Jamaica - Change Your Name (Deed Poll)

ProcedureEdit

The following steps are to be taken while applying for a deed poll in Jamaica

Apply In-Person

To begin the application process of changing your name by deed poll, visit the Registrar Generals Department offices near you and make the request for a deed poll. Depending on the nature of your case you may need to provide one or both of the following.

i.Certified copy of your birth certificate

ii.Certified copy of marriage certificate (Men are not required to submit marriage certificate.)

iii.Adoption papers (if applicable)

iv.Citizenship status (if applicable)

v.Divorce(s) papers(if applicable)

vi.Valid picture ID or passport size picture signed by Justice of the Peace (JP)

Original certificates are to be brought together with the certified photocopies for verification.
Upon presentation of the required documents, the applicant will be interviewed by an officer to determine, if there is sufficient reason to carry out the name change. It’s good to not that, not all application warrants a Deed Poll.
After a successful interview providing enough reason to make the name change, you will be required to pay for the deed poll to be drafted. The processing fees depend on the processing period you for your deed poll to be processed.

i. Express service – (3 to 4 Days pick up) $7500

ii. Seven to Ten Days service - (7 to 10 Days pick up) $6000

iii. Ordinary service - (30 Days pick up) $5000
After payment the deed poll is drafted and vetted by the officer to meet the service time you have paid for.
You are then required to sign the new name in the deed poll in the presence of a justice of the peace.
You are then to take the document (draft copy) to the Stamp Duty and Transfer Tax Department to be legally stamped by a government agent.
After stamping , you are to return the stamped document to the Registrar Generals Department (RGD) for recording
You will then receive a certified document recording the name change, with your birth certificated attached.

It takes at most 10-21 working days to produce deed poll, although the production time will depend on the service time you have paid for.

The following steps are to be taken while applying for a deed poll in Jamaica when residing oversees.

Apply In-Person

To begin the application process of changing your name by deed poll, visit the Jamaican Embassy or High Commissioner abroad and make the request for a deed poll. Depending on the nature of your case you may need to provide one or both of the following.

i.Certified copy of your birth certificate

ii.Certified copy of marriage certificate (Men are not required to submit marriage certificate.)

iii.Adoption papers (if applicable)

iv.Citizenship status (if applicable)

v.Divorce(s) papers(if applicable)

vi.Valid picture ID or passport size picture signed by Justice of the Peace (JP)
The entire process will be carried out by high commission officer in the Jamaican Embassy abroad; i.e. drafting of the deed pool, sending the deed pool draft to stamp office and forwarding to IRO for recording and dispatch.
You will be required to pay a cost of US$201 for the application payable by means of an International Money Order or British Postal Order payable to the Registrar General’s Department.
After the payment, the high commission officer will proceed to draft the deed poll. You will be required to sign the draft in the presence of the Notary/Consul/Vice Consul/ Jamaica High Commissioner Notary/Consul/Vice Consul/ Jamaica High Commissioner to sign and seal draft.
You will be required to write a letter to the CEO of the RGD requesting a deed poll. The letter should clearly state the name change required. This letter should be addressed to

The Chief Executive Officer,

Registrar General’s Department (RGD),

Twickenham Park,

Spanish Town,

St. Catherine.
The application letter, draft deed poll and documents as stated in step 1 above should be notarized or signed by Consul/Vice Consul/Jamaica High Commissioner and sent to the CEO of the RGD.
After recording of the deed poll by the RGD, you will receive a certified document recording the name change, with your birth certificated attached.

Required DocumentsEdit

Certified copy of your birth certificate
Certified copy of marriage certificate (Men are not required to submit marriage certificate.)
Adoption papers (if applicable)
Citizenship status (if applicable)
Divorce(s) papers(if applicable)
Valid picture ID or passport size picture signed by Justice of the Peace (JP)

Office Locations & ContactsEdit

Registrar General's Department
Address:Twickenham Park, St. Catherine
Telephone:876-749-0550/ 876-619-1260
Email: [email protected]
Website: Registrar General's Department

Portmore Regional Office

Shop 1-2

15 West Trade Way

Portmore, St. Catherine

Tel: 619-1260/ 749-0550

Fax: 704-7235

South Eastern Regional Office

40 Duke Street,

Kingston

Tel: 922-0013/922-0035

Western Regional Office

22 ½ Humber Avenue,

Natural Mystic Plaza

Montego Bay, St. James

Tel: 971-8556-8

Fax: 971-8559

Southern Regional Office

Shop #G14, 24 Hargreaves Avenue

Mandeville, Manchester

Tel: 625-1719-21

Fax: 625-1722

North East Regional Office

5 Windsor Road

St. Ann’s Bay, St. Ann

Tel: 794-9500

Fax: 794-9506

South West Regional Office

Shops 17 & 18 Supreme Plaza

Lots 2 and 3 Institution Drive

Santa Cruz, St. Elizabeth

Tel: 966-9970/ 966-3084

Fax: 966-3952

Eastern Regional Office

19 West Palm Avenue,

Port Antonio, Portland

Tel: 715-5226/ 715-5273

Fax: 715-5150

West South Western Regional Office

7 ½ Lewis Street,

Savanna-la-mar, Westmoreland

Tel: 955-9265/955-9002

Fax: 918-3522

May Pen Regional Office

10 – 12 Bryant’s Crescent,

May Pen, Clarendon

Tel: 902-2938/902-2809

EligibilityEdit

Any individual over the age of 18 years can conduct a deed poll for name change on their own behalf.
For minors, a deed poll for name change can be done if both parents, and the individuals claiming parental responsibility for the child, give the consent to do so.
A woman is legally married requires the consent of her spouse to have a deed poll done.

FeesEdit

The processing fees vary as per service time

i. Express service – (3 to 4 Days pick up) $7500

ii. Seven to Ten Days service - (7 to 10 Days pick up) $6000

iii. Ordinary service - (30 Days pick up) $5000

ValidityEdit

The new name is valid forever.

Documents to UseEdit

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

Sample DocumentsEdit

Please attach sample completed documents that would help other people.

Processing TimeEdit

The processing time varies with the service you have paid for

i. Express service– 3 to 4 Days to pick up

ii. Seven to Ten Days service - 7 to 10 Days pick up

iii. Ordinary service - 30 Days pick up

InstructionsEdit

In order to change names by deed poll, the individual must be at least 18. If the persons is under 18, a parent can apply for a deed poll on their behalf.
A deed poll must be signed by the person changing names and must be in front of a witness. It should indicate:

a) Abandoning of former name.

b) That the person will be using their new names at all times.

c) Requiring all persons to address you by your new name.
A person seeking to secure a deed poll will need to provide:

a) A copy of a birth certificate.

b) A copy of a marriage or divorce certificate.
It takes, at most, 10-21 work days to produce a deed poll. During this time, the customer will be required to:

a) Visit the Registrar General's Department and have a copy of the Deed Poll drafted.

b) Sign the new name in the presence of a Justice of the Peace.

c) Take the document (draft copy) to the Stamp Duty and Transfer Tax Department to be legally stamped by a government agent.

d) Return the stamped document to the Registrar General's Department for recording.
The person will receive a certified document, recording the name change, along with birth certificate attached.

Required InformationEdit

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 DocumentEdit

You can request for a name change, if you want to change your name because of any of the following reasons

Use your spouse’s surname upon marriage
Revert to your maiden name or previous surname that you legally bore
Join your surname with that of your spouse as a double-barrelled surname
Want to use your biological or step-parents’ surname
After adoption of a child
After a divorce.
For professional reasons (for example, adding of certain names to original names);
For personal reasons (change of nationality, convenience causes, religious reasons etc.).

Information which might helpEdit

There are several reasons one may desire to have a name change. These include restoring a family surname that has been changed in the past, to change the spelling of your name or simply because you dislike your current name. To have this name change legally recorded, a Deed Poll will be required.
A Deed Poll is a legal document that allows an individual to assume a new name and provides documentary evidence of the name change. You can contact an Attorney-at-Law to draft this document on your behalf.
It is important to keep your Deed Poll safe because if you need to prove your identity in the future, for example, you want to get married or apply for a passport, you will need to produce your Deed Poll together with your birth certificate.
The Deed Poll is required to get all your documents and records (e.g. bank accounts, passport, driver’s licence) changed to reflect your new name. Persons over the age of 18 years can conduct a deed poll on their own behalf. For minors, a deed poll can be done if both parents give the consent to do so.

External LinksEdit

Registrar General's Department : Registrar General's Department
Deed Poll : Deed Poll

OthersEdit

5 steps to obtaining a deed poll:

You will need a certified copy of your birth certificate and/or marriage certificate and a valid photo identification.
Visit your Lawyer to have the Deed Poll drafted and this is to be signed before a Justice of the Peace (JP).
The Deed Poll is required to be stamped at the Stamp Duty and Transfer Tax Department.
The document is then submitted to the Registrar General Department for recording which takes 3-30 business days (depending on the service that is paid for).
You will then receive a certified document recording the name change, with your birth certificate attached

Persons opt to get deed polls for various reasons when they wish to effect name changes:

The Registrar General's Department (RGD) offers this service, which will provide the petitioner with a drafted document that provides evidence that they have legally changed their name.
The person who signs the deed poll commits to abandoning the use of their former name; using the new name only at all times; and requiring all persons to address them by the new name.
For persons who want to get all their documents and records (e.g. medical records, bank accounts, credit cards, passports, drivers' licences) changed to show a new name, they will need to provide the deed poll to produce documentary evidence of the change of name.
According to the RGD, "a deed poll works in the same way as a marriage certificate for a married woman who wishes to take her husband's surname. She writes to everyone that has her name on records, enclosing her marriage certificate as documentary evidence, and requests that her surname be changed to her husband's.
When changing your name by deed poll, you simply write to everyone, enclosing your deed poll as documentary evidence, and request that your name be changed to the new name shown on the deed poll.
With a deed poll, you can change your first names or surname, add names, remove names or rearrange your existing names. You can change your name at any time and for any reason, provided it is not to deceive or defraud or to avoid an obligation, the RGD says.
Note that you have to be at least 18 to change your own name. Children's names can be changed if the parents — or parent with parental responsibility — consent to the name change.