No marriage certificate but need to change your name after marriage? A joint husband-and-wife affidavit is the well-established route. Here's how it works.
When a woman changes her name after marriage, a marriage certificate is the usual supporting proof. But many couples — especially where the marriage was solemnised traditionally and not yet registered — simply don't have one when they need to update documents. The joint husband-and-wife affidavit is the recognised way to bridge that gap.
A joint husband-and-wife affidavit is a sworn statement by both spouses confirming the marriage and the name change — commonly used alongside the Gazette when there's no marriage certificate.
The joint affidavit supports the name-change documentation in place of a marriage certificate. The Gujarat Gazette still records the name change as recognised proof; the joint affidavit is the supporting declaration behind it. Together they give you a properly evidenced married-name change.
If your marriage is straightforward to register, obtaining a marriage certificate can be useful for the future, since some authorities accept it directly for specific updates. We can talk through whether to register the marriage as well — see our Registrar of Marriages guide.
As with any affidavit, the wife's pre-marriage name should be stated to match her existing documents exactly, so the update to Aadhaar, passport, bank and other records goes smoothly. Disclose every variation before drafting.
Tell us your situation and we'll explain how a joint affidavit works for your name change, and what it will cost — clearly, upfront.
Call: +91 94267 80195
Changing your name? We publish it in the Gujarat Gazette, start to finish — ₹3,000 all-inclusive (Express ₹5,500), published within 60 working days or a 100% refund.
Normal plan: your published Gujarat Gazette within 60 working days. Express: within 30 working days — counted from the working day after full payment is received and your application number is generated, and we confirm your exact end date in writing. Working days are days the Gazette Department, Rajkot is open; Sundays, 2nd and 4th Saturdays and Government of Gujarat public holidays are not counted. If we miss your window you get a 100% refund of your invoice within 24 hours — no deduction for the Government fee, e-stamp, notary or drafting — and we still deliver your Gazette at no further service charge. In practice most of our filed gazettes publish within about 15 days of filing. The full terms are sent with your quote, before you pay.
