Minor Name Change Affidavit (by parent) Format & Template
Name & Identity · ₹49 · ~6 min · Sign in free, fill the guided form with a live preview, pay to download.
Stamp paper required — non-judicial stamp paper of the value prescribed by your state. You'll receive the draft; e-stamping is done separately per your state's rules.
What is a Minor Name Change Affidavit (by parent)?
A child under 18 cannot swear an affidavit, so a parent or legal guardian does it for them. The process otherwise mirrors an adult name change: affidavit first, then newspaper publication, then Gazette notification if the child’s passport or a government record needs it, then the school, the birth certificate and everything else.
The one thing schools and passport offices look at hardest is consent. Where both parents are alive and in the picture, both should be named as consenting — a single-parent affidavit for a child with two living parents is where these applications most often stall.
When to use it
- Correcting a spelling in your child’s name that has followed them from the birth certificate into school records.
- Changing a child’s name after adoption, or after a change in family circumstances.
- Aligning a child’s name across the birth certificate, school register, Aadhaar and passport, where they currently differ.
- The school or the CBSE/state board has asked for a notarised affidavit before it will amend its register.
- Applying for or re-issuing a minor’s passport in a different name.
What you'll need
Keep these details ready — the form asks for them in this order.
Deponent
Your full name · Relationship to the minor · Your age · Address · Other parent's name (optional)
Minor
Minor's current name · Minor's new name · Minor's date of birth · Minor's school / institution (optional) · Reason for change
Verification
Place of signing · Date
How it works
Collect the child’s documents first
Birth certificate, school records and Aadhaar. The old name must be entered exactly as it appears on them, and the date of birth must match the birth certificate.
Name the other parent
Where both parents are alive, naming the other parent as consenting saves an argument later at the school and the passport office. The field is optional in the form but rarely optional in practice.
Preview and download
Check the draft on the right, pay ₹49, download the PDF.
Print on stamp paper and notarise
Print on non-judicial stamp paper of your state’s value. You — the parent or guardian — sign before the Notary Public, carrying your own ID and the child’s birth certificate. The child does not need to be present.
How to make it legally valid
- Non-judicial stamp paper of the value prescribed by your state.
- Sworn by the parent or legal guardian in the physical presence of a Notary Public or First Class Magistrate.
- Notary’s signature, seal and register entry.
- The child’s date of birth in the affidavit must match the birth certificate exactly.
- A legal guardian who is not a parent should be prepared to produce the guardianship order.
Stamp paper. Print the affidavit on non-judicial stamp paper. The value is fixed by your state, not by us — commonly Rs. 10 in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh, Rs. 20 in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, Rs. 50 in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, and Rs. 100 in Maharashtra and Gujarat. Ask the stamp vendor or your notary for the current value in your state: using a lower denomination than required is the most common reason an affidavit is handed back.
After you sign it
Signing is not the last step for this document. These are what most authorities ask to see next.
Publish in two newspapers
A classified in one regional-language and one English newspaper circulating where you live, announcing the change of the minor’s name. Keep the original clippings — schools and the passport office ask for them.
Gazette notification where required
Mandatory where the change is to be reflected in a minor’s passport for reasons other than a parent’s marriage or divorce, and recommended generally. Apply to the Controller of Publications or Government Press in your state with the affidavit, clippings, the birth certificate and the prescribed fee.
Update the records that matter to the child
School register and transfer certificate first — board examination records are copied from it and are painful to change afterwards — then the birth certificate with the local municipal body, Aadhaar, passport and any bank account or insurance policy in the child’s name.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Only one parent executing the affidavit where both are alive and available. Schools and passport offices ask for the other parent’s consent.
- Changing the school records but not the birth certificate. Board examination records are verified against the birth certificate and the mismatch surfaces years later.
- Waiting until Class 10 or 12 to correct a name. Once a board certificate is issued in the wrong name, changing it is a far longer process.
- A date of birth in the affidavit that does not match the birth certificate.
- Using an adult name change affidavit for a child — a minor cannot swear an oath, so it will be rejected.
Frequently asked questions
Who can swear this affidavit?
A parent — father or mother — or a legally appointed guardian. A grandparent, uncle or sibling cannot, unless they hold a guardianship order from a court.
Do both parents need to sign?
The affidavit is sworn by one parent, but where both parents are alive and available, naming the other parent as consenting is strongly advisable. Many schools and the Passport Office ask for both parents’ consent, and will hold the application until they have it.
What if the other parent will not consent, or cannot be found?
This is a situation for a lawyer, not a template. Depending on the facts — separation, desertion, a custody order — you may need a court order authorising the change. A single-parent affidavit in a contested situation is likely to be challenged.
At what age can the child change their own name?
At 18. From that point they use the ordinary adult name change affidavit and do not need a parent.
Do I need to publish a minor’s name change in the newspaper?
Yes, in practice. Schools, boards and the Passport Office all ask for newspaper clippings, in one regional-language and one English paper, just as for an adult.
How do I change the name on the birth certificate?
Apply to the municipal corporation, municipality or panchayat that issued it, with the notarised affidavit, newspaper clippings, Gazette page if you have one, and the original certificate. Rules and timelines vary by local body; some require the application within a set period of birth, after which a magistrate’s order may be needed.
Will the school change its records on this affidavit alone?
Most schools will, for a name correction, on the affidavit plus newspaper clippings. Some, and most boards, additionally want the amended birth certificate. Ask the school what it needs before you start.
What stamp paper value applies?
The same as for any affidavit in your state — commonly Rs. 10 to Rs. 100. The stamp vendor or notary will confirm.
Does the child need to be present at the notary?
No. The parent or guardian swears the affidavit. Carry your own ID and the child’s birth certificate.
Can this be used for a name change after adoption?
It can support it, but adoption has its own legal framework and documentation — an adoption deed or a court order under the applicable adoption law. Use those as the primary documents and take legal advice; this affidavit alone will not establish the adoption.
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This is a self-help template for common situations — it is not legal advice and LawMitran is not a law firm. Need help with your minor name change affidavit (by parent)? Find a documentation lawyer · Legal documents FAQs.