How Can I Change My Surname After Marriage?

Table Of Content

• Is it necessary to Change Surname after Marriage? 
• Documents required for Name Change
• How to Change Surname after Marriage?
• What if I don’t Change my Surname after Marriage?
• Advantages of Changing Surname after Marriage
• Disadvantages of not Changing name after Marriage
• Can I keep both Surnames after Marriage?
• FAQs

Marriage is an auspicious day for both men and women. Where a woman is taking vows with her husband to start a new life with him she is also inheriting his husband’s surname. To make that surname valid you need to go with the legal proceedings to get it changed. Changing surname after marriage is a very common ritual among Indian societies.

Is it necessary to Change Surname after Marriage? 

As already mentioned in the introduction, the orthodox traditions of the society where a woman has to change her surname after marriage is made a compulsion. Though with the depleting time the law has posed this decision on the ladies whether they want to change their surname after marriage or not. In short there is “no law written where changing surname is made compulsory after marriage”.

What Documents are required for Name Change?

1. ID proof of your old name.
2. Signatures
3. And your Aadhaar Card.

How to Change Surname after Marriage?

If you’ve decided to take your spouse’s surname as your own, you’re probably wondering how to change your name after getting married. Because your name does not change when you marry, you must take all of the legal steps necessary to change your name after the marriage. So let’s come to the name change package procedure after marriage:

• Step 1: First, go to your local notary and explain your situation. The Notary/Stamp Vendor will recommend the stamp paper of the required value for the affidavit of name change. We also provide Name Change Affidavits that are duly executed on e-Stamp Paper without the need to leave the house.
• Step 2: Following this, the second step is to have your name changed published in the newspaper. Publish the advertisement in two local leading newspapers of the state, one in the native language of the applicant’s native state and one in the English leading newspaper, and keep at least 4-5 original copies of the newspaper.

An important point which must include in the details for Newspaper Publication for Change of Name:

• New Name 
• Old Name
• Name of Father/Husband 
• Age 
• Full Address
• Notary Name who attested the affidavit
•  Date the affidavit was made

Always check the content of the advertisement and the above-mentioned points before publishing the name change advertisement in a newspaper.

• Step 3: Now that the advertisement has been published in the newspaper, Get your Name Change Notification in the Gazette of India publish by the Government and keep a copy of the notification with you to use in places where you want to change your name. Publication in the Gazette of India is not required in all states; it varies by state; however, it is mandatory for government employees to draft the Name Change Deed and publish the notification of changing name in the Gazette of India.

What if I don’t Change my Surname after Marriage?

Already discussed this thing above, changing surnames is a big step that anyone could take. A lot of thinking and decision making has to be done before getting it changed. Since no law says that a woman needs to change their surnames after marriage. The choice is their if they want to change their respective surname then they can and if they don’t then no one can force them.

Also Read, Is Marriage Registration Compulsory in India?

What are the Advantages of Changing Surname after Marriage?

Having the same surname makes the job easier. Though benefits of changing surname after marriage are limited. So, adding your husband’s surname to yours would aid in documentation and make paperwork easier for visa, passport, joint accounts, properties, and other applications. If you want to start over in your marriage, leaving your past behind, changing your name will help you do so.

What are the Disadvantages of not Changing name after Marriage?

If there are pros of getting your surname changed likewise there are cons too. We have been talking about the surname change that women undergo after marriage. However, this idea may not appeal to all women. After all, changing one’s identity, which they have lived with for many years, is not easy for anyone. Fortunately, it is no longer a requirement, and it is entirely up to a woman to choose whether to keep her maiden name or take her husband’s surname after marriage. There are few reasons why the people don’t want to get their surnames change:

1. They do not want to change their identity.
2. They love their maiden surname.
3. Paper work is a headache.

Can I keep both Surnames after Marriage?

Keeping both surnames after marriage in India has now become a trend many women nowadays choose to keep their maiden surnames as well as their husbands’. Many of our Bollywood divas have followed suit. Madhuri Dixit Nene, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, and Kareena Kapoor Khan are among the well-known names. That’s a pretty good way to keep everyone happy. Isn’t that correct?

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)