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Minor Name Change in the Gazette of India
To change a minor’s name in the Gazette of India, the father or mother publishes a notice in a daily newspaper giving the child’s age. They then send the Department of Publication an undertaking, the full newspaper page, a typed proforma signed with two witnesses, a CD, photos of parent and child, and the ₹1,700 fee paid on Bharatkosh. The Department’s minor guideline doesn’t ask for a court order. For a family living abroad, the fee is ₹5,100.
₹1,700
Minor in India
₹5,100
Minor living abroad
1
Daily newspaper, with the child’s age
2 + 1
Photos: guardian and child
Who can apply
The guideline says either the father or the mother notifies the change of name of their minor son or daughter. It’s a parent’s application: the parent signs the undertaking and proforma, and the parent’s name is typed on the CD. There are separate routes in three situations:
- After divorce: the Department has a public notice format in which the mother declares the divorce (with the court decree number and date) and the child’s new name.
- Adoption: an adoption notice needs newspaper notices and an undertaking from both the natural and the adopting guardian, with a fee of ₹1,700 from each party.
- Family living abroad: the parent submits a declaration attested by the Indian Embassy or High Commission, in original, and the fee is ₹5,100.
How to change a minor’s name: 6 steps
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Publish the newspaper notice
Advertise the change in a daily leading newspaper with your name, your father’s or husband’s name, your address and the child’s age. Keep the full page of the newspaper, because the Department asks for it. Minor ad format
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Sign the undertaking
The guardian signs an undertaking giving full particulars, residential address and the child’s age.
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Prepare the proforma, CD and certificate
Type the official minor specimen in duplicate, signed by the guardian with two witnesses (full name, address, mobile). Put the same text on a CD in MS Word, without the witness portion and with the guardian’s name typed in place of the signature. Add a signed certificate that the hard and soft copies match. Minor proforma
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Pay ₹1,700 on Bharatkosh
Pay the minor fee, not the adult ₹1,100, and print the receipt. Payment steps
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Submit the file
Send everything to the Controller of Publications, Department of Publication, Civil Lines, Delhi-110054, in person or by post or courier. If you go in person, bring two self-attested photos of yourself and one of the child. By post, include two photos of the guardian and one of the child with a copy of your photo ID, all self-attested.
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Download the gazette
Search the weekly Part IV on egazette.gov.in and save the full PDF. Download guide
What the published notice looks like
SAMPLE
GAZETTE OF INDIA · PART IV
Change of Name
I SUNIL KUMAR son of Ram Prasad, employed as Engineer in ABC Infra Ltd, residing at 7, Shanti Nagar, Jaipur-302006, have changed the name of my minor son MONU aged 9 years and he shall hereafter be known as ARYAN KUMAR.
It is certified that I have complied with other legal requirements in this connection.
Signature of Guardian
SUNIL KUMAR
Illustrative example with fictional names, written in the Department of Publication’s specimen wording for a minor.
Documents for a minor’s name change
The guideline doesn’t list the child’s birth certificate, but the Department’s list of acceptable address proofs includes “parent ID proofs (in case of minor)”. Keep the birth certificate handy too, because you’ll need it when updating the child’s other records. Every document must be less than a year old.
After the gazette: updating your child’s records
| Record | What the office accepts |
|---|---|
| Birth certificate | If the birth was registered without a name, add it at the local Registrar of Births and Deaths: free within 12 months, then with a fee up to 15 years from registration. Changing a name already registered follows your state’s rules, so ask the Registrar what proof they accept. |
| Aadhaar (under 18) | Adding, removing or changing a surname, fixing spelling, or expanding initials (with the first name unchanged) is allowed on a birth certificate or legal guardianship document showing the revised name. A complete name change needs a gazette notification. For children born on or after 1 October 2023, the birth certificate is mandatory for enrolment and updates. |
| Passport | Apply for a re-issue. Name-change proof can be a gazette notification or two original newspaper clippings, and Annexure D should ideally be signed by both parents. The parent’s declaration reads along the lines of: “I, (parent’s name), am changing my child’s name from X to Y for passport issuance.” |
| School and board records | Each school and board sets its own process. The gazette notification is the most widely accepted proof, so ask the school what else it needs. |
Sources: Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969 (section 14) and the Civil Registration System FAQ; UIDAI list of supporting documents; Passport Seva compendium of instructions.
Do you need the gazette at all? If you’re only adding or fixing a surname and can get the birth certificate updated, Aadhaar may not need a gazette, and the passport office also accepts newspaper clippings. For a complete change of first name, the gazette is the proof every office understands.
Mistakes that hold up a minor’s application
Minor name change FAQs
What is the process for changing a minor’s name in India?
The father or mother publishes a newspaper notice with the child’s age, then sends the Department of Publication an undertaking, the full newspaper page, the minor proforma in duplicate with two witnesses, a CD, photos of parent and child, and the ₹1,700 Bharatkosh receipt. The notice is published in the weekly Gazette of India, Part IV.
Do both parents need to sign for a minor’s gazette name change?
Not for the Gazette of India. Its guideline says either the father or the mother notifies the change. The passport office is stricter: Annexure D should ideally be signed by both parents when a minor’s passport is re-issued.
Is a court order needed to change a child’s name?
The Department of Publication’s guideline for a minor’s change of name doesn’t ask for one; a parent applies directly. A court becomes relevant when parents disagree or guardianship is disputed.
What is the gazette fee for a minor’s name change?
₹1,700, paid on Bharatkosh. If the family lives abroad, the fee is ₹5,100.
Can a mother change her child’s surname after divorce?
Yes. The Department of Publication has a public notice format for this, in which the mother declares the divorce with the court decree number and date and states the child’s age in years and new name.
Can my child change their own name after turning 18?
Yes. Once 18, they apply in their own name as an adult, with the ₹1,100 adult fee and their own undertaking and proforma.
Is the gazette valid for changing a child’s name in Aadhaar?
Yes for a complete name change, which UIDAI supports with a gazette notification. For a surname change or spelling fix with the first name unchanged, UIDAI accepts a birth certificate or guardianship document showing the revised name.
Sources
More gazette name change guides
Gazette name change fees
Official ₹1,100 / ₹1,700 rates, Bharatkosh payment steps and the full cost.
Documents required
The official 7-document checklist plus extra papers for your situation.
Affidavit and templates
Copy-ready undertaking, specimen proforma, CD certificate and request letter.
Name change after marriage
When a marriage certificate is enough, and when you need the gazette.
The full process
The 6 steps of a gazette name change, from undertaking to download.
Get your gazette file right the first time
Send us your details on WhatsApp. We’ll tell you exactly which documents and fee apply to you, then prepare the file for you to sign and post.