Name Change Affidavit in Kolkata: The Route Decides the Attestation
Notary or Magistrate is not a matter of taste. The Kolkata Gazette Part II guideline points to an affidavit sworn before a First Class Judicial Magistrate, while the Gazette of India accepts a notarised one. Competing pages treat the two as interchangeable, which is exactly how a state file gets sent back. This guide sets out the choice, the stamp paper, the wording and where to swear it.
Get Call and Name Change Format
How to Make a Name Change Affidavit in Kolkata (Quick Answer)
Decide the gazette route first, because it decides who swears it. For the Kolkata Gazette Part II, the guideline points to an affidavit before a First Class Judicial Magistrate, and the portal asks for the affidavit number and the Magistrate's details. For the Gazette of India, a notarised affidavit is the practice. Print it on small denomination non-judicial stamp paper bought in your own name; Rs 10 and Rs 50 are the values commonly used in Kolkata. It must carry your name, parentage or husband's name, age and address, the old and new full names, the reason, and a declaration that both names refer to one and the same person. Sign it in person before the authority; there is no fully online sworn affidavit. Then match the newspaper notice to it, word for word.
| Point | Kolkata Gazette Part II | Gazette of India |
|---|---|---|
| Sworn before | First Class Judicial Magistrate | Notary public |
| Who can use it | West Bengal residents aged 18 and above | Any applicant, including minors through a parent |
| What the portal or file asks | Affidavit number and Magistrate's details typed in | The affidavit itself, in the file posted to Delhi |
| Stamp paper | Small non-judicial denomination, Rs 10 or Rs 50 commonly used; bought in the deponent's name | |
| Signed | In person; drafting can be online, swearing cannot | |
| Age when filing | Recent | Not older than about a year |
| Witnesses | On the gazette proforma, not on the affidavit | |
| Enough on its own? | No. Offices act on the gazette notification, not the affidavit | |
Notary or Magistrate: Why the Gazette Route Decides for You
The Kolkata Gazette Part II guideline of 17 May 2023 points to an affidavit sworn before a First Class Judicial Magistrate, and the online application asks you to type the affidavit number and the Magistrate's particulars. A notarised affidavit brought to that portal is not what it is asking for.
The Gazette of India works differently. A notarised affidavit is the practice there, and the file posted to Delhi carries the affidavit itself along with the newspaper pages and the proforma.
So the sequence is: decide whether your case belongs on the state route or the central route, and only then go and swear the affidavit. Doing it the other way round is how people end up paying twice.
Which route is yours
State Part II if you are an adult West Bengal resident and the records you need are within the state, published in about a week. Gazette of India for a passport, a minor, or use outside West Bengal. The Kolkata route decision.
Stamp Paper for a Name Change Affidavit in West Bengal
West Bengal uses small denominations for this. Rs 10 and Rs 50 non-judicial stamp paper are the values commonly used in Kolkata for a name change affidavit, and vendors and notaries near the courts will tell you what they are printing on today. Some pages quote Rs 20; the amount is minor and local practice differs, so ask rather than guess.
- Buy it in the deponent's own name, the person swearing
- Keep the purchase date close to the swearing date
- Print the affidavit on the stamp paper, do not staple a plain sheet to it
- E-stamping exists in several states; ask locally whether your notary accepts it
Beware inflated quotes
Stamp paper and notary charges are among the smallest items in a name change. If a quote loads a large sum onto the affidavit step, ask what exactly it covers. The real fee tables.
What a Kolkata Name Change Affidavit Must Say
The clauses
- Deponent's name, parentage or husband's name, age and address
- The old name as it appears on your documents
- The new full name, exactly as it will appear everywhere
- The reason for the change
- That both names refer to one and the same person, namely yourself
- Verification: that the contents are true to your knowledge
The key sentence
That I have changed my name from [Old full name] to [New full name] and shall henceforth be known as [New full name] for all purposes; that [Old full name] and [New full name] are one and the same person, namely myself.
Sign in the old name. The new name becomes yours on publication, not on the affidavit. Full formats and samples.
Where to Get a Name Change Affidavit Sworn in Kolkata
Notaries practise around the district courts across the city, including at Bankshall Court and Alipore Court, and many advocates' chambers arrange the drafting and the attestation together. For the state route, the affidavit is sworn before a First Class Judicial Magistrate at the appropriate court.
Whichever you use, the deponent has to attend in person and sign in front of the authority. Drafting online is fine; swearing online is not a thing, whatever a website may offer.
Take with you
Your ID, address proof, the printed affidavit on stamp paper, and the exact spelling of the new name written out. Carry a copy of your Aadhaar so the parentage and address match it letter for letter.
Match the Name on the Affidavit, Newspaper Notice and Gazette Application
The gazette file is read across three documents at once: the affidavit, the newspaper pages and the application form. Any difference between them, a middle initial in one and not the others, a spelling variant, a different address, is a reason to return the file.
So write the wording once, in the affidavit, and copy it into the newspaper booking and the proforma rather than retyping from memory. That single habit prevents most returns.
Order of steps
Affidavit, then newspaper, then the gazette application. Booking the Kolkata newspaper notice, where the wording is priced by the character.
Is an Affidavit Enough for a Name Change? What It Cannot Do Alone
It does
- Record your sworn statement of the change
- Support the newspaper notice and the gazette application
- Satisfy some private offices for minor matters
It does not
- Change your name in Aadhaar, PAN, the passport or a bank record by itself
- Replace the gazette notification, which is what those offices act on
- Bind a school or a board
- Work without the newspaper step
Common Wrong Advice About Name Change Affidavits in Kolkata
"Publish in a Hindi and English newspaper"
Written on a page about Kolkata. The local language here is Bengali. The papers Kolkata families actually use.
"Gazette notification costs Rs 700 to Rs 900"
The Department of Publication's adult rate is Rs 1,100, and a minor is Rs 1,700, paid on BharatKosh.
"Submit the documents to the Department of Commerce and Transport"
No such step exists in a name change. The file goes to the Department of Publication, or to the state portal.
Notary and Magistrate treated as interchangeable
They are not, once you pick a route. That is the whole point of this page.
"An affidavit is enough to change your name"
Offices act on the gazette. The affidavit supports it.
Name Change Affidavit Mistakes That Waste Stamp Paper
Swearing it before deciding the route
A notarised affidavit does not serve a state portal that asks for a Magistrate's affidavit number.
Signing in the new name
Sign in the old name. The new name is yours after publication.
Address that does not match your ID
Match Aadhaar letter for letter, including the spelling of the locality.
Stamp paper in someone else's name
It goes in the deponent's name.
Filing an affidavit sworn a year or more ago
Swear it close to filing, especially for the central route.
Putting witnesses on the affidavit and none on the proforma
Witnesses belong on the gazette proforma, signed in the old name.
Name Change Affidavit in Kolkata: Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a notary or a Magistrate for a name change affidavit in Kolkata?
It depends on the route. The Kolkata Gazette Part II guideline points to an affidavit sworn before a First Class Judicial Magistrate, and the portal asks for the affidavit number and the Magistrate's details. For the Gazette of India, a notarised affidavit is the practice. Decide the route first, then get the affidavit sworn before the right authority, because a notarised affidavit offered on the state portal is a wasted trip.
What stamp paper value is used in West Bengal?
Non-judicial stamp paper of a small denomination; Rs 10 and Rs 50 are the values commonly used in Kolkata for a name change affidavit. Denominations and local practice vary, so ask the vendor or the notary before printing. Buy it in the deponent's own name.
Where can I get a name change affidavit sworn in Kolkata?
Notaries sit around the district courts across the city, including at Bankshall Court and Alipore Court, and many advocates' offices arrange it. For a Magistrate's affidavit on the state route, the affidavit is sworn before a First Class Judicial Magistrate at the appropriate court.
Can I make the affidavit entirely online?
No. You can draft it online and buy stamp paper, but the affidavit has to be signed in person before the notary or the Magistrate. Anyone offering a fully online sworn affidavit is describing something else.
What must a Kolkata name change affidavit contain?
The deponent's name, parentage or husband's name, age and address; the old name and the new full name; the reason for the change; a statement that both names refer to one and the same person; and the verification clause. For a child, the parent deposes and the child's birth certificate particulars go in.
How old can the affidavit be when I file?
Swear it close to the filing. The Department of Publication looks for an affidavit that is not older than about a year for a Gazette of India file. Some websites say six months; the safer practice is to file within a few weeks of swearing it.
Does the affidavit have to match the newspaper notice?
Word for word on the names, parentage and address. The gazette file is read across the affidavit, the newspaper pages and the application form together, and a difference between any two of them gets it returned.
Is the affidavit alone enough to change my name?
No. It is the first step. Offices such as Aadhaar, PAN, the passport office and banks look for the gazette notification, and the affidavit supports the application rather than replacing it. Anyone telling you an affidavit alone changes your name in official records is wrong.
Do I need witnesses on the affidavit?
The affidavit itself is sworn by the deponent. Two witnesses sign the gazette proforma, which is a separate document, and for the Gazette of India they sign in the old name. Do not confuse the two.
What does it cost?
Stamp paper is a small amount and notary charges are modest; together they are among the smallest items in a name change. The real costs are the gazette fee and the newspaper notice. Be wary of any quote that bundles a large sum into the affidavit step.
Can an NRI or someone outside Kolkata swear the affidavit?
An affidavit can be sworn where the deponent is, and Indian missions abroad have their own attestation route. Whether the case can then be filed on the West Bengal state route depends on domicile, since Part II is for West Bengal residents; the Gazette of India covers applicants living elsewhere.
Do you draft the affidavit?
Yes, in the form the route needs, with the wording matched to the newspaper notice and the gazette application before anything is printed or booked. We tell you which attestation your case needs first.
Official Sources for Name Change Affidavits in Kolkata
Kolkata Gazette Part II guideline
Notification of 17 May 2023: the affidavit before a First Class Judicial Magistrate, and what the portal asks for.
Department of Publication
deptpub.gov.in: the Gazette of India proforma, affidavit expectations and the fee schedule.
Local practice
Stamp paper denominations, notary charges and court timings differ across Kolkata and change over time. Confirm with the notary or the court before printing anything.
Name Change in Kolkata: The Complete Series
The route decision, then each step where Kolkata families actually get stuck: the affidavit and its attestation, the newspaper notice and its price, which office exists and which does not, choosing an agent, and Howrah across the river.
Gazette Name Change in Kolkata
Which gazette a Kolkata case needs, and the full process.
Read →Newspaper Advertisement
Which dailies, what they cost, and the wording that keeps it cheap.
Read →Gazette Office in Kolkata
There is no central one here, and the addresses to ignore.
Read →Choosing an Agent
What an agent can and cannot do, and the claims to walk away from.
Read →Name Change in Howrah
Same gazette, different municipal office and the Bally sub-office note.
Read →Get Call and Name Change Format
We Tell You Which Attestation Your Case Needs, Before You Buy Stamp Paper
Send us the case on WhatsApp. We confirm the route, draft the affidavit in the form that route expects, and match the newspaper notice and the application to it, so nothing gets returned over a spelling. Monday to Saturday.