If you wish to be known by a different name you can change your name at any time, provided you do not intend to deceive or defraud another person. There is no legal procedure to follow in order to change a name. You simply start using the new name. You can change your forename or surname, add names or rearrange your existing names.

Although there is no legal way to change a name, you may want evidence that you have changed your name (see under heading Evidence of change of name). However, you cannot change details on your birth certificate, except in limited circumstances.

For more information about changing your name on a birth certificate, go to the UK Deed Poll Service website at www.ukdps.co.uk.

Once you have decided to change your name, you can use the new name for all purposes, for example, publishing marriage bans, legal proceedings and obtaining, or changing details on a driving licence or passport.

• Certificate of Criminal Record
• Request Addressed to the Minister of Justice
• Application addressed to the Registrar
• Identity Card (original and photocopy)

Registrar-General
P.O. Box 3199
Road Town, Tortola
British Virgin Islands VG1110
Tel: (284) 468-3442
Fax: (284) 494-2783
Email: info@crisvi.gov.vg or infocris@gov.vg
Website: www.crisvi.gov.vg
Contacts - How to Request your Record
Location of the Registrar-General's Office

If you wish to be known by a different name you can change your name at any time, provided you do not intend to deceive or defraud another person. There is no legal procedure to follow in order to change a name. You simply start using the new name. You can change your forename or surname, add names or rearrange your existing names.

Although there is no legal way to change a name, you may want evidence that you have changed your name. However, you cannot change details on your birth certificate, except in limited circumstances.

Once you have decided to change your name, you can use the new name for all purposes, for example, publishing marriage bans, legal proceedings and obtaining, or changing details on a driving licence or passport.

• To add father's name - $25.00
• To change name on birth record - $25.00
• Entering of Baptismal name or other name after registration - $4.00

Explain the time until which the certificate/document is valid.
e.g. Birth Certificate Valid Forever

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Evidence of change of name

You do not need legal proof that you have changed your name, provided that you can be identified by your new chosen name. However, there are some circumstances, for example, applying for a passport, when additional evidence of the change of name is required. The evidence required varies depending on the purpose for which it is needed and can include:-

• a letter from a responsible person
• a public announcement
• a statutory declaration
• a deed poll.

• Your name as listed on birth certificate or immigration or citizenship documents.
• The full name you are applying to change to (if you are changing your name).
• Date and place of birth
• Marital status and details
• Places of residence for last three months
• Address for Correspondence

If you are using, or wish to use, a name other than your registered name, there is no legal requirement that you formally change your name. It is, however, recommended that you change your name officially, both for identification and as evidence of your name change.

Name change generally refers to the legal act by a person of adopting a name different from their name at birth, marriage or adoption. The procedures and ease of a name change vary between jurisdictions.

Typically, you may legally change your name to whatever name you'd like. There are some exceptions, though:

• You can't change your name just to escape debt liability or to hide from criminal liability.
• You can't change your name in order to commit a crime.
• You can't change your name with the intention to mislead. This usually involves taking the name of a famous person. Courts typically do not allow this, unless you have a convincing reason that is not related to the famous person or the use of his or her name.
• You can't choose a confusing name one that includes numerals or punctuation. However, some courts have permitted people to spell out the numbers, for example "Seven" instead of "7".
• You can't choose a name that would intimidate, offend, or be considered obscene.
• You can't choose a racial slur.

You may want to change your name because:

• You have just gotten married
• You have divorced
• You just want a change

Departments

Useful Links

Department Contact Listing

Government of the Virgin Islands

Civil Registry and Passport Office

Ministries

BVI London Office

If you wish to legally change your name, or your children's names, you can use the Deed Poll process, which has been used by hundreds of thousands of people for over 150 years.

By Deed Poll, you can officially change any part or all of your name. For example, you can change your forenames, surname (or both), add names, remove names, change the spelling of your names or rearrange your existing names. You can change your name by Deed Poll as often as you want, at any time and for any reason provided it is not for deceptive or fraudulent purposes.

Contrary to popular belief, there is no central register of name changes in the United Kingdom. Deed Polls are not registered anywhere unless they are "enrolled" i.e. lodged for safe keeping, in the Close Rolls of the Chancery (from 1851 to 1902) and from 1903, in the Enrolment Books of the Supreme Court of Judicature, which is located within the Royal Courts of Justice in the Strand, London.

Enrolling a Deed Poll provides a public record of a person's name change and since 1914 the details of the name change are published in either the London Gazette or Belfast Gazette.

Deed Polls that have been enrolled at the Royal Courts of Justice in London remain with us for five to ten years after which (and going back to 1851), they can be found at the National Archives which is located at Kew in Richmond, Surrey.

The National Archive catalogue lists the registers that have already been transferred to Kew and it is recommended that the catalogue be checked by anyone wanting to access them before travelling to Kew.