Sri Lanka - Change Your Name (Deed Poll)

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Procedure

1. Applicant can obtain a valid application form from the Counter or Divisional Registrar Office.
2. Fill the application with the applicant
   • When the age is less than 07 years, complete clause 27 of the B9 declaration form and submit it with the documents.
   • When the age is over seven and less than 21 years, complete clause 27 of the B9 declaration form and submit it with the documents.
   • When the age is over 21 years, complete the clause 27 Declaration form B-10 and submit along with the documents.
3. Applicant prepares support documents listed in the “Required Documents” section of this page.
4. The filled application form is handed over to the Divisional Secretary's Office or to Registrar of the Divisional Secretariat by mail. The application should be handed over in person or postage stamped with the stamp.
5. Check the validity of the application received and the support letters received by the Divisional Secretariat.
6. Applicant receives a new birth certificate by post.

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Required Documents

If the applicant is less than 21 years of age

• Application letter
• A copy of the parents' marriage certificate
• A copy of the birth certificate currently used
• Mother's / father's birth certificates
• Parent's marriage certificates
• A letter from the Grama Niladari
• Letter from the mother / father / s

If the applicant is over 21 years of age, the following should be submitted.

• Notice of the newspaper
• Certified by a Grama Niladari
• If you have copies of birth certificates of your brothers and sisters (if any)
• If children have been married , marriage certificates and birth certificates are required (if married)
• Electoral registers
• ID
• Bank documents
• Work certificates
• If you have paid for the change of name, those bills
• Other Proof of Documents

Office Locations & Contacts

Registrar General's Department

No: 234/A3,

Denzil Kobbekaduwa Mawatha,

Battaramulla,

Sri Lanka

Phone: +94-11-2889488 / +94-11-2889489

Fax: +94 112 889 491

Email: [email protected]

Website: http://www.rgd.gov.lk/

District and Divisional Secretariat Portal

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

Fee chargeable is Rs. 50.00

Validity

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

Documents to Use

Application Forms

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

• Declaration should be submitted by ownself if over 21 years.
• In case of a minor, the declaration form should be submitted by the mother or father and if the child is parentless a guardian who has been appointed by a court of jurisdiction, an elderly brother or sister, grandmother grandfather, a brother or sister of the parents, must submit the declaration form.

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
• In case of adoption

External Links

District Secretariats

Provincial Councils

District and Divisional Secretariats Portal - DS Home

Department of Registration of Persons

Alteration of Information in a Birth Register

Amend the present name of the birth certificate

Make changes in the present birth certificate through divisional secretariat

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.