Grounds for state registration of change of name:

1. A person having attained the age of 18 has, as prescribed by law, the right to change his or her name, which includes the name, father's name and surname.

2. A person between the ages of 16 and 18 carries out state registration of change of his or her name and/or surname in case of written consent of the parents, adopters or guardian (curator), and in case of absence of consent — by the decision of the guardianship and curatorship body, except for cases of the person being declared as having full active legal capacity as prescribed by law.

3. State registration of change of name or surname of a person having attained the age of 16 is carried out based on the joint application of the parents (adopters or guardian (curator)), and in case of absence of consent — by the decision of the guardianship and curatorship body.

What documents are required for state registration of change of name?

1. An application for state registration of change of name may be submitted, if:

(1)    the birth was registered or, as prescribed by this Law, was reinstated by bodies of Civil Status Acts Registration of the Republic of Armenia or consular offices of the Republic of Armenia;

(2)    the birth was registered in a foreign state, and the Republic of Armenia is entitled to make the change of name on the basis of a bilateral or multilateral international treaty.

2. The following are attached to the application for state registration of change of name of a person having attained the age of 18:

(1)    identification document of the applicant;

(2)    birth certificate or data on registration of an act on birth.

3. The following information is indicated in the application on change of name of a person having attained the age of 18:

(1)    passport data of the applicant;

(2)    name, father's name, surname, place and time of birth, citizenship, place of residence, marital status, nationality (upon desire of the applicant) of the person changing his or her name;

(3)    name, father's name, surname, place and time of registration of the act on birth of each of the minor children of the person changing his or her name;

(4)    the new name and/or father's name and/or surname of the person wishing to change his or her name;

(5)    other required information.

4. The following are attached to the application for state registration of change of name and/or surname of a person having attained the age of 16 to 18:

(1)    identification document of the applicant;

(2)    identification document of the person changing his or her name;

(3)    birth certificate or data on registration of the act on birth of the person changing his or her name;

(4)    name, father's name, surname, place and time of registration of the act on birth of each of the minor children of the person changing his or her name;

(5)    passport data of the parent(s) (adopters or guardian (curator)) of the person wishing to change his or her name;

(6)    written consent of the parent(s) or (adopters or guardian, curator) of the person changing his or her name, in regard to change of name and/or surname of the child;

(7)    identification documents (copies of identification documents) of the parent(s) or (adopters or guardian) of the person changing his or her name, and in case of existence of a court judgment, having entered into legal force, on declaring one of the parents as deceased or missing or having no active legal capacity — also the copy of the court judgment or death certificate or data on registration of the act on death.

5. The following information is indicated in the application on change of name of a person having attained the age of 18:

(1)    passport data of the applicant;

(2)    identification document of the person changing his or her name;

(3)    name, father's name, surname, place and time of birth, citizenship, place of residence, marital status, nationality (upon the will of the applicant) of the person changing his or her name;

(4)    name, father's name, surname, place and time of registration of the act on birth of each of the minor children of the person changing his or her name;

(5)    the new name and/or father's name and/or surname of the person wishing to change his or her name.

6. The following are attached to the application for state registration of change of name and/or surname of a person having attained the age of 16 to 18:

(1)    identification document of the applicant;

(2)    state birth certificate or data on registration of the act of birth of the child;

(3)    identification documents (copies of identification documents) of the parent(s) or (adopters or guardian) of the person changing his or her name, and in case of existence of a court judgment, having entered into legal force, on declaring one of the parents as deceased or missing or having no active legal capacity — also the copy of the court judgment or death certificate or data on registration of the act on death.

(4)    written consent of the parent(s) or (adopters or guardian) of the child in regard to change of name and/or surname of the child;

(5)    consent of the child having attained the age of 10 regarding change of his or her name and/or surname.

7. The following information shall be indicated in the application on change of name of a person not having attained the age of 16:

(1)    passport data of the applicant;

(2)    name, father's name, surname, place and time of birth, citizenship, place of residence, passport data of the child where applicable and nationality — upon the will of the applicant;

(3)    passport data of the parent(s) (adopters or guardian (curator)) of the child;

(4)    the new name and/or surname of the child;

(5)    other required information.

8. In case of submitting an application on state registration of change of name of the child through an authorised person, the written consents for change of name and/or surname of the child by the relevant persons are submitted through the approved notarial procedure.

9. In case of submitting an application through an authorised person, the identification document and power of attorney of the authorised person are also attached to the application.

What is the procedure for state registration of change of name?

1. In the territory of the Republic of Armenia change of name is registered by the Agency, and in the territory of a foreign state it may be registered by the body of the diplomatic service by carrying out registration of an act on change of name.

2. State registration of change of name is carried out within a 15-day period following submission of documents.

3. State registration of change of name serves as a basis for making, as prescribed by law, relevant changes in the registered civil status acts regarding the person having changed his or her name.

4. Where there are inconsistencies in the recorded information on the person changing his or her name in records of other civil status acts requiring changes to be made with respect to change of name, such inconsistencies must be eliminated before state registration of change of name through making corrections, changes or supplements in records of civil status acts, as prescribed by this law.

5. On the same working day following the state registration of change of name, information on this change shall be communicated to the Passport and Visa Department of the Police of the Republic of Armenia, as well as the military registration office of the place of registration of the person having changed the name.

6. The procedure and terms for reporting on state registration of change of name to other bodies or organisations, as well as the list of those bodies or organisations shall be prescribed by the Minister.

7. On the same working day following the state registration of change of name the information on change of name of a person shall be posted on the official website of public notifications of the Republic of Armenia.

Which body carries out the state registration of change of name?

State registration of change of name shall be carried out by the Civil Status Acts Registration Agency of the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Armenia.

How much is the state duty?

• A state duty in the amount of 30-fold of the base duty totalling to AMD 30.000 00 shall be charged for registration of change of name and change of surname, including for issuing a certificate.

The amount of fee charged for additional service shall be:

In case of change of name (name, surname, father's name) in a shorter period than the time limit prescribed by law — in the amount of AMD 30 000 00 on the second working day,

in the amount of AMD 20 000 00 on the fifth working day,

in the amount of AMD 10 000 00 on the seventh working day.