Dominican Republic - Change Your Name (Deed Poll)

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Procedure

The name change process would be as follows:

• The person has to file a name change application to the executive branch through the Central Electoral Board. This application has to specify:
  • Reason for the name change,
  • Copy of the persons birth certificate and any other document which may support the application.
• If the executive branch considers the application has merits, it will authorize the applicant to: **Insert an excerpt of his name change request in the Official Gazette of the Dominican Republic inviting anyone who may oppose to the name change to file their requests. This excerpt should also be published in a national circulation newspaper.
  • Require a bailiff to post a legal announcement of the name change, with the excerpt, in the door of the Peace Court of the municipality of both the place of birth an actual residence of the applicant. This announcement should be posted for at least 60 consecutive days and would be certified by the bailiff himself at the bottom of the document.

After this time has passed and in order to have his name change decree dictated, the applicant would have to present the Attorney General of the Dominican Republic the following:

• An original copy of the announcement, with is date and duration certified by the bailiff and
• A copy of the Official Gazette in which the excerpt was published.

(These documents would be sent to the executive for their approval)

If approved, the executive would dictate a name change decree which would have to be published in the Official Gazette and in a national circulation newspaper.

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Required Documents

• Reason for the name change,
• Copy of the persons birth certificate and any other document which may support the application.

Office Locations & Contacts

Attorney General of the Dominican Republic (Procuradura General de la Repblica Dominicana)
Centro de Atencin al Ciudadano
Av. Mximo Gmez #21, Esq. Bolvar
Santo Domingo, Rep. Dom.
Telephone: 809-533-3522 (ext. 3028)
Email: [email protected]
You can contact us in different ways

Civil Register offices

Eligibility

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.

Fees

Registration decree authorizing changes or addition of name is 1,500.

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. 
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Please remove the "&" inside the tags during implementation.
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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

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.

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

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.

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
• In case of adoption

External Links

Ministries of Dominican Republic

Attorney General of the Dominican Republic

Central Electoral Board (JCE)

Civil Registry

National Civil Registry

Others

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.

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.