Name Change Ads in Newspaper

A person’s known name is officially changed under various circumstances – a lady getting married, change of religion, assuming a name (to become a film star or writer), discovery of an old document with a different spelling and the like. The only recognised procedure is to announce it through a newspaper advertisement – to be detailed later.

One of the most important categories of advertisements in newspapers is change of name – even though it is less a promotional insertion than a mandatory one. It has the following benefits:

• When published, it becomes a formal announcement of your change in identity to all concerned – the general public, government, officials and others.

• A cutting of the relevant advertisement becomes a vital document that needs to be shown when there is any doubt about your new identity.

• People you generally have dealings with learn to deal with you according to your published change of name.

As for the process, for name change ads in newspapers, the first thing is you can do it yourself if you are over 18 years old. Otherwise, as a minor, you need your parents or guardians to take the three steps on your behalf given below:

First of all, get a court affidavit prepared (as per a rough sample given below) by the nearest public notary at the local district court or an advocate. This document on a non- judicial stamp paper of Rs 10 or Rs 20, will state both your present and future names and other necessary personal details.

Your next step is to get the announcement of the change in your name published in two newspapers – one English and the other Hindi or any vernacular daily publication. In some circumstances, a single newspaper will serve your purpose but you will need a lawyer’s advice.

To format the advertisement, you can find your way to the two newspapers’ offices of your choice and write the matter. Ten stand in a queue. Make the payment and hand over the text for publication. Much more convenient will be to sit at your office or home computer and contact MyAdvtCorner.Com, the online facility of a total service advertising agency which can help you word your advertisement, contact the appropriate newspapers and pay on your behalf if you have cleared your dues with the agency first – instantly and at no extra cost to you.

Your final step is a simple one. Just collect the newspapers which published your change of name advertisement for submission of the copies of the cuttings wherever necessary, perhaps with the affidavit and other legal documents.