Name change on your passport, by the route that actually fits your case
Marriage, divorce or a completely new name — each has its own evidence route on Passport Seva, and picking the wrong one wastes weeks. We identify your route, build the document set and file the reissue from our Vadodara office for a flat ₹499 assistance fee.
Typical reply within minutes during office hours.
Why people choose us over any agent
No hidden charges, ever: our fee and the government fee are quoted separately, in writing, before you pay a rupee. If a cheaper official route fits your case, we tell you.
That honesty is why most new clients come from referrals.
Why a name change means a whole new passport
There is no form to edit the name printed in your passport. Any change in personal particulars — name, surname, spelling — is handled as a reissue: you apply on passportindia.gov.in under "Re-issue of Passport", pay the full reissue fee, attend the Kendra appointment, and receive a fresh booklet with a new passport number. The old booklet is cancelled and returned to you.
What varies from case to case is the evidence. A bride adding her husband's surname needs very different paperwork from someone adopting an entirely new name. The official Document Advisor generates the definitive list for each category, and we run it for every client before filing — because an application submitted with the wrong evidence set is the single most common reason name-change files stall at the passport office.
One point worth stating early: changing your passport name after marriage is optional. A passport in your maiden name stays valid for travel, visas and identification. If your visas, degree certificates and bank records all carry the maiden name, keeping it is sometimes the more practical choice — we will say so if that applies to you.
Minor spelling fix vs actual name change — know which one you have
You may not need this service at all
These are two different problems, and people regularly pay for the wrong solution.
- A spelling fix is when your Aadhaar, PAN and school certificates already agree — say, "Nilesh" — and only your passport (or your passport application) shows something else. That is usually resolved with the documents you already hold. No gazette, no newspaper advertisements, no affidavit ceremony. Start with our guide to passport vs Aadhaar name mismatches.
- A name change is when you are adopting a name your records have never carried — a new surname after marriage, a reversion after divorce, or a completely new name. This needs the formal evidence routes described below.
Send us both names on WhatsApp and we will tell you which case you have before you spend a rupee. If a five-minute answer solves it, that is the answer you get.
Marriage, divorce, or a major change — the evidence each one needs
1. Surname change after marriage
The simplest route. To add or switch to your spouse's surname, Passport Seva accepts a marriage certificate — or, where one is not available, Annexure J, a joint declaration signed by both spouses with a joint photograph (official specimen: Annexure J PDF). A gazette notification is generally not required for a marriage-related surname change, whatever an agent may have told you. Our knowledge article on updating your passport after marriage covers the sequencing in detail.
2. Reverting to your maiden name after divorce
A certified copy of the divorce decree supports the reissue. Following the December 2016 liberalisation of the passport rules, a divorced applicant is generally not required to furnish the ex-spouse's name on the application — confirm the current wording for your case through the Document Advisor, and we do exactly that before filing.
3. Major or complete name change
A new first name, or a change not explained by marriage or divorce, calls for the full public-record route: a sworn affidavit or deed recording the change, newspaper advertisements in one English daily and one local-language daily, and a gazette notification. Each element does a distinct job — the affidavit is your sworn statement, the advertisements give the public notice, and the gazette makes the change a government-published record. The exact combination required can differ by case, so we verify it against the Document Advisor rather than assume. The gazette and advertisement work is our specialist territory: see our dedicated gazette for passport name change service, handled end-to-end at our Vadodara centre.
In every route, the application itself also carries the standard self-declaration annexure. Our plain-language guide to passport annexures explains which letter means what.
Documents for a name-change reissue
- Current passport in original, plus self-attested copies of the first two and last two pages
- Proof of present address — Aadhaar, utility bill, rent agreement or bank passbook, ideally already showing the new name where possible
- Route evidence: marriage certificate or Annexure J · divorce decree · or affidavit + newspaper pages + gazette notification
- Aadhaar and PAN copies for cross-verification
- Government or PSU employees: NOC (Annexure G) or Prior Intimation (Annexure H)
Carry originals and one set of self-attested photocopies to the Kendra. The precise list for your category comes from the Document Advisor — we generate it, check your papers against it and fix gaps before you book anything.
How we run a name-change file
- Route assessment — freeYou send both names and the reason on WhatsApp. We confirm whether you need a spelling reconciliation, the marriage route, the divorce route, or the full gazette route, and quote in writing.
- Evidence buildingFor marriage cases we verify the certificate or prepare Annexure J. For major changes, our gazette desk drafts the affidavit, places both newspaper advertisements and files the gazette notification — see the gazette service for that leg.
- Reissue applicationWe complete the online form on Passport Seva, select the right reissue category, upload what is needed and book your Kendra appointment — see our appointment booking assistance.
- Pre-visit checkThe day before your appointment, we walk your file page by page: originals, photocopies, annexures, printouts. Most rejections at the counter are missing-paper problems, and this step removes them.
- Verification and deliveryA particulars change usually triggers police verification at your address — our police verification page shows how to prepare. The new booklet then arrives by Speed Post.
What you pay — our fee and the government's, separately
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Harsiddhi assistance fee | ₹499 | Route assessment, form filling, annexure guidance, appointment booking, pre-visit document check. |
| Govt reissue fee — 36 pages, normal | ₹2,500 | Fee schedule effective 1 July 2026; paid by you directly on Passport Seva. |
| Govt reissue fee — 60 pages, normal | ₹3,500 | Same schedule; choose 60 pages if you travel frequently. |
| Tatkal — 36 / 60 pages | ₹5,000 / ₹6,000 | Where the category is Tatkal-eligible; major name changes may not be. We confirm before you pay. |
Passport fees were revised by the Passports (Amendment) Rules, 2026, effective 1 July 2026 — many websites still show the old amounts. Always confirm the live figure on the official fee page before paying. Gazette publication, newspaper advertisements and notary charges (major-change route only) are billed at actuals and disclosed in writing first. Full breakdown: passport pricing.
Three things to handle once the new booklet arrives
Your passport number changes. Airline profiles, bank KYC records and any account keyed to the old number need updating. Valid visas remain in the cancelled booklet — some countries allow travel carrying both passports, others require a visa transfer; check with the embassy concerned before booking tickets. And sweep the rest of your documents so nothing keeps the old name: our article on name mismatches across documents lays out the full sequence, from Aadhaar and PAN to EPFO and bank records.
Official references: passportindia.gov.in · Document Advisor · Annexure J specimen · official fee page. Rules and fees change — confirm on the official portal before acting.
The bottom line
You now know the process, the documents and the pitfalls. What we add is nine years of doing this daily — and a fixed price for taking the whole job off your desk. The quote is free; the time you save is yours.
Passport name change — your questions
Is a name change done on my existing passport booklet?
Do I have to change my passport name after marriage?
Do I need a gazette notification for a marriage surname change?
What is Annexure J?
I am divorced and want my maiden name back. What do I need?
When is the gazette plus newspaper route required?
What is the difference between a spelling fix and a name change?
How much does a passport name change cost?
Can I use Tatkal for a name change reissue?
Will police verification happen for a name change?
Should I update Aadhaar before or after the passport?
What exactly does your ₹499 fee cover?
Send us the old name and the new name — we will map your route today
WhatsApp both names, the reason for the change and photos of your passport and Aadhaar. You get the correct route, a document list and a fixed written quote before anything is filed.