from the official e-Gazette website. This downloadable electronic copy is the valid legal proof for updating all your other documents.

The publication of the Gazette Notification for Name Change completes the legal formality. You can then use this document as the primary evidence to officially update your new name on all your government ID proofs and educational certificates.