Name Change for NRI From Uttarakhand
How an Indian citizen living abroad changes a name through the Gazette of India: the deed attested by the Embassy, the file, and the passport and records afterwards.
A name change for NRI applicants is made in the Gazette of India, which is open to every Indian citizen wherever they live. The Department of Publication asks an Indian living abroad to submit a deed attested by the Indian Embassy or High Commission. The file is sent to Delhi, and the passport is updated afterwards.
People from Uttarakhand work and study in every part of the world, and a name change for NRI applicants is often urgent, because a mismatch between a passport and a degree stops a visa or a job. This page explains name change for NRI applicants from Uttarakhand: what the Department asks of an Indian abroad, how the file is sent, and what follows.
An Indian abroad uses the same Gazette as everyone else. For the general steps, read gazette name change in Uttarakhand. This page covers what is different when you are not in India.
Who Is This Page For?
For an Indian citizen who lives outside India and holds an Indian passport. That is what this page means by NRI. Where you were born, or which district of Uttarakhand your family is from, does not change the process.
| You are | Gazette of India | Note |
|---|---|---|
| An Indian citizen living abroad | Yes | This page |
| An Indian citizen in India for now, about to go abroad | Yes | Do it before you leave, as a resident |
| A person who has taken another country's citizenship | See the section below | A name is usually changed under that country's law |
| A family member in Uttarakhand of someone abroad | For your own name, yes | You cannot sign for the person abroad |
The Gazette of India is the one to use. A state Gazette is of little help to a person whose papers are read by embassies, foreign employers and universities.
Why Do NRIs Change or Correct a Name?
Passport and degree differ
The degree says one thing and the passport another, and a visa officer or a credential check has noticed.
A single name on the passport
The surname box is blank, and a country or an employer's system will not accept that.
Marriage abroad
A surname taken after a wedding outside India has to reach the Indian passport and papers at home.
A name used abroad
A shorter form used at work abroad has crept onto foreign papers and now has to be linked.
A change by choice
A new name or spelling, for personal reasons.
Several of these are not a change of name at all. A spelling that one record got wrong is a correction, and a surname taken at marriage may need only the marriage certificate.
Do You Need a Gazette at All?
| Your case | Usual route | Gazette? |
|---|---|---|
| A spelling mistake in the passport itself | A re-issue through the Indian mission, with proof of the right spelling | Usually no |
| The names are in the wrong boxes of the passport | A re-issue with the right split of given name and surname | Usually no |
| A surname after a registered marriage | A re-issue with the marriage certificate, as the mission's list says | Often no |
| Adding a surname that is on none of your papers | Change of name | Yes |
| A different first name or a new spelling by choice | Change of name | Yes |
| Degree and passport differ, and neither office will change | Change of name with an alias, or a public notice for a wrongly written name | Yes |
So start with the Indian mission's own passport service. Its document list will tell you if it wants a Gazette notification for your case. If it does not, you do not need us.
For the difference between the two kinds of Gazette notice, read name correction vs name change.
What Is Different for an Indian Living Abroad?
| Point | Resident in India | Indian living abroad |
|---|---|---|
| Sworn paper | An undertaking, with an affidavit made before a notary in practice | A deed attested by the Indian Embassy or High Commission |
| Identity proof | Aadhaar, passport or another photo identity | The Indian passport |
| Address in the notice | The Indian address | The address abroad, the Indian address, or both at an extra charge |
| Sending the file | In person or by post | By post or courier to Delhi |
| Charge | Commonly Rs 1,100 for an adult | A separate, higher charge. Confirm the current figure |
| First record to update | Aadhaar | The passport, through the Indian mission |
The rest is the same: a newspaper notice, the typed form in two copies with two witnesses, a CD in MS Word, photographs, a certificate that the two copies match and a request letter with the fee. Documents must not be older than one year, and nothing submitted is returned.
The guideline asks for the notice to be published in a daily local leading newspaper. It does not say which newspaper an applicant abroad should use. Ask the Department before you publish, so the notice is not rejected for the wrong paper.
What Is the Deed Attested by the Embassy?
The Department of Publication's guideline for a change of name says that Indians living abroad should submit the deed duly attested by the Indian Embassy or High Commission. This takes the place of the notary's seal a resident would get at a district court.
- The deed is your own sworn statement of the change: your old name, your new name, your father's or husband's name, your passport number and your address.
- You sign it at the Indian Embassy, High Commission or Consulate for the country you live in, which attests your signature.
- Each mission has its own booking system, fee and list of what to bring for an attestation. Check its website before you go.
- Carry your Indian passport, proof of your address abroad and photographs.
Type the deed before your appointment, with the names copied from your passport letter by letter. A mission attests what you put in front of it. It does not draft the deed or check the spelling for you.
How Do You Change Your Name From Abroad?
The notice goes in Part IV of the Gazette of India.
Step 1: Check the mission's passport list first
See if it wants a Gazette notification for your case, or will act on another paper.
Step 2: Fix the exact new name
The given name and the surname, as they will be printed in the passport.
Step 3: Get the deed attested at the Indian mission
Type it, book the attestation and sign it there.
Step 4: Publish the newspaper notice
Confirm with the Department which newspaper is acceptable for an applicant abroad, publish the notice and keep the original newspaper.
Step 5: Type the form and get two witnesses
Two typed copies of the change of name specimen, signed in your old name, with two witnesses giving their names and addresses.
Step 6: Prepare the CD, photographs and certificate
The same text on a CD in MS Word, two self-attested photographs, a self-attested copy of your passport, and a certificate that both copies match.
Step 7: Pay the charge on BharatKosh
Confirm the charge for an applicant abroad with the Department, pay online and print the receipt. It is not refunded.
Step 8: Send the file by courier, then download the Gazette
Send it, with a request letter, to the Controller of Publications, Department of Publication, Civil Lines, Delhi 110054. Then check Part IV on egazette.gov.in each week from wherever you are.
The guideline takes an application in person or by post or courier, and does not permit agents or advocates as a channel. We prepare and check the file with you on WhatsApp. You sign it and send it.
Can You Do It on a Visit to India?
Yes, and many people find it simpler. The newspaper notice and the posting are easy from home. Ask the Department how it treats an applicant who lives abroad and applies while in India, so that the right paper and the right charge are used.
Step 1: Prepare before you fly
Settle the new name, and ask the Department which sworn paper and which charge apply to you.
Step 2: Make the sworn paper
As the Department directs: the deed from the mission, brought with you, or an affidavit before a notary in your district.
Step 3: Publish the newspaper notice in the first days
Papers take a day or two to print a notice. Do not leave it to the last week.
Step 4: Complete the file and pay
The form with two witnesses, the CD, the photographs, the certificate and the BharatKosh receipt.
Step 5: Post it before you leave
Send it by Speed Post and keep the tracking number. You need not wait in India for the Gazette.
Step 6: Download the Gazette from abroad
The Gazette is published online, and the PDF needs no certification from the Department.
A visit of two weeks is enough to send the file, if the papers are ready on the first day. The Gazette itself commonly takes some weeks after that, and you collect nothing in person.
Is the Uttarakhand Gazette of Any Use to an NRI?
Rarely. It is printed by the Government Press at Roorkee for use within the state. A person abroad needs a notification that an Indian mission and foreign offices will accept.
Step 1: Ask who will read the notification
If it is the passport office, an Indian mission or anyone outside the state, use the Gazette of India.
Step 2: Consider the state Gazette only for a state record
For example, a record held by a state office in Uttarakhand, where that office has said the state Gazette will do.
Step 3: Contact the Roorkee press
Take the contact from govtpress.uk.gov.in and ask if it accepts a private notice from an applicant abroad.
Step 4: Ask for the papers, the format and the fee
Then publish the notice and submit the file as directed.
Step 5: Download the notice
Search gazettes.uk.gov.in and save the PDF.
To weigh the two, read Uttarakhand Gazette vs Gazette of India.
What Does It Cost, and How Long Does It Take?
| Item | Cost | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Gazette charge for an applicant abroad | Higher than the resident charge. Confirm the current figure | Paid on BharatKosh. Not refunded |
| Attestation of the deed | The mission's own fee | Differs by country |
| Both present and permanent address in the notice | Rs 250 more | From the Department's list of additional charges |
| Each alias | Rs 250 more | Where more than one old name is stated |
| Newspaper notice | As the newspaper charges | Confirm the acceptable newspaper first |
| Courier to Delhi | As the courier charges | Use a service with tracking |
| Our assistance | Quoted per case | Shown as a separate line |
We do not print the charge for an applicant abroad here, because the figures we have seen do not agree with each other. Ask the Department for the current rate on the day you pay.
For time, allow for the mission's appointment, the courier to Delhi and the Gazette itself, which commonly takes 3 to 7 weeks once a complete file arrives. Then comes the passport re-issue. Start at least three months before a visa or a contract depends on the new name.
What Do You Update Afterwards, and in What Order?
The Gazette is supporting proof. It does not correct any record by itself.
- The Indian passport. Apply for a re-issue through the Indian mission where you live, with the papers on its list. For a person abroad this is the record everything else follows.
- Your visa or residence permit. Tell the immigration authority of the country you live in, as its rules require.
- Foreign records. The employer, the bank, the tax office, the driving licence and the university, each under its own rules.
- PAN. Through the correction application.
- Aadhaar, if you hold one. A name update is done in person at a centre in India, so plan it for your next visit.
- Bank accounts and property papers in India. Once the passport and PAN agree.
Your degrees are not reissued. Keep the Gazette with them, and get it apostilled or attested if the country you live in asks for that.
What If You Have Taken Another Country's Citizenship?
Then you are no longer an Indian citizen, and this page is not written for you. A person who has become a citizen of another country usually changes a name under that country's law, and that country's passport follows.
- If you hold an Overseas Citizen of India card, a new foreign passport or a change of name is reported through the Indian mission's own service for that card.
- For Indian records that still carry your old name, such as property papers, a bank account or a PAN, ask each office what it accepts from a foreign citizen.
- Whether the Department of Publication takes a change of name notice from a person who is not an Indian citizen is for the Department to say. Ask it before you prepare anything.
This is a point on which to take a lawyer's advice, most of all where property or an inheritance in Uttarakhand is involved.
Which Mistakes Do NRIs Make?
| Mistake | What to do |
|---|---|
| Paying for a Gazette for a passport printing error | Ask the mission for a re-issue with proof first |
| A deed signed before a local notary abroad | Use the Indian Embassy or High Commission |
| Paying the resident charge | Confirm the charge for an applicant abroad |
| Asking a relative in India to sign for you | Nobody can sign your form or deed in your place |
| Choosing a state Gazette | Use the Gazette of India |
| Publishing in a newspaper the Department does not accept | Ask the Department before you publish |
| Booking travel while the passport is being changed | Keep ticket, visa and passport in one name |
| Starting a month before the visa interview | Allow at least three months |
| Changing a name in the foreign country's records and not in the Indian passport | The passport is the base. Change it first |
A typical case we handle: a nurse from Pithoragarh working in the Gulf had only her first name on her passport, and her new employer's system would not accept a blank surname. She had her deed attested at the Indian mission, we prepared the file with her on WhatsApp, and she sent it to Delhi by courier. When the Gazette was published she applied for a passport re-issue with her family surname added. This is an illustrative example of the type of case we handle, not a named client review.
When you do not need us
If the mission will reissue your passport on a marriage certificate or on proof of a printing error, you need no Gazette. And if you are at ease with forms, the Department's guideline is enough to file from abroad yourself. We are useful because the file has to be right the first time when a second attempt means another courier across the world. Our charge is quoted per case.
Which Areas Do We Cover?
People from all 13 districts of Uttarakhand, wherever in the world they now live: Dehradun, Haridwar, Pauri Garhwal, Tehri Garhwal, Rudraprayag, Chamoli, Uttarkashi, Nainital, Udham Singh Nagar, Almora, Bageshwar, Champawat and Pithoragarh. Everything is done on WhatsApp and email. Our hours are Indian Standard Time, so leave a message and we reply in working hours.
People Also Ask About NRI Name Change
Can an NRI change a name in the Gazette of India?
Yes. It is open to every Indian citizen, wherever they live.
Do I have to come to India to change my name?
No. The file can be sent by courier, with a deed attested at the Indian mission.
What is a deed attested by the Embassy?
Your sworn statement of the change of name, signed and attested at the Indian Embassy or High Commission.
What is the gazette fee for an NRI?
It is higher than the resident charge. Confirm the current figure with the Department before you pay.
How do I change my name in my Indian passport from abroad?
Apply for a re-issue through the Indian mission where you live, with the papers on its list.
Can my family in India do it for me?
They can help with posting. They cannot sign your deed or your form.
Is adding a surname to my passport a change of name?
Yes. An Indian mission's guidance says adding a surname to the given name is treated as a change of name, so check the mission's list before you apply.
Can I split my name into given name and surname at an Indian mission?
Yes, by applying for re-issue. The Embassy of India in Kuwait says no word or spelling may be added or dropped while splitting; if it is, the change of name procedure applies.
Why do foreign countries want a surname in my passport?
Many countries insist on a surname for a visa, and some local authorities need a clear given name and surname for residence permits and other identity papers.
Do I have to split my name if I do not want to?
No. The Embassy of India in Berne says its instructions on splitting are advisory, and applicants are not compelled to alter their name or adopt a surname.
Will my old name be printed on my new passport as an alias?
No. Only the real or official name of the applicant is printed on the passport.
What does the change of name procedure for a passport ask for?
An Indian mission's FAQ describes two Government ID documents in the changed name, and a Gazette notification or a name change advertisement in the prescribed format in two newspapers.
Abroad, and a Name That Does Not Match?
Send photos of your passport and the paper that differs, and tell us which country you are in. We will tell you if you need a Gazette at all, what the mission will ask of you and the total cost, before you pay anything.
- 📞Call 9540005026
Mon to Sat: 9 AM to 6 PM, Indian Standard Time - WhatsApp 9540005064
Send your scans here, it is the fastest way - ✉️Info@uttarakhandnamechange.com
- 📍Dehradun District Court, 47/9, Haridwar Road, Near Prince Chowk, Court Road, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, 248001
Name Change for NRI From Uttarakhand: Frequently Asked Questions
Can an Indian living abroad change a name in the Gazette of India?
Do I have to travel to India?
What is different for an NRI?
Where do I get the deed attested?
Will a local notary abroad do?
What is the Gazette charge for an applicant abroad?
Which address goes in the notice?
Which newspaper do I publish in?
Can a relative in Uttarakhand file for me?
How long does it take?
How do I get the Gazette copy abroad?
What do I update first after the Gazette?
Do I need a Gazette for a surname after marriage abroad?
Can I update Aadhaar from abroad?
I have taken foreign citizenship. Does this apply to me?
What do you charge an NRI?
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Who Wrote and Reviewed This Page?
This page is written by the Documentation Desk Team of UttarakhandNameChange.com, the team that prepares Gazette files for people from Uttarakhand in India and abroad.
It is reviewed by Advocate Vipin Chauhan.
The rule on a deed attested by the Indian Embassy or High Commission, the list of papers and the additional charges follow the Department of Publication's guideline and its list. The page does not state the charge for an applicant abroad, or which newspaper is accepted, because we could not confirm either. What an Indian mission asks for a passport is on that mission's own list.
Official Sources
- Department of Publication: Change of Name and Public NoticesThe change of name guideline, including the rule for Indians living abroad.
- The Gazette of India, e-Gazette portalWhere the notice is published and downloaded.
- Passport Seva, Ministry of External AffairsPassport services, including for applicants abroad.
- Ministry of External AffairsIndian Embassies, High Commissions and Consulates.
- BharatKosh, the Non-Tax Receipt PortalWhere the Gazette charge is paid.
Name Change for NRI: The Short Version
An Indian citizen abroad uses the Gazette of India, like everyone else. The differences are a deed attested at the Indian Embassy or High Commission, a separate charge, and a file sent to Delhi by courier. Check the mission's passport list first, because a printing error or a surname after marriage may need no Gazette.
Afterwards, change the Indian passport first and keep ticket, visa and passport in one name. Allow at least three months. To have your case looked at, send your papers on WhatsApp 9540005064, and we will reply in working hours.
One Name on Your Passport and Every Paper
Send your passport and the paper that differs on WhatsApp, from any country. We reply in Indian working hours.