Name Change Procedure in Andhra Pradesh (2026)

Video guide

Watch: Name Change Procedure in Andhra Pradesh

A quick walkthrough of the affidavit, the gazette office and how to change your name legally in AP.

In this video, the YourDoorstep team explains how to change your name legally in Andhra Pradesh: the documents you need, the real fees, and how we handle the whole process at your doorstep.

Changing your name is a big step. Maybe you just got married, you are fixing a spelling mistake in your school certificate, or you want a fresh start after a divorce. Whatever the reason, the name change procedure in Andhra Pradesh follows a clear legal path, and Andhra Pradesh is one of the states with a live gazette route of its own: the Andhra Pradesh Gazette prints a fresh batch of “Change of Names” notices most weeks. What almost every website gets wrong is how that route works: it is an application on paper to the Commissioner of Printing in Vijayawada, not an online form, and the AP eGazette portal is only where the published issue is read. This guide sets out both routes from the official sources, in plain words, and shows how to get it done from home, whether you live in Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, Guntur, Tirupati or Nellore.

Quick Answer

To change your name in Andhra Pradesh, make a notarised affidavit, publish the change in one daily newspaper, then get a gazette notification. You have two routes: the Andhra Pradesh Gazette, published by the Commissioner of Printing, Stationery & Stores Purchase, Vijayawada (application on paper; the notice prints in Part II under “Change of Names”), or the Central Gazette of India (Rs 1,100 adult, Rs 1,700 minor on BharatKosh; Part IV). Passport rules accept either a State Government gazette or, since April 2026 expressly, the Gazette of India. Neither route needs a court or a lawyer; the Central route needs no office visit at all, and the AP route needs one visit to your Tahsildar (MRO) for the Annexure-II certificate.

Definition: A gazette notification is an official notice published in the Government Gazette that turns your name change into a public, legally recognised record, accepted by the passport office, banks, UIDAI and government departments across India.

Andhra Pradesh name change at a glance

Steps: Affidavit → newspaper ad → gazette notification
Two routes: Andhra Pradesh Gazette (paper application, Vijayawada) or Central Gazette (Delhi)
AP gazette office: Commissioner of Printing, Muthyalampadu, Vijayawada-520011 · 7675040553
Central fee: Rs 1,100 adult, Rs 1,700 minor (BharatKosh)
Time: No published timeline on either route; Central prints weekly in Part IV, numbered Part II Extraordinary issues appear several times a week (No. 322 was dated 25 August 2026)
Newspapers: One daily (any language) for the Central route; two only if you plan to use cuttings instead of a gazette for the passport

Key takeaways

The process has three steps: notarised affidavit, newspaper ad, then gazette notification.
AP has its own gazette route, run by the Commissioner of Printing, Stationery and Stores Purchase, Vijayawada. Citizen notices print in Part II of the Andhra Pradesh Gazette under “Private Advertisements: Change of Names”.
The AP eGazette portal (apegazette.cgg.gov.in) is a repository for reading published issues. It has no online application: its “Services” menu is empty and the login is for departments. The application goes on paper to the Vijayawada office.
Any AP resident can also use the Central Gazette, valid all over India and abroad, best for passports and central jobs.
Central Gazette fee: Rs 1,100 adult, Rs 1,700 minor, paid on BharatKosh.
The Central Gazette asks for one newspaper, and rules out agents: the file goes by post, courier or in person, in your own name.
Passport rules name both a State Government gazette and (since the MEA memorandum of April 2026) the Gazette of India as acceptable proof of a name change.
Get initials exactly right: the passport office refuses initials altogether, and Telugu names with the house name first need one fixed, fully expanded form on every paper.
SSC, Intermediate and birth-certificate corrections have their own routes (DGE Gollapudi, the BIEAP student-services portal, and the Sachivalayam/MeeSeva registrar service); the gazette is proof for them, not a substitute.

Choose the right route

AP State Gazette vs Central Gazette

This is the choice that matters most. The Andhra Pradesh Gazette is printed by the Commissioner of Printing, Stationery and Stores Purchase at the Government Regional Press, Vijayawada, and it carries citizen name-change notices most weeks; the issue of 25 August 2026 (No. 322, Part II Extraordinary) alone printed eighteen. The Central Gazette is run by the Department of Publication in Delhi and is the version every office in India recognises on sight.

Name change procedure in Andhra Pradesh: affidavit, one newspaper notice and the AP or Central Gazette notification

Point	AP State Gazette	Central Gazette of India
Run by	Commissioner of Printing, Stationery and Stores Purchase, Vijayawada	Department of Publication, Government of India, Delhi
How you apply	On paper to the Commissioner of Printing, Muthyalampadu, Vijayawada-520011 (by post or in person). The apegazette.cgg.gov.in portal only publishes the issues; there is no online form	File sent to Civil Lines, Delhi-110054, by post, courier or in person, in your own name; agents and advocates are expressly not permitted
Government fee	Last published official schedule (Department’s Citizen’s Charter): Rs 50 for the weekly gazette, Rs 375 for an Extraordinary issue, by DD in favour of the Commissioner of Printing. Confirm the current amount on 7675040553 before you send	Rs 1,100 adult, Rs 1,700 minor; Rs 3,500 / Rs 5,100 if you live abroad (BharatKosh, non-refundable)
Published in	Andhra Pradesh Gazette, Part II (weekly) or Part II Extraordinary, under “Private Advertisements: Change of Names”; free PDF on apegazette.cgg.gov.in	The Gazette of India, Part IV (weekly, Saturday); free PDF on egazette.gov.in
Newspaper ad	Not in the state application checklist (a notarised affidavit and a magistrate’s Annexure are)	One daily local leading newspaper
Documents	Application letter, Annexure-I/II certified by the District or Executive Magistrate (MRO), affidavit, ID and residence proof, SSC or birth proof, typed publication matter (two copies), photo	Typed proforma with two witnesses, affidavit, ID, photos, newspaper page, MS Word soft copy on CD, BharatKosh receipt; nothing older than one year
Valid for	A legal public notice like any other; passport rules expressly list “Gazette notification of the concerned State Government”. Less familiar to offices outside AP	All of India and abroad; named in the passport rules since April 2026 and recognised by every central office and embassy
Best for	AP records, state boards and local offices; anyone who wants the lower fee	Passport, PAN, banks, PSU and central jobs, visas and anything outside AP

Simple rule: if your new name is mainly for records inside Andhra Pradesh, the Andhra Pradesh Gazette is the cheaper, home-state route. If it has to work on a passport, a central job, a visa or anything outside the state, use the Central Gazette from the start so no office ever asks you to repeat the process. Both are real gazettes; the difference is fee, paperwork and how widely each is recognised.

Why the confusion online? Most name-change websites either deny that AP has a route at all, or claim you can “apply online on the AP eGazette”. Neither is true. The portal was set up by G.O.Ms.No.100 (GAD, 7 September 2021) as a “single point repository” where departments upload issues; citizens only read and download. Every published notice also carries the Government’s standing disclaimer that it accepts no legal responsibility for private change-of-name advertisements, which is exactly why your affidavit, not the gazette, remains the base document.

Infographic: name change in Andhra Pradesh: the AP Gazette route (paper application to the Commissioner of Printing, Vijayawada, Part II), the Central Gazette route, what goes in the AP application, verified fees and common myths — The Andhra Pradesh name-change process at a glance: two routes, the AP application set and verified fees. Click to open full size.

Where to file

Andhra Pradesh Gazette Office

The Andhra Pradesh Gazette is handled by the Commissioner of Printing, Stationery and Stores Purchase, Muthyalampadu, Vijayawada-520011 (the office’s own contact page still says Krishna District; the area falls in NTR district since 2022). Phone 7675040553, email commissionerofprintingstationery@yahoo.com, as listed on apegazette.cgg.gov.in. The Central Gazette file goes to the Department of Publication, Civil Lines, Delhi-110054, and the published notice is downloaded from egazette.gov.in.

The video walks through the Central Gazette office in Delhi; the Andhra Pradesh state office and its address are described in the text above.

Good to know: the Vijayawada office takes the application on paper and publishes the issue online, so the only thing that travels is your file; you download the published PDF from home. The Central route works the same way from Delhi. Call the Vijayawada number before you post anything: the office confirms the current fee, the DD payee and which Annexure your Tahsildar (MRO) needs to sign.

Good news

Change Your Name Without Travelling to Delhi or Vijayawada

Yes. A legal name change in India runs on paperwork, not office visits. Neither gazette needs you to appear at the press or in Delhi: the AP application is posted to Vijayawada and the published issue is read online; the Central file is posted to Delhi and downloaded from egazette.gov.in. The only in-person step on the AP route is the Tahsildar’s Annexure-II at your own mandal office.

One honest note about “we file it for you” promises. The Department of Publication’s own guideline says the application is accepted only in person or by post/courier and that “no other channel is permissible viz Agents, Advocates, etc.” So what a good consultant actually does is everything around the filing: draft the affidavit in the exact wording the gazette needs, get the notary done, book the one newspaper ad, pay the BharatKosh fee under the right head, type the proforma and burn the CD, and pack the file so the only thing left for you is to sign and post it in your own name. That is what we do, from Srikakulam to Anantapur, and we track the weekly Part IV issue until your notice appears and send you the PDF.

The process

The 3 Legal Steps

Both routes start with the affidavit. The newspaper notice is required for the Central Gazette and optional (but useful for the passport) on the AP route. Only the final filing differs.

1

Make the affidavit

A short legal statement on stamp paper with your old name, new name, address and the reason, signed before a notary.

2

Publish in one newspaper

Announce the change in one daily that circulates where you live, Telugu or English, your choice. Keep the full original page as proof.

3

Get the gazette

Post the AP application to the Commissioner of Printing, Vijayawada, or the Central file to Delhi, then download the published PDF.

Step 1: Make the name change affidavit

An affidavit is a short legal statement on non-judicial stamp paper. It lists your old name, new name, address, father's or husband's name, and the reason for the change. You sign it in front of a notary. In AP a Rs 20 to Rs 100 non-judicial stamp is the norm (the united-AP/Telangana version of the state form asks for a Rs 20 self-declaration affidavit; the Vijayawada office will confirm the current requirement). Write every name fully expanded, with no initials, because that is the form the passport office and the gazette will print.

Step 2: Publish the change in one newspaper (required for the Central route)

The Central Gazette guideline asks for the change to be advertised in “one of the daily local leading newspapers”: one paper, any language. In AP that usually means Eenadu, Sakshi or Andhra Jyothy in Telugu, or The Hindu, Deccan Chronicle, The Hans India or The Times of India in English. The notice should carry your old name, new name, father’s or husband’s name, address and the affidavit date. Keep the full newspaper page, not just the cut-out advert. The only time two papers make sense is if you intend to skip the gazette and hand the passport office two cuttings instead, and with a gazette in hand you do not need to.

Step 3: Get the gazette notification

Andhra Pradesh Gazette: the application goes on paper to the Commissioner of Printing, Stationery & Stores Purchase, Vijayawada. The inherited state form runs through the Revenue office: you fill Annexure-I addressed to the District Magistrate or an Executive Magistrate, in practice the Tahsildar (MRO), who issues Annexure-II; you attach the affidavit, ID and residence proof, your SSC certificate or birth proof, two typed copies of the publication matter and the fee (DD in favour of the Commissioner of Printing). The notice then prints in Part II under “Change of Names” and the issue appears as a free PDF on apegazette.cgg.gov.in. Central Gazette: the file goes to the Department of Publication, Civil Lines, Delhi-110054, with a typed proforma signed by two witnesses, a soft copy on CD, ID proof, photos, the newspaper page and the BharatKosh receipt, and it is printed in Part IV of the Gazette of India, downloaded from egazette.gov.in. Printed copies stopped in October 2015 on the Central side; the PDF is the document.

A quick note on order: the affidavit always comes first, because both the newspaper ad and the gazette file copy their details from it.

What other sites get wrong

Andhra Pradesh Name Change: Myths vs Facts

We read the top-ranking pages for this topic against the official sources. These are the claims that fall apart.

What you will read elsewhere	What the official source says
“Apply online on the AP eGazette portal”	The portal’s Services menu is empty and its login is departmental; G.O.Ms.No.100 of 2021 set it up as a repository. The application is on paper to the Commissioner of Printing, Vijayawada.
“Andhra Pradesh has no state gazette; only Delhi”	Part II Extraordinary No. 322 of 25 August 2026 alone carried eighteen “shall henceforth be known as” notices, printed at the Government Regional Press, Vijayawada.
“Publish in two newspapers, one Telugu and one English”	The Central guideline says “one of the daily local leading newspapers”. The AP application forms list no newspaper. Two cuttings are only a passport-office alternative to a gazette.
“Takes 30 to 45 days” / “Tatkal gazette available”	No office publishes a timeline and no urgent product exists. Part IV prints weekly; your notice appears in the issue after the file is cleared.
“Gazette fee Rs 700 to 1,500” / “Rs 2,500 to 5,000”	Central: Rs 1,100 adult, Rs 1,700 minor, Rs 3,500 / 5,100 abroad, plus Rs 250 only for a change-of-religion name. AP: Rs 50 / Rs 375 on the last published schedule.
“Our agents file the gazette for you”	“Application either submitted personally or sent by Post/Courier only will be entertained. No other channel is permissible viz Agents, Advocates, etc.” (Department of Publication).
“The AP gazette is not valid for a passport”	The passport booklet names “the Gazette notification of the concerned State Government”; the April 2026 MEA memorandum added the Gazette of India alongside it.
“A transgender person must go to court to change their name”	No court. The District Magistrate issues the identity certificate (since 25 May 2026 on a designated medical board’s recommendation), and the Act itself gives the right to change the first name in the birth certificate and all other records.
“Advertise in the Times of Andhra Pradesh”	Not a recognised daily. Use a real one: Eenadu, Sakshi, Andhra Jyothy, The Hindu, Deccan Chronicle or The Hans India.

The form nobody can find

AP Gazette Name Change Application Form: What Goes In It

“AP Gazette name change application form PDF” is a common search, and the honest answer is that the AP eGazette portal publishes no form. The Commissionerate uses the Annexure format inherited from the united-state Printing Department (the same set the sister Telangana portal still publishes); ask the Vijayawada office (7675040553) for the current format before you prepare it. The contents below are from the united-AP Citizen’s Charter Annexures and the current Telangana form; AP has not republished its own copy, so confirm on the phone.

Paper	What it is	Who signs
Application / request letter	Addressed to the Commissioner of Printing, Stationery & Stores Purchase, Vijayawada, asking for publication of the change of name in the Andhra Pradesh Gazette	You
Annexure-I	Declaration to the District / Additional District / Executive Magistrate (the Tahsildar or MRO): existing full name in block letters, full present address with police station and mandal, place of birth, citizenship, age, the new name, and the reason	You, before the Magistrate
Annexure-II	The Magistrate’s certificate that the applicant is recognised as a citizen and may proceed with the change, issued with the office round seal, in original	Tahsildar / MRO
Publication matter	Two typed copies in capitals of the exact notice: “I, [old name], S/o or D/o or W/o [name], shall henceforth be known as [new name]”, with station and date. If the change is to fix a school record, say so in the notice	You
Affidavit	Self-declaration on a Rs 20 non-judicial stamp, notarised	You + Notary
Proofs	Copies of your qualification certificate, residence proof, and SSC or birth certificate for date of birth; one passport-size photo	None
Fee	Demand draft in favour of the Commissioner of Printing (Rs 375 for an Extraordinary issue on the last published schedule; Rs 50 weekly); confirm the amount and payee on 7675040553 before you buy the DD	Your bank issues it

For a minor the parent signs; a government employee should also attach the departmental permission, and ask the office which format it wants. We draft the set in the exact wording the press prints, so the only signatures left to add are the Tahsildar’s and your own.

How to find and download your notice on apegazette.cgg.gov.in

The portal’s Search Gazette page lets you filter by Gazette Part, year and month and search on text. Choose Part II (or Part II Extraordinary), set the month your notice was accepted, and search on your new name in capitals. Each result opens a free PDF; the Change of Names section sits after “Notifications by Heads of Departments” under “Private Advertisements”. Save the PDF and print several copies, because every office wants its own. The Central equivalent is egazette.gov.in → Weekly Gazette → Part IV, searched by date.

Checklist

Documents Required for Name Change in Andhra Pradesh

Keep these ready. Missing or mismatched papers are the top reason files get held up.

Document	Needed?	Notes
Notarised name change affidavit (original)	Yes	Base document for either route
Old name ID proof	Yes	Aadhaar, PAN, Voter ID or passport
Address proof (Andhra Pradesh)	Yes	Shows your AP address
Passport-size photos	Yes	Two for the Central file, one for the AP file; self-attested
Newspaper ad (the full original page)	Yes (Central)	One daily, Telugu or English; the AP state forms do not list a newspaper at all
Annexure-I / Annexure-II via the Tahsildar (MRO)	Yes (AP route)	The state application form is addressed to the District Magistrate or an Executive Magistrate, in practice the Tahsildar (MRO), who certifies Annexure-II
SSC certificate or birth certificate	Yes (AP route); also for any minor	Asked for as proof of date of birth and existing name
Typed proforma with two witnesses	Yes (Central)	Witnesses give name, address and ID; the same details are typed on the CD
Soft copy on CD or pen drive (MS Word)	Yes (Central)	Matches the typed proforma
Fee proof	Yes	BharatKosh e-receipt for the Central route; DD in favour of the Commissioner of Printing for the AP route
Marriage certificate	If applicable	For a surname change after marriage
Divorce papers	If applicable	For restoring your maiden name

Two rules trip people up. The Department of Publication says the documents “must not be older than one year”, so do not sit on a signed affidavit. And if you are from AP but living abroad, the deed must be attested by the Indian Embassy or High Commission of that country, and the fee is the overseas one (Rs 3,500 adult, Rs 5,100 minor).

Real costs

Name Change Fees in Andhra Pradesh (2026)

Two costs sit inside a name change: the government publication fee, and the side costs like stamp paper, notary and newspaper ads that vary.

Item	Cost
Andhra Pradesh Gazette fee	Rs 50 (weekly) / Rs 375 (Extraordinary) per the Department’s last published Citizen’s Charter; the same Rs 375 DD is still printed on the sister Telangana form. Confirm on 7675040553; no newer AP fee order is published online
Central Gazette fee (adult)	Rs 1,100 (BharatKosh)
Central Gazette fee (minor)	Rs 1,700 (BharatKosh)
Central Gazette fee (living abroad)	Rs 3,500 adult, Rs 5,100 minor (BharatKosh)
Change-of-religion surcharge (Central)	Rs 250 extra only when the new name signals a change of religion; there is no separate “alias fee”
Stamp paper and notary	About Rs 100 to Rs 300
Newspaper ad (one paper)	Indicative Vijayawada classified rates: Andhra Jyothy about Rs 300, Sakshi about Rs 600, Eenadu about Rs 1,300, The Hindu about Rs 350, Deccan Chronicle about Rs 1,000; rates change by edition, so treat these as a guide
Aadhaar update afterwards	Rs 75 per demographic update at a centre; online document update on myAadhaar is free until 14 June 2027

Watch out: pay only through official channels (a DD to the Commissioner of Printing for the AP route, BharatKosh for the Central route) and keep the receipt. There is no “Tatkal gazette”, no “Rs 1,400 urgent fee” and no “Rs 700 to 1,500 state fee”; those are consultant invoices dressed up as government charges. All gazette fees are non-refundable, so get the category right the first time.

Public notice

Newspaper Publication in Andhra Pradesh

Publishing the notice is a real step, not a formality, but it is one paper, not two. The Central Gazette guideline says “one of the daily local leading newspapers”; the Andhra Pradesh application forms do not ask for a newspaper at all. Pick a daily that actually circulates where you live: Eenadu, Sakshi and Andhra Jyothy have the deepest reach across AP, and The Hindu, Deccan Chronicle and The Hans India are the usual English choices. The wording is short: “I, [old name], S/o or D/o [father’s name], residing at [address], have changed my name to [new name] vide affidavit dated [date].”

Where does the “two newspapers” idea come from? The passport office. Its instruction booklet lists “clippings of two local newspapers or the Gazette notification” as alternatives for a major name change, and its own specimen affidavit (Annexure E) talks about one paper at your present address and one at your permanent address. Agencies quietly turned that “or” into “and”. With a gazette in hand you need neither cutting for the passport.

Keep the complete original page with the date and newspaper name clearly visible. A cutting where the date cannot be read is treated as invalid.

Important: save the full original newspaper page, not just the cut-out advert. You attach it to the gazette file, and photocopies alone are often not accepted.

Every document

Name Change Services We Handle in Andhra Pradesh

A gazette on its own is only useful once your other records match it. We help you update your new name across all the documents that matter for AP residents.

🪪

Aadhaar Card

Name change or spelling correction with the gazette as proof.

💳

PAN Card

Name update through the NSDL or UTIITSL route.

🗳️

Voter ID (EPIC)

Name correction on the electoral roll via Form 8.

🛂

Passport

Re-issue with your new name using the gazette notification.

🚗

Driving Licence

Name update at the RTO with the gazette copy.

🏦

Bank & KYC

Update your name across bank accounts and KYC records.

🎓

BSEAP & University

Records for the AP board (BSEAP), CBSE and universities.

📜

Birth Certificate

Correction through the local Registrar under the RBD Act, not the gazette.

🛡️

LIC & Insurance

Name change on policies and insurance records.

🏠

Ration Card & Property

Updates on ration card and property documents.

Tell us which documents you need updated. Call 9540005026 and we guide you through each one after the gazette.

Across Andhra Pradesh

Cities in Andhra Pradesh We Serve

We handle name change work for people all across Andhra Pradesh, from the big cities to smaller towns. Wherever you are, the process runs the same way, and you never have to travel to Delhi.

Visakhapatnam Vijayawada Guntur Tirupati Nellore Kurnool Rajahmundry Kakinada Kadapa Anantapur Eluru Ongole Vizianagaram Srikakulam Machilipatnam Chittoor Tenali Proddatur Adoni Narasaraopet Bhimavaram Tadepalligudem

Do not see your town? We still cover it. Call 9540005026 and we will confirm.

Next step

After the Gazette: Update Your Records

Once your name change is published, use the gazette PDF to update your other records. This is the final and often the slowest part, so start early.

Document	How to update
Aadhaar	Update at an Aadhaar Seva Kendra (Rs 75) or on myAadhaar with the gazette as proof. UIDAI allows a name update twice in a lifetime; a third needs the gazette and an exception request to the regional office
PAN	Apply for name correction through NSDL or UTIITSL
Passport	Apply for re-issue with the gazette notification (State Government or, since April 2026 expressly, Gazette of India) plus two public documents in the new name; after marriage the marriage certificate or Annexure J is enough
Driving licence	Visit the RTO with the gazette copy
Bank accounts	Visit your branch with the gazette, affidavit and ID
Voter ID	Submit Form 8 for correction
SSC (BSEAP) certificate	Through your school headmaster to the DEO and the Directorate of Government Examinations, Gollapudi, Vijayawada; the admission register decides, the gazette supports
Intermediate (BIEAP) certificate	Online student services on bieap.apcfss.in (name correction certificates went online in October 2023); the Inter record is matched to the SSC certificate
University records	Apply to the controller of examinations with the gazette, affidavit and corrected SSC/Inter certificates
Employer records	Inform HR with the gazette copy

Keep several printouts of the gazette, because every office will want its own copy. We can also handle these updates for you.

Special cases

Marriage, Divorce, Minors & Spelling

💍

After marriage

Add your marriage certificate to the file. The affidavit states your maiden name and married name. The route stays the same.

📄

After divorce

You can return to your maiden name through the same process. Keep your divorce papers ready. No separate court order is needed just to restore a maiden name.

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For a minor

The parent or guardian applies on the child's behalf. For the Central route, the fee is Rs 1,700 for a minor.

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Spelling & initials

State the wrong and correct form in the affidavit. Telugu names with initials need special care. A birth certificate correction goes through the local Registrar, not the gazette.

🏳️‍⚧️

Transgender persons

The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, as amended by the 2026 Amendment Act (in force from 25 May 2026), keeps the right to change the first name in the birth certificate and all other identity documents on the strength of the District Magistrate’s certificate of identity, now issued on the recommendation of a designated medical board. Apply through the National Portal for Transgender Persons or the Collectorate; the gazette route remains open in addition.

🏛️

Government employees

State and central employees follow their department’s deed rules on top of the gazette: a deed of change of name, the notice in the gazette, and a fresh identity certificate from the department. The passport office also asks government servants for the departmental identity certificate or NOC.

🗂️

Certificates from before 2014

If your SSC or Intermediate certificate was issued by the united Andhra Pradesh boards from Hyderabad, the correction goes through the board that now holds your school or college record; for schools in today’s AP that is DGE Gollapudi or BIEAP; confirm with the school first, because its original record is what they check.

The AP-specific part

SSC, Intermediate & Birth Certificate Corrections in Andhra Pradesh

These three records cause most of the name trouble in AP, and none of them is fixed by the gazette alone. The gazette is your evidence; each record has its own door.

🎓

SSC certificate (BSEAP)

The Directorate of Government Examinations moved from Hyderabad to Gollapudi, Vijayawada in 2017. A correction starts at your school: the headmaster checks the admission register and forwards the request through the Deputy EO and DEO to the Directorate. Corrections are classed as clerical or parental mistakes, and the register, not your wish, decides what can change. Duplicate certificates cost Rs 250 by treasury challan with a Rs 50 affidavit; memos and age certificates Rs 80. Bring the gazette, affidavit and transfer certificates.

📘

Intermediate certificate (BIEAP)

Since October 2023 the Board of Intermediate Education takes duplicate, migration and name-correction certificate requests online through its student-services portal (bieap.apcfss.in), with a self-affidavit (the portal gives the format). The Inter record is corrected to match the SSC certificate, so fix the SSC first if both are wrong.

👶

Birth certificate

Corrections and late name inclusions go to the local Registrar under the Registration of Births and Deaths Act: the municipal corporation (GVMC, VMC and others under CDMA) in towns, the gram panchayat in villages, and are applied for through your Grama/Ward Sachivalayam or MeeSeva under “Corrections in Birth/Death Certificates” or “Child Name Inclusion”, with a notarised affidavit. Since the 2023 amendment, a birth certificate issued for births on or after 1 October 2023 is the single proof of date and place of birth for school admission, voter rolls and government jobs, so get it right early.

Order of operations for a student: birth certificate first (if the error is there), then the SSC certificate, then Intermediate, then Aadhaar and PAN. The gazette notification can be obtained at any point and is attached to each application as proof of the change.

Names & initials

Telugu Names, Initials and the Passport Office

Telugu names put the house name (inti peru) first and often shorten it to an initial, so the same person is “K. Srinivas” on the SSC certificate, “Srinivas Kondapalli” on Aadhaar and “Kondapalli Srinivas” on the bank passbook. Every one of those is a mismatch to a computer. The passport instruction booklet is blunt about it: initials are not allowed and must be expanded, the surname column may be left blank for a single name, and the given-name column carries the full name. Two habits fix most of it.

Decide one exact form before the affidavit

Write the full expanded name, decide whether the house name is the surname or part of the given name, and fix the spelling and spacing. That exact string goes on the affidavit, the newspaper notice, the gazette matter, and every later application. Do not let the notary, the newspaper desk or the CD typist “correct” it.

Treat a re-ordering as a name change

If your documents disagree only on order (surname first vs last), most offices accept an affidavit plus the gazette showing both forms. If they disagree on the letters themselves, run the full route: affidavit, one newspaper, gazette, then the SSC and Inter corrections, so that the school record, the gazette and the passport all read identically.

Expert insights

Three Things the Experienced Know

🧭

Pick the route by where the name is used

The Andhra Pradesh Gazette is cheaper and closer for records within the state. For a passport, a central job or anything abroad, use the Central Gazette from the start, so no office outside AP ever asks you to redo it.

🔤

Get initials exactly right

Telugu names often use expanded and short initial forms. Fix one exact form of your name, including initials and spacing, and use it on every paper to avoid rejection.

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Know the birth certificate exception

A spelling fix on a birth certificate is not a gazette job. It goes through the local Registrar under the RBD Act. For a CBSE school name change, you may also need a court order along with the gazette.

Honest view

Benefits & Drawbacks of the Gazette Route

✔ AP has a live gazette route of its own

Change-of-name notices print in Part II most weeks, on the last published schedule the fee is a fraction of the Central one, and the published issue is a free PDF on apegazette.cgg.gov.in.

✔ Central Gazette accepted everywhere

A Central Gazette notification is treated as final proof by UIDAI, the passport office, banks, embassies and universities.

✔ Done from anywhere in AP

The whole process runs on paperwork, so a resident of Kurnool or Srikakulam completes it without travelling to Delhi.

✕ Neither route publishes a timeline

The Central Gazette prints Part IV once a week and the Department gives no service deadline; the AP office’s old charter promised seven days but publishes no tracker. Post early and keep the receipt.

✕ Mistakes cost money and time

A wrong fee category, an initials slip or a spelling gap can mean a rejection and a restart.

✕ Some records need a different route

Birth certificates follow the Registrar route, so the gazette alone is not always enough.

Avoid these

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Mistake	Why it hurts
Different spellings across affidavit, ad and ID	Top cause of rejection
Getting initials wrong (Telugu short vs expanded forms)	Common local cause of mismatch
Waiting for an “online AP eGazette application” that does not exist	The portal only publishes; the application is on paper to Vijayawada
Paying for two newspaper ads on a consultant’s say-so	The Central rule is one paper; the AP forms ask for none
Wrong stamp paper value	Can get the affidavit queried by the notary or the office
Not keeping the full original newspaper pages	You cannot prove the publication
Using documents more than a year old	The Department of Publication rejects them
Letting an agent post the Central file in their name	Only personal, post or courier submission is entertained
Trying to fix a birth certificate through the gazette	That is a local Registrar job under the RBD Act
Wrong fee head on the payment receipt	Payment rejected or mismatched

Why YourDoorstep

Why People in Andhra Pradesh Choose Us

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We pick the right route

We know when the Andhra Pradesh Gazette is enough, and when the Central Gazette is worth it, especially for passports, visas and jobs outside the state.

🔤

Initials handled carefully

We fix one exact form of your name across the affidavit, ads and file, which matters a lot for Telugu names with initials.

📱

No travel to Delhi or Vijayawada

Everything runs on call, WhatsApp and a short form. On the AP route your only outing is your own mandal office; on the Central route, none.

🧾

One team for everything

The gazette plus updating Aadhaar, PAN, passport and the rest, with clear pricing and no hidden charges.

An example of a case we handle. A software professional in Visakhapatnam found his passport and degree did not match because of an initials error, and his overseas visa was stuck. Because he needed pan-India and overseas validity, we went the Central Gazette route, drafted the affidavit with every initial expanded, arranged the notary, booked one Telugu daily, paid the BharatKosh fee, and packed the complete kit for him to post in his own name. When the notice appeared in Part IV, he used the gazette PDF to fix his passport. He never left Visakhapatnam. This is an illustrative example of the type of case we handle, not a named client review.

Quick answers

Quick Answers to Common Searches

Does Andhra Pradesh have its own gazette route for a name change? Yes. The Commissioner of Printing, Stationery and Stores Purchase, Vijayawada publishes citizen “Change of Names” notices in Part II of the Andhra Pradesh Gazette. The application is on paper; apegazette.cgg.gov.in is where you read the published issue, not where you apply.

How many newspapers do I need? One. The Central Gazette asks for one daily local newspaper; the AP forms ask for none. Two cuttings are only a passport-office alternative to a gazette.

Is a birth certificate name change done through the gazette? No. A birth certificate correction goes through the local Registrar under the RBD Act.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I change my name through the gazette in Andhra Pradesh?+

Make a notarised affidavit, publish the change in one daily newspaper, then file for a gazette notification. For the Andhra Pradesh Gazette the application goes on paper to the Commissioner of Printing, Vijayawada (with the Tahsildar’s Annexure); for the Central Gazette the file goes to the Department of Publication, Delhi, with the BharatKosh receipt.

Can I apply for the AP Gazette name change online?+

No. The AP eGazette at apegazette.cgg.gov.in is a repository run by the Commissioner of Printing, Stationery and Stores Purchase, Vijayawada: its Services menu is empty and the login is for departments. You apply on paper to the Vijayawada office and read the published Part II issue online. For pan-India work, most people use the Central Gazette instead.

Which gazette should I use, AP or Central?+

The Andhra Pradesh Gazette is fine and cheaper for records within the state, and passport rules do list a State Government gazette. For PAN, banks, a central job, a visa or work abroad, the Central Gazette is the pan-India choice no office questions.

What is the fee for name change in Andhra Pradesh?+

The Central Gazette fee is Rs 1,100 for adults and Rs 1,700 for minors (Rs 3,500 and Rs 5,100 from abroad), paid on BharatKosh. The Andhra Pradesh Gazette’s last published official schedule is Rs 50 for the weekly issue and Rs 375 for an Extraordinary issue by DD to the Commissioner of Printing; confirm on 7675040553. Stamp paper, notary and the one newspaper ad are extra.

How long does a name change take in Andhra Pradesh?+

Neither office publishes a timeline. The Central Gazette prints Part IV every Saturday and your notice appears in the issue after the Department clears the file; numbered AP Part II Extraordinary issues appear several times a week (No. 322 was dated 25 August 2026). Sites quoting “30 to 45 days” or “Tatkal gazette” are guessing.

Where is the Andhra Pradesh gazette office?+

The Commissioner of Printing, Stationery and Stores Purchase, Muthyalampadu, Vijayawada-520011 (phone 7675040553, email commissionerofprintingstationery@yahoo.com, as listed on apegazette.cgg.gov.in). The Government Regional Press, Vijayawada, which prints the gazette, is also at Muthyalampadu.

Do I have to go to Delhi for the Central Gazette?+

No. The Department of Publication accepts the file in person or by post/courier only, and expressly not through agents or advocates, so you post it in your own name from anywhere in AP. A consultant prepares the file; you sign and send it.

Is the AP State Gazette valid for a passport?+

Yes. The passport instruction booklet lists “clippings of two local newspapers or the Gazette notification of the concerned State Government”, and an MEA memorandum of April 2026 added the Gazette of India expressly. In practice PSKs see the Central Gazette daily, so it is the smoother choice for a passport, a visa or work abroad.

Which cities in Andhra Pradesh do you serve?+

We serve Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, Guntur, Tirupati, Nellore, Kurnool, Rajahmundry, Kakinada, Kadapa, Anantapur and nearby towns.

Do you help update Aadhaar, PAN, Voter ID and birth certificate after the gazette?+

Yes. We help update Aadhaar, PAN, Voter ID, passport, driving licence, bank records, BSEAP and university certificates, and insurance policies with your gazette proof. Birth certificate corrections are handled through the local Registrar route, not the gazette.

Can I change my name online in Andhra Pradesh?+

Partly. Neither gazette takes an online application. On the Central route the fee (BharatKosh) and the download (egazette.gov.in) are online while the affidavit, newspaper ad and posting are offline; on the AP route only the download is online. You can still run every step from home.

Where do I download my gazette once it is published?+

For the Andhra Pradesh Gazette, from apegazette.cgg.gov.in (search Part II by date). For the Central Gazette, from egazette.gov.in under Weekly Gazette, Part IV. Both are free PDFs; keep several printouts.

Do I need a lawyer to change my name in Andhra Pradesh?+

No. A notary attests the affidavit. Help from a consultant mainly saves you from format mistakes and rejections.

Can I change my name without a gazette notification?+

For small local needs an affidavit may pass, but for passport, PAN, bank and job records most departments now ask for the gazette.

Which newspapers should I use in Andhra Pradesh?+

One paper is enough: a Telugu daily such as Eenadu, Sakshi or Andhra Jyothy, or an English daily such as The Hindu, Deccan Chronicle, The Hans India or The Times of India. Pick the one that circulates where you live and keep the full page.

I want to change my surname after marriage. What extra do I need?+

Add your marriage certificate to the file. The affidavit states your maiden name and married name. The rest is the same.

Do I need signatures from two gazetted officers on my affidavit?+

For an ordinary name change, no. That extra step mainly applies to government employees, who follow their department's deed rules.

What if there is a spelling or initials mismatch in my documents?+

Mismatched spellings or initials across the affidavit, newspaper ad and ID proof are the biggest cause of rejection. Everything must match exactly.

How do I update Aadhaar and PAN after the gazette?+

Use the gazette PDF as proof and apply through the normal Aadhaar and PAN update routes, or let us handle it for you.

Can NRIs from Andhra Pradesh change their name?+

Yes, with valid Indian ID. Someone living abroad needs the deed attested by the Indian Embassy or High Commission, and the Central Gazette route is recommended.

Can a gazette alone correct my SSC or Intermediate certificate?+

No. The SSC correction runs from your school headmaster through the DEO to the Directorate of Government Examinations at Gollapudi, Vijayawada, and is decided on the admission register; the Intermediate correction is applied for on the BIEAP student-services portal and matched to the SSC certificate. The gazette and affidavit go in as supporting proof.

How many times can I change my name on Aadhaar?+

UIDAI allows a name update twice. A third change needs the gazette notification and an exception request through the regional office (call 1947). The centre fee is Rs 75; document update on myAadhaar is free until 14 June 2027.

Will the department return my original documents?+

Do not expect them back; send self-attested copies and keep the originals, unless the office specifically asks for an original.

Keep reading

Related Name Change Guides

Name change agent in Andhra Pradesh Name change procedure in Telangana Name change procedure in Karnataka Name change procedure in Tamil Nadu How to change name legally in India Name change procedure in Odisha

Verified against

Official Sources & References

The portals, offices and routes on this page are checked against official Government sources, not copied from other blogs.

AP eGazette portal (Commissioner of Printing, Stationery & Stores Purchase)Official repository of the Andhra Pradesh Gazette (Part II “Change of Names” issues) and the office’s contact details. Read-only; no application form.
Department of Publication, Government of IndiaGuidelines for change of name (adult and minor): fees, one newspaper, post/courier/in-person submission, one-year document rule.
Passport Seva, Ministry of External AffairsInstruction booklet (documents for change of name; no initials) and the April 2026 Office Memorandum adding the Gazette of India.
Board of Secondary Education / Directorate of Government Examinations, APSSC certificate services; corrections run through the school and DEO to Gollapudi, Vijayawada.
BIEAP student services portalOnline name correction and duplicate certificate services for Intermediate.
National Portal for Transgender PersonsCertificate of identity under the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, as amended in 2026.
e-Gazette portal, Government of IndiaWhere the published Central Gazette (Part IV) notification is downloaded.
BharatKosh (NTRP), Ministry of FinanceOfficial portal for paying the Central Gazette name change fee.
myAadhaar, UIDAIFor updating your name on Aadhaar after the gazette is published.

Government fees and timelines can be revised from time to time. Always confirm the current figures on the official portals above before you apply.

In short

The Short Version

Changing your name in Andhra Pradesh comes down to three clean steps: affidavit, newspaper ad, and the gazette notification. AP gives you two routes: its own Andhra Pradesh Gazette, applied for on paper to the Commissioner of Printing in Vijayawada and printed in Part II, and the Central Gazette, valid across India and abroad. Publish in one newspaper, not two, and get initials exactly right. The Central Gazette fee is Rs 1,100 for adults; nobody publishes a timeline, so post early. Whether you are in Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, Guntur or Tirupati, you can get your name changed from home, and we update your Aadhaar, PAN, Voter ID and passport once it is done.

Name Change Procedure in Andhra Pradesh (2026)

Watch: Name Change Procedure in Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh name change at a glance

Key takeaways

AP State Gazette vs Central Gazette

Andhra Pradesh Gazette Office

Change Your Name Without Travelling to Delhi or Vijayawada

The 3 Legal Steps

Make the affidavit

Publish in one newspaper

Get the gazette

Step 1: Make the name change affidavit

Step 2: Publish the change in one newspaper (required for the Central route)

Step 3: Get the gazette notification

Andhra Pradesh Name Change: Myths vs Facts

AP Gazette Name Change Application Form: What Goes In It

How to find and download your notice on apegazette.cgg.gov.in

Documents Required for Name Change in Andhra Pradesh

Name Change Fees in Andhra Pradesh (2026)

Newspaper Publication in Andhra Pradesh

Name Change Services We Handle in Andhra Pradesh

Aadhaar Card

PAN Card

Voter ID (EPIC)

Passport

Driving Licence

Bank & KYC

BSEAP & University

Birth Certificate

LIC & Insurance

Ration Card & Property

Cities in Andhra Pradesh We Serve

After the Gazette: Update Your Records

Marriage, Divorce, Minors & Spelling

After marriage

After divorce

For a minor

Spelling & initials

Transgender persons

Government employees

Certificates from before 2014

SSC, Intermediate & Birth Certificate Corrections in Andhra Pradesh

SSC certificate (BSEAP)

Intermediate certificate (BIEAP)

Birth certificate

Telugu Names, Initials and the Passport Office

Decide one exact form before the affidavit

Treat a re-ordering as a name change

Three Things the Experienced Know

Pick the route by where the name is used

Get initials exactly right

Know the birth certificate exception

Benefits & Drawbacks of the Gazette Route

✔ AP has a live gazette route of its own

✔ Central Gazette accepted everywhere

✔ Done from anywhere in AP

✕ Neither route publishes a timeline

✕ Mistakes cost money and time

✕ Some records need a different route

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Why People in Andhra Pradesh Choose Us

We pick the right route

Initials handled carefully

No travel to Delhi or Vijayawada

One team for everything

Quick Answers to Common Searches

People Also Ask About Name Change in Andhra Pradesh

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Is Gazette mandatory for name change?

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Can I use Gazette for name change in Aadhaar card?

What is the easiest way to legally change your name?

What is the application form for name change in Andhra Pradesh?

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Who are the gazetted officers in AP?