Affidavit for Name Change After Marriage in West Bengal: The Clauses, a Sample, and Who Attests It
Before you pay a notary, check whether you need this at all: a registered marriage certificate carries a married surname through Aadhaar, PAN, bank and the passport without any affidavit. When a gazette is needed, the affidavit is its first document, and every other document copies from it. This page gives the clauses, a fictional sample, and the attestation rule for each West Bengal route.
Get Call and Name Change Format
What the Affidavit for Name Change After Marriage in West Bengal Must Say (Quick Answer)
A sworn statement on non-judicial stamp paper, signed in your maiden name, giving: your maiden name, daughter of your father, wife of your husband, your full address, the date and place of marriage with the registration reference, the old name and the new name, the declaration that you have adopted the new name on marriage and shall henceforth be known by it, and that both names are one and the same person. Attested by a First Class Judicial Magistrate for the Kolkata Gazette Part II (the portal asks for the affidavit number and the Magistrate's name) or a Notary Public for the Gazette of India. You need it only on the gazette route; a registered marriage certificate alone carries a plain married surname through most offices.
On This Page
- Do you need an affidavit at all
- The clauses, one by one
- Sample affidavit, filled
- Magistrate or notary, by route
- Stamp paper and cost in West Bengal
- The match rule: certificate, affidavit, newspaper, form
- Variants: hyphenated, first name, reversion, husband's change
- Mistakes that return the gazette file
- FAQ
- Enquiry form
Is an Affidavit Needed for Name Change After Marriage in West Bengal?
| Your case | Affidavit? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Married surname only; registered certificate shows both names; Aadhaar, PAN, bank, voter ID, passport with spouse's name | No | The certificate is the proof those offices list |
| First name also changing | Yes, for the gazette | A change of name needs the gazette route |
| Hyphenated or combined surname not on the certificate | Yes, for the gazette | The certificate does not show the combined form |
| Marriage not registered | Yes, but register first | Without a certificate, the gazette is the only formal proof |
| An office insists on a gazette | Yes | The affidavit starts the gazette file |
| Husband taking the wife's surname | Yes, usually | Offices treat it as a change of name |
Affidavit Format for Name Change After Marriage: The Clauses, One by One
| Part | What it says | Why the gazette office checks it |
|---|---|---|
| Heading | AFFIDAVIT | Identifies the document |
| Deponent | I, [maiden name], daughter of [father], wife of [husband], aged [age], residing at [full address] | Links birth identity and married identity; the address must match the ID and, for Part II, the domicile proof |
| Clause 1 | That I am a citizen of India and a resident of West Bengal | Part II is for West Bengal residents |
| Clause 2 | That my name is [maiden name] as recorded in [Aadhaar / passport / birth certificate] | Anchors the existing name to an ID |
| Clause 3 | That I was married to [husband] on [date] at [place], registered under [Act] vide certificate No. [number] dated [date] | Proves the marriage the surname follows from |
| Clause 4 | That after marriage I have adopted the name [new name] and shall henceforth be known as [new name] for all purposes | The change itself, in the wording the notice will carry |
| Clause 5 | That [maiden name] and [new name] are one and the same person, namely myself | The line every office relies on |
| Clause 6 | That my documents may be corrected to the new name accordingly | Purpose statement |
| Verification | Verified at [place] on [date] that the contents are true to my knowledge | Required for a valid affidavit |
| Signature | Deponent, signed in the maiden name | The new name is not legal until publication |
| Attestation | Sworn before [First Class Judicial Magistrate / Notary Public], with seal, date and affidavit number | Part II needs the number and the Magistrate's name typed into the portal |
Sample Affidavit for Surname Change After Marriage in West Bengal
AFFIDAVIT
I, Ananya Sen, daughter of Subrata Sen, wife of Arjun Roy, aged 27 years, residing at 14 Lake View Road, Kolkata 700029, do hereby solemnly affirm and declare as follows:
1. That I am a citizen of India and a resident of West Bengal.
2. That my name is Ananya Sen as recorded in my Aadhaar and passport.
3. That I was married to Arjun Roy on 12 February 2026 at Kolkata, and the marriage is registered under the Special Marriage Act vide Certificate No. 4471/2026 dated 20 February 2026.
4. That after my marriage I have adopted the name Ananya Roy and shall henceforth be known as Ananya Roy for all purposes.
5. That Ananya Sen and Ananya Roy are one and the same person, namely myself.
6. That my documents may be corrected to the name Ananya Roy accordingly.
Verified at Kolkata on 10 August 2026 that the contents of this affidavit are true to my knowledge.
Deponent: Ananya Sen
Sworn before the Learned Judicial Magistrate, 1st Class, Alipore. Affidavit No. 1123/2026.
Sample only. Names, address, dates and numbers are fictional.
For the central route, the attestation line reads "Sworn before Notary Public, [place]" with the notary's register number. The newspaper notice and gazette declaration that copy from this affidavit.
Magistrate or Notary: Who Attests a Name Change Affidavit After Marriage
| Route | Attested by | Why | Where in Kolkata |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kolkata Gazette Part II (state) | First Class Judicial Magistrate of a competent court | The guideline requires it; the portal declaration asks for the affidavit number and the Magistrate's name | City courts such as Bankshall, Alipore, Sealdah, per your address |
| Gazette of India (central) | Notary Public | The Department of Publication accepts a notarised affidavit | Any notary in the city |
| Both gazettes | Magistrate | Accepted by Delhi too; one affidavit serves both files | Court |
| No gazette (certificate route) | Nobody | No affidavit is needed |
Stamp Paper and Cost of a Name Change Affidavit in West Bengal
Denomination
Non-judicial stamp paper of the value the notary or court accepts; Rs 10 or Rs 50 is common in West Bengal. Higher is not stronger. e-stamp where the vendor issues it.
Attestation fee
The notary's fee, or the court's affidavit fee for the Magistrate. Together with stamp paper, Rs 100 to Rs 500 in most cases.
Drafting
Free if you use the clauses here. Ours is included in the gazette service so the affidavit, notice and declaration are drafted together.
Copies
Keep the original; the state portal takes a scan, the central file takes the original. Make two photocopies before the original goes anywhere.
Matching the Affidavit With the Marriage Certificate, Newspaper Notice and Gazette
Four documents carry the same facts: the marriage certificate, the affidavit, the newspaper notice and the gazette declaration or proforma. The gazette office reads them side by side. Any difference returns the file.
- Maiden name: as on the ID and the certificate, letter for letter
- New name: the final form, decided once; Aadhaar allows two changes in a lifetime
- Father's and husband's names: same spelling on all four
- Address: as on the ID; for Part II, as on the domicile proof
- Marriage details: date, place and certificate number copied from the certificate
Draft the affidavit first, then copy
The newspaper text and the portal declaration are copied from the affidavit, never the other way round. Get the affidavit right and the rest follows. The full gazette document list.
Affidavit Wording for Hyphenated Surname, First Name Change, Reversion and Husband
| Case | Clause 4 reads | Attach |
|---|---|---|
| Hyphenated or combined surname | "have adopted the name Ananya Sen Roy" (or Sen-Roy), spelt exactly as wanted | Marriage certificate |
| First name also changing | "have changed my name from Ananya Sen to Aditi Roy"; add the reason | Marriage certificate; filed as Change of Name, Annexure I |
| Reversion to maiden name after divorce | "have reverted to my maiden name Ananya Sen from Ananya Roy" | Certified decree; Part II Annexure II |
| Reversion after husband's death | Same, citing the death | Death certificate |
| Husband adopts the wife's surname | "I, Arjun Roy, son of [father], husband of Ananya Sen, have adopted the name Arjun Sen" | Marriage certificate |
| Spouse's name to be added on a passport, own name kept | No name change affidavit; Passport Seva's own annexure, if listed | Marriage certificate |
Affidavit Mistakes That Return a Gazette File After Marriage
Signed in the married name
The deponent holds the old name. Sign as the maiden name; the new name becomes legal on publication.
Husband's name present, father's name missing
Part II wants the father's or husband's name; give both so the affidavit links both identities.
Notary for the state route
The portal cannot be completed without a Magistrate's affidavit number.
Address different from the ID
Both offices compare, and UIDAI later expects the gazette address to match Aadhaar.
Marriage details not copied from the certificate
A wrong date or number breaks the link the affidavit exists to make.
An affidavit when none was needed
For a plain married surname with a certificate, most offices do not want one. Check the table at the top before paying a notary.
Affidavit for Name Change After Marriage in West Bengal: Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need an affidavit to change my name after marriage in West Bengal?
Only if you are going the gazette route. For a plain married surname with a registered marriage certificate, Aadhaar, PAN, banks, the voter ID and usually the passport accept the certificate without any affidavit. The affidavit is the first document of a gazette filing: needed when the first name also changes, the certificate does not show both names, the marriage is unregistered, or an office insists on a gazette.
What should a name change affidavit after marriage contain?
Your maiden name; daughter of your father's name; wife of your husband's name; full residential address; the date and place of marriage and the registration reference; the old name and the new name; the statement that you have adopted the new name on marriage and shall henceforth be known by it; that both names refer to one and the same person; and the verification. Signed in the maiden name.
Who attests the affidavit for a married surname change?
A First Class Judicial Magistrate of a competent court for the Kolkata Gazette Part II route; the portal asks for the affidavit number and the Magistrate's name. A Notary Public for the Gazette of India route. A Magistrate-attested affidavit is accepted for the central route too, so if you may do both, get the Magistrate.
Which stamp paper is used for a name change affidavit in West Bengal?
Non-judicial stamp paper of the denomination the notary or the court accepts; low denominations such as Rs 10 or Rs 50 are common in West Bengal. Higher value does not make the affidavit stronger. e-stamp is accepted where the vendor issues it.
Do I sign the affidavit in my maiden name or my married name?
In the maiden name. The affidavit is made by the person who holds the old name, declaring the new one. The new name becomes legal on gazette publication, not on the affidavit.
Should the affidavit mention my father's name or my husband's name?
Both. The Kolkata Gazette Part II wants the father's or husband's name and address on the affidavit; for a married woman, give both, so the affidavit links your birth identity and your married identity in one document.
How old can the affidavit be?
For the Gazette of India, not older than one year when the file reaches Delhi. For the Kolkata Gazette Part II, recent; file within a few months. An affidavit sworn a year ago for another purpose is not reused.
Can I draft the affidavit myself?
Yes, and this page gives the clauses. The risk is a missing field or a spelling that differs from the certificate and the newspaper notice, which returns the whole gazette file. We draft it from your ID and certificate so all four documents match.
Is a joint affidavit with my husband needed?
Not for the gazette. Some passport and bank forms have their own joint declaration or annexure for a spouse's name; that is a separate form, not the name change affidavit.
What if my marriage is not registered?
The affidavit can state the marriage with its date and place, but without a certificate the gazette file may be questioned and offices may not accept the surname. Register the marriage first, then draft the affidavit with the registration reference.
Does the affidavit need my husband's signature?
No. It is your declaration about your own name. Attach the marriage certificate as the proof of the marriage.
Can the affidavit be in Bengali?
The gazette declaration and the central proforma are in English; draft the affidavit in English so every field can be copied without translation. A Bengali version can be made alongside if a local office wants it.
Official Sources for the Name Change Affidavit
Kolkata Gazette Part II guideline
Notification of 17 May 2023: affidavit attested by a First Class Judicial Magistrate showing father's or husband's name and address.
Process Manual v1.2.0
Portal manual: the declaration that asks for the affidavit number and Magistrate's name.
Department of Publication
deptpub.gov.in: notarised affidavit, one-year rule, for the Gazette of India.
Name Change After Divorce in West Bengal: The Complete Series
The full guide, the document file, then the three offices in order: Aadhaar, PAN and the passport.
Name Change After Divorce in West Bengal
Your options, the decree, the gazette route and the order of updates.
Read →Aadhaar After Divorce
Gazette first, then one Kendra visit for name, address and the C/o line.
Read →PAN Card After Divorce
Same correction as after marriage; the gazette is the proof, not the decree.
Read →Passport After Divorce
One reissue, two changes: the decree and the Gazette of India.
Read →Documents After Divorce
The gazette file, then the gazette page as master proof, office by office.
Read →Name Change After Marriage in West Bengal: The Complete Series
Eight guides that take a married name through every office in the right order: the two paths, then Aadhaar, PAN, passport, bank, voter ID, the affidavit and the document file.
Name Change After Marriage in West Bengal
When the marriage certificate is enough, and when you need a gazette.
Read →Aadhaar Name Change After Marriage
Seva Kendra visit, certificate as proof, Rs 50, and the two-changes rule.
Read →PAN Card Name Change After Marriage
Online correction on Protean or UTIITSL; same PAN number; Aadhaar first.
Read →Passport Name Change After Marriage
Reissue with the certificate, or the Gazette of India for anything more.
Read →Bank Account Name Change After Marriage
One branch visit: KYC form, certificate, signature, cheque book, card.
Read →Voter ID Name Change After Marriage
Form 8, free, with the address shift in the same application.
Read →Documents for Name Change After Marriage
One master file, then office by office.
Read →Get Call and Name Change Format
Need the Affidavit? Send Your ID and Marriage Certificate First
We tell you whether you need one at all. If you do, we draft it from your documents in the format the gazette declaration expects, tell you which court or notary, and match the newspaper text to it. Monday to Saturday.