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Newspaper Advertisement for Name Change
For the Gazette of India, the Department of Publication asks you to advertise your change of name in one daily local leading newspaper, stating your father’s or husband’s name and your residential address, and to send the original newspaper with your application. For a minor, the notice must also give the child’s age. Passport Seva’s change-of-name sample asks for clippings from two newspapers, one in English and one in the local language, so many people publish in both.
What the official guidelines require
| Case | Newspaper rule | The notice must include |
|---|---|---|
| Adult | One daily local leading newspaper; send the original | Old and new name, father’s or husband’s name, residential address |
| Minor | One daily leading newspaper; send the full page | Parent’s name, father’s or husband’s name, address and the child’s age |
| Change of religion | One local leading newspaper from the state of your address; send the original | The change of religion |
| Adoption of a child | Notices from both the natural and the adopting guardian | Details of both guardians |
| Change of name and gender | A daily local national newspaper in English or Hindi only. Weekly, evening and fortnightly papers are not accepted. | Old and new name and gender, father’s name, full address. Placed under “Public Notice”, not “Change of Name”, by you rather than a lawyer. |
Source: Department of Publication guidelines for adult, minor, change of religion, adoption, and change of name and gender.
Sample name change advertisements
Keep the ad short and make every name match your undertaking and proforma exactly. Use S/o (son of), D/o (daughter of) or W/o (wife of), and R/o (resident of).
Adult
Change of name · adult
CHANGE OF NAME
I, [OLD NAME], S/o [FATHER'S NAME], R/o [FULL ADDRESS WITH PIN], have changed my name to [NEW NAME]. All concerned please note.
After marriage
Change of name · after marriage
CHANGE OF NAME
I, [MAIDEN NAME], D/o [FATHER'S NAME], W/o [HUSBAND'S NAME], R/o [FULL ADDRESS WITH PIN], have changed my name to [NEW NAME] after marriage. All concerned please note.
Minor
Change of name · minor
CHANGE OF NAME
I, [PARENT'S NAME], S/o / W/o [NAME], R/o [FULL ADDRESS WITH PIN], have changed the name of my minor son / daughter [CHILD'S OLD NAME], aged [AGE] years, to [CHILD'S NEW NAME]. All concerned please note.
Spelling correction
Change of name · spelling correction
CHANGE OF NAME
I, [NAME AS CURRENTLY SPELT], S/o [FATHER'S NAME], R/o [FULL ADDRESS WITH PIN], have changed my name to [CORRECT SPELLING]. All concerned please note.
These are common formats, not official specimens. For a change of name and gender, follow the Department’s own public notice format in its guideline.
One newspaper or two?
For the Gazette of India itself, one daily local leading newspaper meets the guideline. Two is still the safer choice if you’ll update your passport. Passport Seva’s change-of-name sample asks for clippings from two newspapers, one English and one in the local language. Its older rules describe one newspaper where you live now and one at your permanent address. Publishing both before you apply to the gazette saves you a second round of ads later.
How to book a name change ad
- Choose the newspaper. Pick a daily newspaper that circulates where you live. Avoid weekly, evening and fortnightly papers. If you need two, choose one English and one in your local language.
- Book in the right section. Book a classified under “Change of Name”, or under “Public Notice” for a change of name and gender. You can book at the newspaper’s classified counter, through an authorised ad agency, or on the newspaper’s own booking site.
- Check the proof. Before it prints, check every letter of every name against your undertaking and proforma. A spelling difference here can get the whole file rejected.
- Buy the original newspaper. On the day it appears, buy several copies of the full newspaper. You send an original to the Department, and the minor guideline asks for the full page.
Costs depend on the newspaper, edition and word count, so get a quote before you book.
Timing
No document in your gazette file may be older than one year, and that includes the newspaper. Publish the ad shortly before you send your file, not months ahead. If you’re using a state gazette, check its rules too. Odisha’s e-Gazette, for example, accepts a full-page newspaper or e-paper notice, while the Central Gazette asks for the original printed newspaper.
Ad mistakes that get files rejected
Newspaper notice FAQs
How do I give an advertisement for name change in a newspaper?
Book a classified in a daily newspaper under “Change of Name”, stating your old and new name, your father’s or husband’s name and your full address. Check the proof carefully, then buy the original newspaper on the day it appears to send with your gazette application.
How many newspapers do I need for a name change?
The Gazette of India guideline asks for one daily local leading newspaper. Passport Seva’s change-of-name sample asks for two, one English and one in the local language, so publish in two if you’ll update your passport.
What is the format for a name change advertisement for a passport?
Use a standard change-of-name notice with your old name, new name, parent’s or spouse’s name and address, published in two newspapers: one English and one in the local language, as Passport Seva’s sample describes.
Which newspaper should I choose?
Any daily local leading newspaper that circulates where you live. Avoid weekly, evening and fortnightly papers. For a change of name and gender, the guideline requires an English or Hindi daily.
Can I send an e-paper or a cutting to the gazette?
Not for the Central Gazette, which asks for the original newspaper. Some state gazettes differ; Odisha’s e-Gazette accepts a full-page newspaper or e-paper notice.
How much does a name change newspaper ad cost?
It depends on the newspaper, the edition and the number of words. A short classified in a city edition costs far less than a national edition, so compare quotes before booking.
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.
Minor name change
How a parent changes a child’s name: ₹1,700 fee, documents and records.
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.