Hyderabad: A name or surname change for individuals can cost between Rs 4,000 and Rs 20,000 per person. The procedure involves giving an affidavit to the executive magistrate of the city and getting it published as an advertisement in two national dailies.
The name wil need to be changed on identity documents like Aadhaar, PAN and ration cards, driving licence, passport, educational and business documents.
In India, a name change is mostly seen in women after they are married where the procedure involves publishing in a national daily and submitting the marriage registrar’s certificate.
These costs are minimal as there are agents in the marriage registration office who carry out these procedures. The changing of names by men has been very few and those who opt for it do it out of belief or other personal circumstances.
The cost is lowest when the person does the exercise of name change and if an agent is appointed the costs can climb higher. The whole procedure can take 3-6 months.
