How Do I Legally Change My First Name in New York

In New York, a minor is defined as anyone under the age of (18). A minor`s name can be changed by petitioning the District Court or Supreme Court by his or her biological or adoptive parents, “next friend” or legal guardian. The court will assess whether the name change is in the best interests of the child and ensure that the change is not made for fraudulent or fraudulent purposes. The petitioner and the minor must have resided in New York for at least six (6) months and file the petition in the county where they reside. If the court agrees to change your name, you must do three other things: Name changes are common and usually fairly easy to do. Our name change documents provide detailed instructions for filing instructions to help you successfully change your name without the cost of a lawyer. In New York City, divorcing residents can restore any name they used before they married. During the divorce proceedings, the person concerned must ask the court to approve his or her name change and to include the change in the divorce decree. If the name change is not factored into the divorce decree, a resident may still be able to include it. Some counties allow changes to legal documents, in which case the subject may ask the court to include the name change in its order. Once the divorce is finalized, a divorce decree indicating a person`s name change can be presented as proof of the name change if its identification with public and private institutions is updated.

After reviewing your application, the clerk will submit it to a judge. If a hearing is called, you must attend the scheduled appointment with your name change documents in hand. The judge has the power to notify government authorities of your name change, such as immigration or criminal justice services, or to contact your former spouses. If the judge approves your name change, they will sign your name change order and the court office will send you a copy of the signed document. Depending on your court, you will receive a certified copy of your order at that time, or you will receive a photocopy that must be published. Our name change forms and services are not allowed to be used if the name change is the result of the marriage – a simpler procedure should be required. Our staff does not have details about these particular procedures offered in the various jurisdictions. You can contact your local clerk to find out more about local procedures and if you are qualified. A New York City Name Change form can be used by residents to legally change their name to a new one or restore a previously used name. If you get married or divorced, people can use their marriage certificate or divorce decree to change their last name, as long as they include the change in their original marriage application or divorce complaint. For any other type of name change, residents must file a notarized application with their local courthouse and, in some cases, attend a hearing where a decision is made on their application.

After approving an application for a change of name, the person must obtain certified copies of the court order to change the identity of his passport, social security card, bank account, driver`s license, etc. If you only correct a first or middle name AND you (if the name change application applies to a minor as a minor) were born in New York, you may NOT need to go through the court-ordered process. We recommend that you contact the civil records department/agency in New York. Contact information for the New York Bureau of Vital Statistics is available at vitalrec.com/ny.html. You can also contact your local court/county clerk for more information. You can ask the court to change a child`s name if you are the child: dmv.ny.gov/driver-license/looking-information-about-changing-your-name you need to send notices of name change to Social Security, DMV, and other agencies that have your records. Examples of notification forms can be found at: After submitting your proof of publication, you can obtain certified copies of your name change order. These documents can then be used to change the name on your passport, driver`s license, and other official records. The law allows people to change their surname when they marry. To do this, the name change must be recorded on the couple`s marriage proposal. The new name can be either the spouse`s surname, a combination of the two names or elements of both names, or a hyphenated version of the couple`s two surnames.

Any previous surname of one of the spouses may also be adopted. After the official wedding, the couple receives a marriage certificate confirming their marriage and proving their name change. With certified copies of this document, individuals can change the identity on their driver`s license, passport, social security card and other accounts or records. Once you have completed both documents and notarized the petition, you will need to take your package to your district or Supreme Court (click here to find your court using the “Court Locator” sidebar on the linked website) and submit it to the court clerk. New York City residents can file their name changes in New York City Civil Court, which is less expensive. Accepted payment methods and registration fees may vary depending on the country of residence, so it is your responsibility to be prepared to pay your registration fee. If you are unable to pay the costs, you can apply to the court for a fee waiver to subsidize some or all of your costs.