Name Change in Karnataka: Affidavit, Newspaper Ad and Gazette Notification (2026 Guide)

By Kohelica Nag | Karnataka High Court Enrolled | 11 years in civil documentation

In Karnataka, there are three steps in the change of name procedure. Affidavit first. Newspaper ad second. Gazette notification third. That is the order - and any omission or rearrangement will cost you time you would rather not lose in regaining.

I have assisted individuals in this process numerous times that I cannot recall. A retired Mysuru teacher who had to get a surname correction ahead of pension work. An example of a young woman in Bengaluru who was seeking her birth name following a divorce. The causes behind each case were varied, yet the three steps were followed. This guide explains the steps that are actually taken at each stage, including those that are not taken by the vast majority of websites.

Overview: The 3-Step Name Change Procedure in Karnataka

In simple terms, here is the way it works.

You have an affidavit attested by a notary or magistrate claiming that you intend to change your name. Then you put an advertisement in two papers, one English, one Kannada. Then you submit an application to Karnataka Gazette, the government publication of your name change.

Most purposes make it real because of the gazette: banks, Aadhaar, PAN, school certificates. And without it you have just an affidavit and a newspaper clipping, which will be accepted in some institutions and will not be accepted at all in others.

One of the things that one should know beforehand is that there is no stipulated time to wait between the three steps. Practically, the majority of individuals complete the affidavit and place the advertisement on the same week, and seek the gazette right after they receive the newspaper copies. It is all very fast when you are well organised.

Step 1: Preparing the Affidavit for Name Change in Karnataka

The sworn statement is the affidavit. It captures your present name, your new name, your motive of the change and your statement that henceforth you will be referred to only by the new name.

Here, format is important, but not as people would think. No prescribed format of affidavits of Karnataka name change. It only matters that the content is full and the document is duly executed i.e. it is signed in the presence of a notary public or a first-class judicial magistrate on 100 non-judicial stamp paper.

The affidavit must contain:

• Your complete first name, the name of your father or husband and your address.
• Date of birth (enter the same as your Aadhaar - otherwise issues will arise in future)
• Written clearly, your new name.
• The reason why the change (marriage, spelling correction, personal preference, etc.) was made.
• A statement that you had issued all your past documents under the old name.
• Your signature, to be signed with the seal and signature of the notary below.

One thing I should mention — and I probably should have said this first — keep at least five certified copies of the affidavit. Various institutions will require original or certified copies at different levels and later to obtain other copies, one must return to the notary with the original one.

Most document updates require the affidavit alone. But you will have it to go on with the newspaper and gazette steps.

Expense: 100 rupees stamp paper. Notary fee: 200 to 500 depending on the location of the notary office and the office. Notaries approved by government around district courts charge 

Step 2: Publishing the Name Change Ad in English and Kannada Newspapers

People are put on the wrong foot more by this step than the affidavit. Not because it is complex, but because newspaper decisions are significant and most citizens are not aware of the accepted ones.

The Karnataka government needs publication in two newspapers, one in English and one in Kannada. The newspapers should be extensively distributed in Karnataka. In gazette purposes you will generally find people using:

English newspapers: Times of India (Bengaluru edition), Deccan Herald, The Hindu.

Kannada News papers: Prajavani, Vijaya Karnataka, Udayavani.

The text ad is not a display ad, it is a classified text ad. Any person who tells you that you require a big display box with your photograph is either ill informed or trying to sell you something you do not require. A notice of change of name is a piece of paper. That's it.

The ad message is simple: your name, your new name, your address, and a statement that you are going to be addressed by the new name henceforth. The ad desks in the newspapers are usually in a standard format - request it. Hundreds of these have been done by the Times of India and Prajavani desks at the press clubs of Bengaluru, and they can make up the text in five minutes with the affidavit.

Keep the original newspaper copies — not photocopies. They are required in the gazette application.

Price: The rates of classified text ads are dependent on the newspaper and the city edition. About 500 to 1500 rupees to change a name that is average in a newspaper. That puts the total at ₹1,000 to ₹3,000 for both. Rates vary - before booking, verify the current rate with the ad department of the newspaper.

Display advertisements of a change of name are a waste of money. Full stop.

Time: Within bookings, the ads could typically be published between 2 to 5 working days. The newspaper will provide you with a certain date. Plan around it.

Step 3: Applying for Karnataka Gazette Notification (Offline and Online)

This is the process through which the name change becomes legally registered in the government.

Karnataka Gazette is a journal published by the Department of Printing, Stationery and Publications. The gazette announcement of your change of name is announced in Part IV of the Karnataka Gazette, which is the announcement of personal notifications.

Offline Process

1. Affidavit (copy or certified copy)
2. Original newspaper cuttings of both newspapers.
3. Evidence of address and identity.
4. Prescribed gazette fee (in the form of a demand draft)
5. Sized photographs (usually two) the size of a passport.

The office examines the application and when complete, submits it to gazette publication. You shall get a copy of the gazette when it is published. This will be your formal evidence of change of name.

Online Process

Karnataka has a gazette submission online portal. It will be done by uploading scanned documents and paying the fee online. By early 2026 the portal is operational but experiences intermittent problems, though some applicants report that it worked, others have had to visit in person. When you are taking the online route, you should maintain a record of the number of your submission and monitor your status.

Frankly, offline submission is more predictable in the case of first time applicants. You receive a receipt, you are aware that your file is ready, and staff can respond to questions in real time.

Cost: Gazette notification fee is about 300 to 600 on a single name change notice, depending on the length of the entry. This is given out as a demand draft to the concerned department. Check the existing fee and draft it.

Time: Gazette publication normally requires 3 to 6 weeks after submission. There are applicants who have shorter turnaround times and applicants who have longer wait times in the event of minor problems with the submission. After 4 weeks follow up in case you have not received any reply.

Costs Involved at Each Stage

Here's a realistic breakdown for a standard individual name change in Karnataka:

Stage	Approximate Cost
Stamp paper for affidavit	₹100
Notary fee	₹200 – ₹500
English newspaper ad	₹500 – ₹1,500
Kannada newspaper ad	₹500 – ₹1,500
Karnataka Gazette fee	₹300 – ₹600
Total (self-managed)	₹1,600 – ₹4,200

If you use a professional service or documentation agent, add ₹2,000 to ₹8,000 in service fees depending on who you use and what's included.

One more thing: some notaries and agents bundle multiple services together and quote a single price. Get a line-item breakup. You'll quickly spot where the markup is.

Time Taken and Total Timeline

This is the question I get most often. People underestimate how long the gazette step takes.

• Affidavit: Same day or next day
• Newspaper publication: 2 to 5 working days after booking
• Gazette notification: 3 to 6 weeks from submission

Complete realistic schedule: 5 to 8 weeks between commencement and gazette in hand.

In case of a mistake in your application, say, a misspelling or a document omitted, or an incongruity between the information, it will take another 1 to 3 weeks. This is where the preparation of the affidavit comes in. A mismatch between your affidavit address and your Aadhaar address, for example, can stall the gazette application

Special Cases: Minors, Divorce, Adoption, Religion Change

Name Change for a Minor Child

The affidavit should be signed by both parents. In case the child is above 14, certain authorities also require the consent of the child. Gazette application will demand birth certificate of the child and identity documents of both parents. In case of separation or divorce of parents, the court order or consent letter of another parent is generally necessary.

Surname Change After Divorce

The initial step is an affidavit of the divorce and the desire to resume use of the birth surname. Append the divorce decree. The same happens to the newspaper ad and gazette process, only that some offices require extra paperwork- the copy of the divorce is placed in the gazette application file.

Adoption

The use of a changed name in adoption requires the court order of the adoption. The order is mentioned in the affidavit. This is an instance when the cause as recorded in the affidavit is of greater importance than otherwise, it must be precise and must be aligned with the legal document.

Religion Change

Change of name by religion is done in the same manner- affidavit, newspaper, gazette. But at the gazette office expect more attention. There have been cases of some applicants being asked to provide more supporting papers. I have not discovered a standard guideline on what exactly causes this, which is important to know before you think you have covered all the grounds on the standard checklist.

Updating Documents After Karnataka Gazette Publication

As soon as you get the gazette notification, you can start updating your documents. Most institutions require the gazette copy.

Aadhaar: Visit your nearest Aadhaar Seva Kendra with your gazette copy, old Aadhaar, and a supporting document like a PAN card or bank passbook. Name correction can also be done through self-service updates through the UIDAI portal.

PAN Card: Apply through the NSDL or UTIITSL portal. Post the gazette notification as evidence.

Bank accounts: Each bank possesses its process. The majority of them will need a written request, the copy of gazette notification, and the identity proof. There are those that also need an affidavit - ask your branch.

Passport: Passport name change requires the gazette notification along with a deed of change of name form and a court fee stamp. It is done in your regional Passport Seva Kendra.

School and college certificates: Most boards — SSLC, PUC, university — have a separate name correction/change application process. The gazette notification is required along with a prescribed application form on the Karnataka Secondary Education Examination Board (KSEEB).

Each of the ration cards, driving licence, and voter ID has its update systems. They are all not hard when you have the gazette copy. The gazette is the key.

When to Choose Central Gazette Over Karnataka Gazette

The central (national) gazette — published by the Government of India through the Ministry of Urban Development — is a different publication. It has national coverage and is generally required for:

• Central government employees who need to update their service records
• Defence personnel and their dependents for service-related document changes
• Passport name change in some specific scenarios
• All-India competitive exam records where the issuing body is central

To ordinary citizens, in the form of salaried employees in the private sector, self-employed, students, homemakers, the Karnataka Gazette suffices to update most of the documents, such as Aadhaar, PAN, bank accounts, driving licence, and state board certificates.

Assuming that you are good to go with the Karnataka Gazette, check with your HR or establishment section in case your employer is a central government department. A single phone call will be quicker than the entire process and the realization at the end.

Professional Services vs. Self-Application: Pros and Cons

Doing this yourself is entirely possible. The process is documented, the forms are available, and the steps are clear. People who are organized, have time on their hands, and are comfortable following up at government offices manage it fine.

Where self-application goes wrong:

• Wrong newspaper (not accepted by the gazette office)
• Affidavit with incomplete content
• Details in the affidavit that don't match the ID documents exactly
• Missing documents at the time of gazette submission.

Legal services Professional services Documentation agents, legal document firms, and some advocate offices cost ₹ 2000 to 8000 end to end management. What you are paying for is their familiarity with what newspapers the local gazette office will receive, their contacts at the newspaper ad desks, and their experience in intercepting mistakes before they can be submitted.

It's not that the process is difficult. It is because the charges of mistakes are time, and time is what most individuals lack.

Self-application can be used in case you are changing a name due to rather simple reasons: spelling is not properly spelt, you married and changed your surname. Assuming it is a more complicated case, say divorce, adoption, a name which is not the same in several documents, the coordination advantage of professional assistance is actual.

Frequently Asked Questions