Name Change in Passport After Divorce in West Bengal: One Reissue, Two Changes
A passport after divorce can need two different changes. Deleting the spouse's name is proved by the decree. Changing your own name back needs the Gazette of India. Both go on one reissue, which gives you a new booklet and a new number. This guide gives the sequence, the documents, and the timing from West Bengal.
Get Call and Name Change Format
How to Change Your Passport After Divorce in West Bengal (Quick Answer)
Apply on passportindia.gov.in for a reissue with change in personal particulars. Tick deletion of spouse's name, uploading the certified divorce decree. If you are reverting to your maiden name, also tick change of name, uploading the Gazette of India notification with the newspaper pages and affidavit; the passport office does not take the state gazette or the decree for a change of name. Update Aadhaar and PAN to the new name first. Attend the appointment at the Regional Passport Office, Kolkata, or a Passport Seva Kendra with the originals and your current passport. You receive a new booklet with a new number; visas do not carry over automatically. Keeping your name? Deletion alone, on the decree, no gazette.
| Change | Proof | Gazette? |
|---|---|---|
| Delete the spouse's name | Certified divorce decree | No |
| Revert to the maiden name | Gazette of India, newspaper pages, affidavit; decree as supporting document | Yes, Gazette of India |
| Drop the married surname only | Same as reversion | Yes |
| Keep the married name | Nothing; deletion of spouse's name only if wanted | No |
| Service type | Reissue, change in personal particulars; new booklet and number | |
| Where | Regional Passport Office, Kolkata, or a Passport Seva Kendra or Post Office PSK | |
| Fee | Normal reissue fee per the fee calculator; Tatkal extra | |
| Do first | Decree; gazette if reverting; Aadhaar and PAN in the new name | |
Delete Spouse Name and Revert Your Name: Two Passport Changes After Divorce
1. Deletion of the spouse's name
Your passport carries your spouse's name as a personal particular. After divorce, the certified decree is the proof that this particular should be deleted. No gazette, no newspaper. Passport Seva lists this as its own change, and you can tick it alone if you are keeping your name.
2. Change of your own name
Reverting to a maiden name or dropping the married surname is a change of name. For that, the passport office wants the Gazette of India notification with the newspaper pages and affidavit, exactly as for any other name change; the decree goes in as a supporting document. The Kolkata Gazette Part II serves your Aadhaar, PAN and bank, not the passport.
Your four options after divorce and the gazette route for each · Why the passport office wants the Gazette of India.
How to Change Your Name in Passport After Divorce: 7 Steps
Certified decree in hand
From the family or district court that passed it. Check your name is spelt on it as on your passport. Keep two copies.
Decide: deletion only, or deletion plus name change
Keeping your name means the decree alone and no gazette. Reverting means step 3 first.
Gazette of India, if reverting
Notarised or Magistrate affidavit citing the decree, two newspapers, typed proforma with two witnesses, decree copy, Rs 1,100 on BharatKosh, posted in your own name to Civil Lines, Delhi-110054. Saturday publication, 30 to 45 days. Do the Kolkata Gazette Part II alongside for local records. The reversion steps in detail.
Aadhaar and PAN in the new name
Seva Kendra with the gazette, then the PAN correction (PAN after divorce). The passport counter reads Aadhaar. Aadhaar after divorce, step by step.
Apply for reissue on Passport Seva
Reissue, change in personal particulars: tick deletion of spouse's name, and change of name if applicable. Upload the decree, the Gazette of India page, newspaper pages and affidavit as the Document Advisor lists. Pay the reissue fee from the fee calculator.
Appointment at RPO Kolkata or a PSK
Originals, photocopies, current passport, appointment receipt. Photo and biometrics taken there. Police verification if Passport Seva requires it for your case.
New passport, then visas and records
New booklet, new number by post; old passport cancelled and returned. Update the number with banks, employers and foreign registrations. Apply for visas only now.
Documents Required for Passport Reissue After Divorce
Deletion of spouse's name only
- Certified copy of the divorce decree
- Current passport
- Aadhaar; address proof as the Document Advisor lists
- Application receipt and appointment confirmation
Deletion plus change of name
- Everything on the left
- Gazette of India, Part IV page with your notice, printed
- Complete newspaper pages, Bengali and English
- The affidavit citing the decree
- Aadhaar already in the new name
Lists vary by category; Passport Seva's Document Advisor is the final word. The gazette document list, both routes.
Passport Reissue After Divorce: New Number, Old Visas, Old Passport
New number
Any change in personal particulars is a reissue, not a correction. Update the number wherever it is on file.
Old passport cancelled and returned
Keep it; some countries accept a valid visa in it when carried with the new passport.
Visas do not transfer automatically
Country-dependent. Finish the reissue, then apply.
Travel meanwhile
The existing passport in the married name stays valid until reissue; the divorce does not cancel it.
How Long a Passport Name Change After Divorce Takes Before Travel
| Stage | Deletion only | Deletion plus name change |
|---|---|---|
| Certified decree | In hand | In hand |
| Gazette of India | Not needed | 30 to 45 days after the file reaches Delhi |
| Aadhaar and PAN | Not needed for the name | 1 to 3 weeks after the gazette |
| Passport reissue | Passport Seva's time, plus verification if any | Same |
| Visa | After the new passport | After the new passport |
| Start before travel | 4 to 6 weeks | 10 to 12 weeks |
Passport After Divorce: Children, Living Abroad, Remarriage and Separation
Children's passports
Unchanged by your name change. A child's own name change is the Gazette of India with a parent as applicant and the custody order; updating parents' particulars on a child's passport is a separate reissue with the custody order. Parent's guide.
Living abroad
Reissue at the Indian Embassy or Consulate with the decree; for a name change, the Gazette of India at Rs 3,500 with an embassy-attested affidavit.
Remarriage later
The new spouse's name and any new surname go on a fresh reissue with the new marriage certificate. Passport after marriage.
Judicial separation
The separation order supports deletion at some counters and the state gazette reversion; check the Document Advisor for the passport category.
Mistakes That Delay a Passport Name Change After Divorce
Filing change of name with the decree alone
The decree proves the divorce, not your new name. The passport office wants the Gazette of India for the name.
Carrying the Kolkata Gazette Part II to the passport counter
Right for Aadhaar and PAN, not what the passport office looks for. Do the central gazette as well.
Aadhaar still in the married name at the appointment
Mismatch at the counter. Aadhaar and PAN first.
Applying for a visa between passports
The number changes. Passport first, then visa.
Uncertified or interim order
Passport Seva wants the certified decree. An interim order is a return.
Mixing the children's changes into your application
Separate applications, separate proofs.
Name Change in Passport After Divorce in West Bengal: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I change my name in my passport after divorce in West Bengal?
Apply on passportindia.gov.in for a reissue with change in personal particulars. Tick deletion of spouse's name, uploading the certified divorce decree, and tick change of name if you are reverting to your maiden name, uploading the Gazette of India notification, newspaper pages and affidavit. Attend the appointment at the Regional Passport Office, Kolkata, or a Passport Seva Kendra with the originals and your current passport. You receive a new booklet with a new number.
Can I remove my ex-husband's name from my passport without changing my own name?
Yes. Deletion of the spouse's name is its own change, proved by the divorce decree. Tick only that; your name stays as printed. It is still a reissue with a new booklet and number.
Is the divorce decree enough to change my name back on the passport?
For deleting the spouse's name, yes. For changing your own name, no: the passport office wants the Gazette of India notification for a change of name, with the newspaper pages and affidavit. A decree clause restoring your maiden name helps at some counters but is not what Passport Seva's Document Advisor lists.
Which gazette does the passport office accept after divorce?
The Gazette of India, Part IV. The Kolkata Gazette Part II is for your Aadhaar, PAN, bank and state records; do it as well for those, but the passport counter looks for the central notification.
In what order should I do things after divorce for the passport?
Certified decree first. If reverting your name: Gazette of India (30 to 45 days), with the Kolkata Gazette Part II alongside for local records. Then Aadhaar and PAN in the new name. Then the passport reissue. Then any visa.
What is the fee for a passport reissue after divorce?
The normal reissue fee for a 36-page or 60-page booklet per Passport Seva's fee calculator, with a Tatkal surcharge if chosen. There is no separate fee for the deletion or the name change; it is one reissue.
Will my visas transfer to the new passport?
Not automatically. Rules differ by country; some accept a valid visa in a cancelled passport carried with the new one, others require a fresh visa. Finish the reissue before applying for any visa.
Do I need police verification for a passport reissue after divorce?
Passport Seva decides pre, post or none for each case. A change of name or address can trigger it. Keep the address proof consistent with Aadhaar and be reachable.
What if the passport still shows my married name and I am travelling soon?
You can travel on the existing valid passport in the married name; nothing in the divorce cancels it. Do the reissue when you have the time for the gazette and the appointment, not the week before a flight.
Do my children's passports change after my divorce?
Not because of your name change. A child's passport changes only if the child's own name changes (Gazette of India with a parent as applicant, custody order) or the parent's details on the child's passport need updating, which is a separate application with the custody order.
Can I do the passport reissue from outside India after divorce?
Yes, at the Indian Embassy or Consulate, with the decree and, for a name change, the Gazette of India obtained with an embassy-attested affidavit at Rs 3,500.
How long does the whole passport change take after divorce?
Deletion only: Passport Seva's reissue time after the appointment. With a name change: add 30 to 45 days for the Gazette of India and a week or two for Aadhaar and PAN first. Start ten to twelve weeks before you need the passport.
Official Sources for Passport Changes After Divorce
Passport Seva
passportindia.gov.in: Document Advisor for deletion of spouse's name and change of name; fee calculator; appointments at RPO Kolkata.
Department of Publication
deptpub.gov.in and egazette.gov.in: the Gazette of India for the name change.
Kolkata Gazette Part II
Guideline of 17 May 2023: the state route for your local records alongside.
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 →Documents After Divorce
The gazette file, then the gazette page as master proof, office by office.
Read →Bank Account After Divorce
The name is the easy part; check the nominee.
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 →Affidavit for Name Change After Marriage
The clauses, a sample, and who attests it by route.
Read →Documents for Name Change After Marriage
One master file, then office by office.
Read →Passport Name Change in West Bengal: The Complete Series
The reissue itself, the gazette a passport case needs, and every situation people come with: a single name, a parent’s name, a child, an NRI abroad, marriage and divorce.
Passport Name Correction and Change
Both are a reissue: new booklet, new number, and what each case needs.
Read →Gazette Name Change for a Passport
Why a passport case takes the central gazette, and the exceptions.
Read →Add Surname to a Passport
The single-name problem, and the relaxation many people never hear about.
Read →Father’s Name in a Passport
Two public documents for a misspelling; his gazette if he changed his name.
Read →Passport Name Change for a Minor
Annexure D, Annexure C, and the divorce exception.
Read →For an NRI From Abroad
Two portals, and police verification at your Indian address.
Read →Passport After Marriage
Marriage certificate route, and the reissue that follows.
Read →Get Call and Name Change Format
Passport After Divorce? Send the Decree, Your Passport Photo and Your Travel Date
We tell you whether it is deletion only or deletion plus the Gazette of India, build the timeline backwards from your date, and prepare the gazette file in your own name. Discreet, Monday to Saturday.