So, you are a married woman now! Now the big confusion for you is whether to keep your last name or adopt your husband’s surname. Well, that’s completely your choice, no law in the country requires you to have the same last name as your partner’s. Though, having the same last names do come with a fair share of benefits.

If you've taken the plunge and chosen to take your spouse's last name as your own, you're probably thinking about how to change your name after getting married. Since your name does not change automatically when you marry, you must ensure that you take all of the legal steps required to change your name after the wedding.

Don’t worry, we are here to help. We have listed down all the steps required to change your last name after marriage in India down below for you to make your name change journey smooth and hassle-free. So, without any delay, let get started. 

Exact Step By Step Guide to Change Your Last Name After Marriage 

Indian weddings are a long affair. Starting from engagement followed by many events including haldi, mehndi, sangeet and finally the wedding and reception, we celebrate a wedding week rather than a day. But guess what? The process doesn’t end here, several legal formalities including changing your last name are yet to follow. Today, we are gonna assist you through the step by step procedure of changing your last name after marriage in India. 

While it’s a common practice in India for women to change their last names, you must know that you are legally not required to. No law forces you to take your partner’s last name. However, having a common last name will offer some benefits to you both which we are gonna discuss later in the post. Before that let’s go through the process of changing your last name after marriage.

Step 1 – Get Your Marriage Registered 

The first and foremost step in the process is to get your marriage officially registered. To do so, go to the official website of the Indian government and download the marriage registration forms. Fill them and submit them to the Sub Registrar's Office. A few copies of passport-size photos, an Aadhar card, a PAN card, and other ID/address proof documents will also be needed. You must procure a marriage registration certificate from the Registrar’s office within 45 to 60 days of the date of your wedding. 

Step 2 – Get an Affidavit with All the Details

The next step for you to take your husband’s last name to create an affidavit with a wish to change your name and all the required details. The details that are to be included in the affidavit are maiden name, proposed new name, husband’s name, address and a copy of your marriage certificate. Further, you need to attach a photo and sign the affidavit. Once the affidavit is prepared, you must get it printed out on ₹10 stamp paper.

Step 3 - Your Next Step is to Notarize Your Affidavit

After creating an affidavit with all the necessary details, you must get the affidavit notarized by visiting a notary public. If the candidate resides out of the country, he/she must get the affidavit attested by the embassy of that particular country in India.

Step 4 – Declaration to Third Party

After you have completed all the necessary procedural requirements on the affidavit for the change of your last name, the next step would be to notify all third parties by the way of publishing about the name change in newspapers. One national daily in the English language and one local language newspaper. Most newspaper publications have a dedicated section for such announcements.

Step 5 – Gazette Notification

To finalize the process of your name change, after the newspaper advertisement, you need to get the name change published in a national gazette. To do that, you will need to visit the Controller of Publication of any National Gazette along with all the affidavits, newspaper advertisements of your name change, Valid ID proof and Marriage Certificate along with other important documents.

Benefits of Changing Your Last Name Post Marriage

As mentioned earlier, adopting your husband’s last name is not required by law and you can opt-out of it if you wish to. However, having the same last name as your partner have quite some perks. Let’s have a look at them below:

• All the official paperwork required for whatever investments you both will do as a couple becomes a lot easier.
• Paperwork needed for admitting your future kids to school is done smoothly.
• Well, it makes it official for society.
• You do not have to go on explaining to people why you both don’t share last names all your life, so saves a lot of confusion and explaining.

Documents Needed To Change Your Last Name

Now that you have officially changed your last name to your husbands, you still have a lot to do. In India, you need to update all your official documents once you change your name for them to be valid. As you read further we discuss the process to update your last name in official documents. So, without further delay check out these 5 things to do after changing your last name: 

• Change Your Name in your PAN Card

Make sure your PAN card is updated with your new surname. It's almost impossible to conduct any financial transactions these days without including a copy of the PAN card. The procedure is similar to that of applying for a new card, with the exception that you must have your old card number. Your new PAN card will have the same number as your old one, but with a new last name. When applying for a name change on your PAN card, you will need to attach your marriage certificate or a copy of the official government gazette. To have the PAN updated, even a copy of a notarized joint (with a spouse) affidavit will suffice. After that, make sure the tax documents are up to date.

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  Update your name in your Banking Relationships

The next step is to update all of your bank accounts with your new last name. In most cases, a marriage certificate and a joint notarized affidavit are used to change a person's name in a bank. Along with the name change request, don't forget to update your address. The bank can also request proof of your husband's address, such as a copy of his passport.

The affidavit must include your maiden title, your current surname, your picture and signature, as well as your husband's signature. To change your surname on other documents, you'll usually need a notarized affidavit and a marriage certificate.

• Your Loan Accounts must also be Updated

​​​​​​​Ensure that your deposit and loan accounts are updated with your new surname. When it comes to your credit report, this is one document where you can take a break from manually updating your name. The bank sends any changes in the customer database, including name and address, to Credit Information Bureau (India) Ltd every month for all loan customers.

• Get a Passport with your new name on it

​​​​​​​You may need to apply for a re-issue if you already have a passport and need to change your last name after your marriage. You must also apply for the old passport, as well as a self-attested photocopy and a copy of the husband's passport, along with the marriage certificate.

Other documents that will need to be updated with your new last name include your driver's license, voter's id card, and so on. If you are a nominee on an insurance policy, make sure the correct name is mentioned. You'll also need to update the know-your-client records, and you'll need to change the names of your other financial assets, such as mutual funds and stocks. If you own an estate, make sure the name is changed.

• Update your Aadhar Card

​​​​​​​If you choose to change your last name after the wedding, you must get it updated on your Aadhar card. For this, you must visit the nearest enrollment centre, submit your application along with your marriage certificate. Remember that you must carry your original marriage certificate with you which will be scanned and returned to you at the centre itself. 

Things to Consider Before Changing Your Last Name Before Marriage

While it’s great that you two decided to share the same last name, now that you have become one. There are certain things that you must keep in mind when you are opting to change your name after marriage. We have listed these below, have a look:

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  Know the Legalities

​​​​​​​To change your last name after marriage, you must research the legal process of changing your name in your state carefully. Know if a marriage certificate is sufficient or you also need to submit copies of ID proofs, newspaper advertisement etc.

• Understand the procedure carefully

​​​​​​​Go through the step by step procedure mentioned above very carefully. It will help you finish the process easily.

• Be patient as the process can take time

​​​​​​​Thousands of people change their names every day in India, even though the procedure is no longer lengthy. As a result, it takes a long time for the new identity to be created, and patience is important.

• Enquire about the registration charges and the other cost involved beforehand

​​​​​​​Many professionals have been providing name change services. However, it is important to understand the service charges, cost breakdown, government fees, and other relevant extra charges in advance.

Conclusion

There you go, they are all the steps needed to change your last name after marriage. I hope that you found the information useful. Go more doubts? We’ll be happy to answer. Let us know in the comment section of our Facebook page. Do not forget to hit the follow button to get notified every time I upload a new wedding inspiration blog

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