# Confusion with Name Change



## abhishek.jayakumar (Dec 6, 2012)

Hey there guys,
I have a bit of a tricky situation here. I am currently an Australian Permanent Resident Visa Holder. On my current Indian Passport, I have three names in one particular order, say for example, *XYZ*. All the three names are in the Given Name(s) field and the Surname field is blank). The tricky bit is *Z* is my first name and *X* is supposedly my last name. [Before you ask, "why do you have your names in this order, let me clarify that as south indians we do not really have surnames because of which my parents when they applied for my passport ages ago put everything (biggest mistake) in the given name and nothing in the surname (My name has been a bloody pain ever since)]. 

Now when my brother (he was lucky and had his name in the correct order of *AYX*) applied for my admission into Usyd, he had to prove that I really am his brother and therefore he gave out my name (which is the final order which I want) as *ZYX* with Z in the given name, Y in the middle name and X in the surname. 
To sum it all up I basically have two sets of documents in two different name orders. 
1) Passport: wrong order, XYZ
2) Visa: linked to passport and hence in wrong order, XYZ
3) Usyd Degree Cert.: in correct order, ZYX
4) Indian Driver's License: in correct order, ZYX (I need to convert to Australian one, however they would then put my name in the same order as my passport )
and AFAIK most other documents are in the correct order.

I really want to standardize my name and I would like to change how it is on my passport to how it is on my degree certificate. As per VFS rules, I need to publish ads in an Indian Newspaper and in an Australian One. The only trouble is, I dont live in India and the address mentioned on my passport, we moved out of that place a long time ago. Do I really have to go through this bureaucratic mess or is there another way around it?

Someone told me that I need to approach the Birth, Death and Marriages Registry and submit a Name change request and from what other people have told me, they would just issue a certificate saying that all the names correspond to this one person. If I get this BDM name change certificate, I'm hoping that my name on my driving license would be changed to how it is on my degree certificate. My question is, should I bother changing the name on my passport (basically meaning, i need to submit all the ads, submit a deedpoll etc etc etc, after which they will issue me a new passport with my name in the correct order) and ask DIAC to link the visa to the new passport? Or should I leave the passport and visa as it is and when applying for Aussie citizenship, I submit the BDM name change certificate so that I get my Aussie Passport with my name in the correct order. (I'm really sorry that the question turned into an Essay)


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## abhishek.jayakumar (Dec 6, 2012)

Bump

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## abhishek.jayakumar (Dec 6, 2012)

Can somebody help me out here please


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## abhishek.jayakumar (Dec 6, 2012)

abhishek.jayakumar said:


> Can somebody help me out here please


Bump

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## abhishek.jayakumar (Dec 6, 2012)

abhishek.jayakumar said:


> Bump
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using ExpatForum


Bump

Sent from my iPhone using ExpatForum


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## abhishek.jayakumar (Dec 6, 2012)

abhishek.jayakumar said:


> Bump
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using ExpatForum


Guys... Anyone? Shel, Jo?


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## V2S4R (May 11, 2009)

I had similar situation as you.
Only surname has spelling difference that has been recorded in my educational records.
I publish the advertisement in India and Australia and it got corrected in the new passport.
It took almost 2 months of process. Once you publish the news paper adv, you have to wait for 30days to apply of name change in the passport. 
VFS will process the application and you will recieve your new passport with corrected names in a month or so.
Let me know if you need any more help.


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## abhishek.jayakumar (Dec 6, 2012)

V2S4R said:


> I had similar situation as you.
> Only surname has spelling difference that has been recorded in my educational records.
> I publish the advertisement in India and Australia and it got corrected in the new passport.
> It took almost 2 months of process. Once you publish the news paper adv, you have to wait for 30days to apply of name change in the passport.
> ...


Thank you so much V2S4R for your reply. but how do I publish an advertisement in an Indian newspaper whilst living in Australia? I need to submit a deed poll as well isn't it? Did you get this all done when you were in australia or in India? Also with regards to travelling and stuff, I need to wait for the new passport to arrive before I can travel right?

Sent from the future....


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## V2S4R (May 11, 2009)

abhishek.jayakumar said:


> Thank you so much V2S4R for your reply. but how do I publish an advertisement in an Indian newspaper whilst living in Australia? I need to submit a deed poll as well isn't it? Did you get this all done when you were in australia or in India? Also with regards to travelling and stuff, I need to wait for the new passport to arrive before I can travel right?
> 
> Sent from the future....


Yes you are absolutely right.
You have submit Deedpoll and same submit for Indian and Australian news papers while publishing the add.
I am here in Sydney done everything online.
I published in Indian national paper Vijaya Karnataka through releasemyad.com as I am from Karnataka.
For the local news papers, you can contact Daily Telegraph or other daily news papers.

Cheers
VSR


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## abhishek.jayakumar (Dec 6, 2012)

V2S4R said:


> Yes you are absolutely right.
> You have submit Deedpoll and same submit for Indian and Australian news papers while publishing the add.
> I am here in Sydney done everything online.
> I published in Indian national paper Vijaya Karnataka through releasemyad.com as I am from Karnataka.
> ...


Thanks once again for your reply.. Can you please tell me the steps on how to get my name fixed? I need to first publish an ad in an Indian newspaper right? How many newspapers do I have to publish my ad in? One or three? The details on the VFS website is insanely confusing

Sent from the future....


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## V2S4R (May 11, 2009)

abhishek.jayakumar said:


> Thanks once again for your reply.. Can you please tell me the steps on how to get my name fixed? I need to first publish an ad in an Indian newspaper right? How many newspapers do I have to publish my ad in? One or three? The details on the VFS website is insanely confusing
> 
> Sent from the future....


--> Steps are as below.
1.Deedpoll
2.Publish in one Indian National paper
3.Publish in one Australian National Paper
4.Get the physical paper cut out
5.Wait for 30days to finish after your news paper name change ad published.
6. Submit the application with VFS

You will find the model change of name adv in Indian news papers in releasemyad.com or google it for.
Best of luck for your process.
Cheers
VSR


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## abhishek.jayakumar (Dec 6, 2012)

V2S4R said:


> --> Steps are as below.
> 1.Deedpoll
> 2.Publish in one Indian National paper
> 3.Publish in one Australian National Paper
> ...


Thank you so much. One more question. Can I submit the Indian deedpoll with an Australian Stat Dec.?
thanks once again
Abhishek


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## abhishek.jayakumar (Dec 6, 2012)

sorry *Australian Stat dec instead of Indian deedpoll?


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## V2S4R (May 11, 2009)

abhishek.jayakumar said:


> sorry *Australian Stat dec instead of Indian deedpoll?


For this just download the FORM L (DEED POLL/SWORN AFFIDAVIT)from VFS website 
and get it attested with JP as mentioned in the form.

Cheers


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## Sagar Koradia (Jun 19, 2015)

Dear ,

There is a difference in the name as per following:

My passport & Birth certificate having name as per following:

First Name - Sagar // I recently gave an affidavit to my district birth certificate authority and they reissued the BC in the new name "SAGARKUMAR"

Middle Name - Amrutlal

Last Name - Koradia

However in my all certificates like SSC, HSC and B.TECH degree certificate having

First Name - Sagarkumar

Is it problamatic while applying MSA and PR?

I am currently in India, working with L&T. I have an admit letter from Usyd for Master of Professional Engineering in Power. In the offer letter from Usyd I have the same name as on passport.

I just want to know that shall i change the passport before my arrival in australia or i can change my name there on the passport.

Kindly guide me.


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## tanu.balyan (Feb 18, 2013)

I have the same issue..

All my docs from india like marksheets, degree, passport, driving licence, adhar card have only my first name while my TFN, medicare, rent lease, utility bills, bank accounts in Australia have both First and Last name (before marriage). Please suggest if I shall go for my name change process in India or in Australia.

I also need to know the process of getting the ads printed in India and in Australia..what documents need to be prepared before going to the publishing house... can an affidavit from Indian Notary work in Australia as a proof that person A and person AB are same??

I got married recently and I was thinking of change of name post marriage and it would be easier than changing it to my maiden name because in this case I just need to provide my marriage certificate and my husbands passport copy but then I would need to change my name in Tax dept, medicare, office, bank accounts..

I am confused..

Which way should i go.. please help


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