Belize - Change Your Name (Deed Poll)

Advertisement

Procedure

The most important thing to do to legally change your name is to start using your new name. Introduce yourself using your new name, fill out forms and applications under your new name, tell all of your family and friends to only refer to you using your new name, and tell your school and/or employer of your new name.

How you should go about changing your name will depend upon which category you fit into. Changing your name after marriage or divorce is quite a simple process, while changing your name 'just because' requires a little more effort, but it is still quite straight forward and a lot easier than it used to be.

To change your name, submit a petition to your local Superior Court that details the reasons you'd like to change your name. After the court approves your request, you'll then need to update your Social Security card, driver's license and passport.

Advertisement

Required Documents

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

Office Locations & Contacts

Ministry of the Attorney General
General Office, Belmopan
Tel: 822-2504
Fax: 822-3390
Ministry of the Attorney General contacts

Registrar General, Belize City
Tel: 501-227-2053, 501-227-7377
Fax: 501-227-0181

Eligibility

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.

Fees

For Birth Certificate in Belize:
A FEE OF $4.00 IS PAYABLE FOR EACH COPY REQUESTED FOR two WEEK SERVTCE.
A FEE OF $15.00 IS PAYABLE FOR EACH CERTTFIED COPY REQUESTED FOR ONE day SERVTCE.
A FEE OF $30.00 IS PAYABLE FOR EACH CERTTFTED COPY REQUESTED FOR EXPRESS SERVTCE.

For Marriage Certificate in Belize:
A FEE OF $5.00 IS PAYABLE FOR EACH CERTTFIED COPY REQITESTED FOR ONE-WEEK SERVTCE.
A FEE OF $20.00 Is PAYABLE FOR EACH CERTTFIED COPY REQLIESTED FOR ONE-DAY SERVTCE.
A FEB OF $30.OO IS PAYABLE FOR EACH CERTIFIED COPY REQUESTED FOR EXPRESS SERVICE.

Validity

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

Documents to Use

Please attach documents that can be used by people. e.g. links

Sample Documents

Please attach sample completed documents that would help other people.

Processing Time

Please explain processing time taken in obtaining the document/certificate.

Related Videos

Videos explaining the procedure or to fill the applications. 
Attach videos using the following tag <&video type="website">video ID|width|height<&/video&> from external websites.
Please remove the "&" inside the tags during implementation.
Website = allocine, blip, dailymotion, facebook, gametrailers, googlevideo, html5, metacafe, myspace, revver, 
sevenload, viddler, vimeo, youku, youtube
width = 560, height = 340, Video ID = Can be obtained from the URL of webpage where the video is displayed.
e.g In the following url "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0US7oR_t3M" Video ID is "Y0US7oR_t3M". 
	

Instructions

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.

Required Information

• 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

Need for the Document

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.

Information which might help

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.

Other uses of the Document/Certificate

You may want to change your name because:

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

External Links

Government of Belize

Ministry of the Attorney General

Others

People choose to change their name for a variety of reasons. Maybe you just want to change the spelling of your name, you don't like the name your parents gave you, you want to get rid of your middle name, you want to remove any family associations, or maybe you just want a change! You can legally change your first name, middle name or surname, or any combination of those.

Once you have your Change of Name Certificate, you can start changing your name on your identification documents (e.g. drivers licence, passport etc) and with government departments and other organisations. It is interesting to note however, that legally you can start using your new name whenever you like within the community, and this is called "name by association". It's just not possible to change your name on your identity documents and with organisations until you have proof of your name change (by way of your Change of Name Certificate).