Procedure for the change of surname by decree (legitimate reason)
Verified 08 September 2023 - Legal and Administrative Information Directorate (Prime Minister), Ministry of Justice
You have a legitimate reason to change your surname ? For example, your name is difficult to bear? You can use the order-in-council name change procedure. This page shows you the steps to follow to make this move. It differs depending on whether you live in France or abroad.
In France
Step-by-step approach
Infographie - I want to change my last name: what procedure?
Ouvrir l’image dans une nouvelle fenêtre
First situation: I want to bear the name of the parent (father, mother) who did not pass on his name to me.
For example, by adding this parent’s name to my current name in any order I want.
I must request a name change through the simplified name change procedure
Main features of the procedure:
- Duration: about one month
- Who to contact: City Hall
- Cost: free
Second situation: I wish to bear a name that is not that of one of my parents (father, mother) for a reason (legitimate reason).
For example, my name is difficult to bear.
Main features of the procedure:
- Duration: months, sometimes years
- To whom to turn: Ministry of Justice
- Cost: paid (variable)
Namely: you can use the simplified renaming procedure only once in your life.
This is a request that only concerns the surname.
You must have a legitimate reason to change this last name.
The procedure is different if you want to use the name of your parent who did not give you his or her name (simplified renaming procedure).
However, using the Order in Council name change procedure does not prevent you from requesting a name change later through the simplified procedure.
Similarly, having obtained a name change through the simplified procedure does not prevent you from subsequently using the procedure for name change by decree.
Warning
the procedure is different if you want bear the name of your spouse (common name) or if you want francize your first and last names by obtaining french nationality (francization).
Répondez aux questions successives et les réponses s’afficheront automatiquement
General case
You can request a name change for the following reasons:
- You wear a name difficult to wear perceived as ridiculous or pejorative
- You have a name that has been made famous in the media and that is reputational carrier
- You want to to prevent the extinction of surname long-standing use in your family
- You want to to maintain the constant and continuous use of a name that you have been using for a long time and that publicly identifies you.
For example, you are a doctor known as Dr. Dupont and the name on your passport is Durand. - You and your siblings have different names and you want have the same name.
You must have the same father and mother. Applications for half-siblings are not accepted. - You want to to avoid the consequences of the seriousness of the acts for which your father or mother has been convicted
Of emotional grounds may also, in exceptional circumstances, justify a change of name for a legitimate reason.
Warning
if you want to change a foreign-sounding name, check to see if you need to make a francization procedure.
To have the same name as the one worn abroad
You can request a name change if you wish have the same name in the french civil register that the name on your foreigners birth certificate.
You are concerned if you are a person of foreign nationality, or binational born in France, or French born abroad.
You were born in France
Find out at the town hall of your birthplace.
You were born abroad
If your birth certificate is held by the Central Civil Registry
Inquire at the central civil registration office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs:
Who shall I contact
Central Civil Registry Service (SCEC) - Unification of French and foreigners names
By mail
Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs
Central Civil Registry Service
Operations Department
11 White House Street
44941 Nantes Cedex 09
If Ofpra holds your birth certificate
Inquire atOfpra: titleContent :
Who shall I contact
French Office for the Protection of Refugees and Stateless Persons (Ofpra)
On the spot
French Office for the Protection of Refugees and Stateless Persons (Ofpra)
201 Carnot Street
94136 Fontenay sous Bois Cedex
Reception of the public by summons
By telephone
01 58 68 10 10
The situation varies if the name change request concerns an adult, an adult and his or her minor children, or only minors.
In any case, you must have the French nationality.
Répondez aux questions successives et les réponses s’afficheront automatiquement
Adult
Each adult must apply for a change of surname in his own name.
Therefore, 2 adults cannot make a single request to change their last name.
For example, brothers and sisters.
Every adult must to establish a personal file.
The only exception is for protected majors.
The procedure is different if you want to bear the name of your spouse.
Adult and minor children
Any adult Frenchman can ask to change his name for himself and his children.
If you have passed your name on to your children, they will also change their names if they are minors.
If parents disagreeHowever, the parent who wishes to request the change of name must bring the matter before the family judge ruling in matters of guardianship of minors.
If your minor children are over the age of 13, their written consent is required.
You can use the following agreement template:
Consent to name change - Minor over 13 years
The procedure is different if you want to bear the name of your spouse.
Renaming a Minor
Anyone can ask to change the name of one of their own minor French children without changing his.
For example, so that it bears the same name as its half-brothers and half-sisters.
It is not necessary for the applicant parent to be French.
However, the child concerned must have French nationality.
Only the following people can apply:
- Parents of the minor
- The minor's only parent
- His guardian. In this case, the authorization of the family council is necessary.
If parents disagreeHowever, the parent who wishes to request the change of name must bring the matter before the family judge ruling in matters of guardianship of minors.
If the minor is over 13 years of age, his/her written personal agreement is required.
You can use the following agreement template:
Request via internet
The request for publication in the JORF is made online.
The online service is accessible through a Public Service account or FranceConnect.
FYI
you can also make the request by email or by post. The publication period is longer, between 5 and 10 days. The text of your ad must respect a model precise.
Who shall I contact
Official Journal - Request for publication
By email
annonces.jorf@dila.gouv.fr
By postal mail
DILA, DIRE - OFFICIAL JOURNALS
TSA #71641
75901Paris CEDEX 15
Price
The publication of a prior notice of a change of name in the JORF is free.
Time limit for publication
From 3 to 5 days.
Access to the announcement after publication in the JORF
For go to your listing and have the proof of its publication in the JORF, you can download for free from the home page of Légifrance website.
The signing certificate is embedded in the PDF file.
So you can legally rely on the text once it's printed.
If you want to interrupt the rename process
Since your listing has already been published in the JORF, it is no longer possible to cancel the publication.
FYI
your advertisement published in the JORF is one of the documents to be attached to your name change request. If you don't send it to the Department of Justice, the name change process stops automatically. Your marital status will not be changed.
Choice of media entitled to receive legal announcements (Shal)
You must publish your announcement on a legal listing support (Shal) of your department of residence.
One Shal: titleContent is either a Jal or an online press service.
You can use the official website of legal announcements to select a Shal:
Name Change Announcement Text
The text of your listing must comply with a model precise.
You must specify:
- Your current marital status
- If necessary, the civil status of your minor children concerned: surname, given names, date and place of birth
- Your address
- The name(s) requested (you can propose more than one name).
Price
The price The publication of the advertisement depends on several criteria: place of residence, age, number of people.
Répondez aux questions successives et les réponses s’afficheront automatiquement
Renaming a Major
You must send your name change request to the Minister of Justice.
You don't have to have a lawyer.
Who shall I contact
Your file should include the following documents:
- Slip summarizing all attachments to the folder. It shows your name, first name, address, phone number, and possibly email.
- Full copy of your birth certificate less than 3 months old
- Copy of a document proving that you have French nationality: copy of the national identity card or passport, certificate of french nationality, declaration of acquisition of French nationality or copy of Expansion of the naturalization decree
- Bulletin No 3 of the criminal record
- Printing the pdf file of the authenticated electronic OJ extract
- Full and original page(s) of the legal advertisement publisher (Shal). If the publication is dematerialized, the publication certificate mentioning an internet link or a flash code allowing to authenticate the publication.
- Query on free paper addressed to the Minister of Justice.
It must be dated and signed.
It must specify the reasons for the abandonment of the original name and the reasons for the choice of the name requested.
If you're proposing several new names to the minister, you have to give an order of priority. Attach any document establishing the validity of your application (family booklet, judgments...).
If you wish to use a family name, you can provide a family tree. Attach copies of the civil status documents of the individuals listed. Where such documents exist in only one original, a copy may be provided.
Change of name of a minor
File submitted by the 2 parents
You must send the request for a name change to the Minister of Justice.
You don't have to have a lawyer.
Who shall I contact
The file includes the following documents:
- Slip summarizing all attachments to the folder. It shows your name, first name, address, phone number, and possibly email
- Full copy of the birth certificate of the minor under 3 months of age
- Copy of a document proving that the child has French nationality: national identity card, passport, certificate of french nationality, declaration of acquisition of French nationality or magnification of the naturalization decree
- If the minor is over 13 years of age, his written and signed agreement + copy of an identity document signed by him (identity card, passport)
- Printing the pdf file of the extract from the authenticated electronic official journal
- Full and original page(s) of the legal announcement log (Jal). If the publication is dematerialized, the publication certificate issued by the newspaper, mentioning an internet link or a flash code allowing to authenticate the publication.
- Full copy of each parent's birth certificate less than 3 months old,
Please note
If you want to change your child's last name despite the opposition of the other parent with whom you practice in common parental authorityYou can go to the guardianship judge. You can use the form 5874 to make the request. The form gives access to an explanatory note of the procedure.
File submitted by a single parent (parental authority of the 2 parents)
You must send the request for a name change to the Minister of Justice.
You don't have to have a lawyer.
Who shall I contact
The file includes the following documents:
- Slip summarizing all attachments to the folder. It shows your name, first name, address, phone number, and possibly email
- Full copy of the birth certificate of the minor under 3 months of age
- Copy of a document proving that the child has French nationality: national identity card, passport, certificate of french nationality, declaration of acquisition of French nationality or magnification of the naturalization decree
- If the minor is over 13 years of age, his written and signed agreement + copy of an identity document signed by him (identity card, passport)
- Printing the pdf file of the extract from the authenticated electronic official journal
- Full and original page(s) of the legal announcement log (Jal). If the publication is dematerialized, the publication certificate issued by the newspaper, mentioning an internet link or a flash code allowing to authenticate the publication.
- Full copy of each parent's birth certificate less than 3 months old
- Agreement on the second parent's free paper regarding the child's name change. Or, in case of disagreement, authorization from the guardianship judge.
Please note
If you want to change your child's last name despite the opposition of the other parent with whom you practice in common parental authorityYou can go to the guardianship judge. You can use the form 5874 to make the request. The form gives access to an explanatory note of the procedure.
File submitted by a single parent (who exercises sole parental authority)
You must send the request for a name change to the Minister of Justice.
You don't have to have a lawyer.
Who shall I contact
The file includes the following documents:
- Slip summarizing all attachments to the folder. It shows your name, first name, address, phone number, and possibly email
- Full copy of the birth certificate of the minor under 3 months of age
- Copy of a document proving that the child has French nationality: national identity card, passport, certificate of french nationality, declaration of acquisition of French nationality or magnification of the naturalization decree
- If the minor is over 13 years of age, his written and signed agreement + copy of an identity document signed by him (identity card, passport)
- Printing the pdf file of the extract from the authenticated electronic official journal
- Full and original page(s) of the legal announcement log (Jal). If the publication is dematerialized, the publication certificate issued by the newspaper, mentioning an internet link or a flash code allowing to authenticate the publication.
- Full copy of parent's birth certificate less than 3 months old
- If the other parent has died: full copy of the death certificate
- If the exercise of parental authority is subject to a court decision: copy of the judgment conferring exclusive exercise of parental authority on the requesting parent or withdrawing parental authority from the other parent
File submitted by the minor's guardian
You must send the request for a name change to the Minister of Justice.
You don't have to have a lawyer.
Who shall I contact
The file includes the following documents:
- Slip summarizing all attachments to the folder. It shows your name, first name, address, phone number, and possibly email
- Full copy of the birth certificate of the minor under 3 months of age
- Copy of a document proving that the child has French nationality: national identity card, passport, certificate of french nationality, declaration of acquisition of French nationality or magnification of the naturalization decree
- If the minor is over 13 years of age, his written and signed agreement + copy of an identity document signed by him (identity card, passport)
- Printing the pdf file of the extract from the authenticated electronic official journal
- Full and original page(s) of the legal announcement log (Jal). If the publication is dematerialized, the publication certificate issued by the newspaper, mentioning an internet link or a flash code allowing to authenticate the publication.
- Full copy of the birth certificate of the guardian less than 3 months old
- Authorization of the family council
Instruction
The Seal Department of the Department of Justice is reviewing your case.
This service can request the public prosecutor to conduct an investigation.
It may also ask the Council of State for its opinion in the event of difficulties.
FYI
If you wish to waive your request, you must do so in writing within 2 months after you send your folder.
Deadline
The time limit for obtaining a decision is variable depending on the complexity of the request.
Allow several months, sometimes several years.
You can contact the Department of Justice Civil Affairs and Seal Branch to find out how your case is progressing.
Who shall I contact
A decree concerning your name change is published in the JORF.
One copy (or amplification) of the decree is addressed to you in RAR: titleContent.
The public prosecutor has your civil status documents.
If your application is refused, the refusal must be motivated.
It's yours notified by registered letter with AR: titleContent.
You can challenge the refusal decision before the administrative court of Paris in the 2 months from its notification.
The use of a lawyer is not mandatory.
Who shall I contact
Before challenging the decision of refusal before the administrative court of Paris, you can make a ex gratia appeal to the Minister of Justice.
However, you need to submit new elements for your appeal to be considered.
You must make the appeal without charge in the 2 months following notification of the refusal decision.
If you make an ex gratia appeal, the appeal to the administrative court is interrupted.
Example :
The Department of Justice will notify a refusal on April 4, 2023 and you file an ex gratia appeal on May 26, 2023. Your application for leave is dismissed on June 24, 2023. You can apply to the administrative judge until midnight on August 25, 2023. If the deadline expires on a Saturday, Sunday, public holiday or non-working day, the time limit shall be extended to 1er working day next.
One third party may object to your name change if it gives specific reasons.
For example, to protect his own surname.
The third party may send a letter to the Ministry of Justice.
He has to send his mail after publication in the JORF of your prior request but front the publication in the JORF of the decree concerning your name change.
Who shall I contact
If the decree relating to your name change has been published in the JORF, the third party must initiate proceedings before the Council of State within 2 months of its publication in the JORF.
Who shall I contact
To ensure that no third party has objected to your name change, you can contact the Council of State.
The Conseil d’État issues you:
- Let's say one certificate of non-opposition, if no one objected to your name change,
- Or a copy of the decision refusing the opposition if the Council of State has refused the opposition of a third party to your name change.
If the Council of State cancels the decree concerning your name change, you cannot renew your application unless you have new exceptional elements.
Once the civil status records affected by your name change are updated, you must request renewal of your identity card and/or your passport.
The renewal of your identity card and/or your passport is obligatory even if your ID is still valid.
This approach is free if you provide the national identity card and/or passport for which you are requesting renewal.
After renewing your identity card and/or passport, you must also apply for a renewal of your driving license and your vital card.
Remember to communicate your change of namesore administrations and bodies concerned by your name change.
Please note
The use of an identity document that does not correspond to your civil status is punishable by 3 years imprisonment and €45,000 of fine.
Abroad
Step-by-step approach
Infographie - I want to change my last name: what procedure?
Ouvrir l’image dans une nouvelle fenêtre
First situation: I want to bear the name of the parent (father, mother) who did not pass on his name to me.
For example, by adding this parent’s name to my current name in any order I want.
I must request a name change through the simplified name change procedure
Main features of the procedure:
- Duration: about one month
- Who to contact: City Hall
- Cost: free
Second situation: I wish to bear a name that is not that of one of my parents (father, mother) for a reason (legitimate reason).
For example, my name is difficult to bear.
Main features of the procedure:
- Duration: months, sometimes years
- To whom to turn: Ministry of Justice
- Cost: paid (variable)
Namely: you can use the simplified renaming procedure only once in your life.
This is a request that only concerns the surname.
You must have a legitimate reason to change this last name.
The procedure is different if you want to use the name of your parent who did not give you his or her name (simplified renaming procedure).
However, using the Order in Council name change procedure does not prevent you from requesting a name change later through the simplified procedure.
Similarly, having obtained a name change through the simplified procedure does not prevent you from subsequently using the procedure for name change by decree.
Warning
the procedure is different if you want bear the name of your spouse (common name) or if you want francize your first and last names by obtaining french nationality (francization).
Répondez aux questions successives et les réponses s’afficheront automatiquement
General case
You can request a name change for the following reasons:
- You wear a name difficult to wear perceived as ridiculous or pejorative
- You have a name that has been made famous in the media and that is reputational carrier
- You want to to prevent the extinction of surname long-standing use in your family
- You want to to maintain the constant and continuous use of a name that you have been using for a long time and that publicly identifies you.
For example, you are a doctor known as Dr. Dupont and the name on your passport is Durand. - You and your siblings have different names and you want have the same name.
You must have the same father and mother. Applications for half-siblings are not accepted. - You want to to avoid the consequences of the seriousness of the acts for which your father or mother has been convicted
Of emotional grounds may also, in exceptional circumstances, justify a change of name for a legitimate reason.
Warning
if you want to change a foreign-sounding name, check to see if you need to make a francization procedure.
To have the same name as the one worn abroad
You can request a name change if you wish have the same name in the french civil register that the name entered on your foreigners birth certificate.
You are concerned if you are a person of foreign nationality, or binational born in France, or French born abroad.
Inquire at the French embassy or consulate:
Who shall I contact
Warning
if you want to change a foreign-sounding name, check to see if you need to make a francization procedure.
The situation varies if the person is of age or under age.
Répondez aux questions successives et les réponses s’afficheront automatiquement
Adult
Each adult must apply for a change of surname in his own name.
Therefore, 2 adults cannot make a single request to change their last name.
For example, brothers and sisters.
Every adult must to establish a personal file.
The only exception is for protected majors.
The procedure is different if you want to bear the name of your spouse.
Adult and children
Any adult Frenchman can ask to change his name for himself and his children.
If you have passed your name on to your children, they will also change their names if they are minors.
If parents disagreeHowever, the parent who wishes to request the change of name must bring the matter before the family judge ruling in matters of guardianship of minors.
If your minor children are over the age of 13, their written consent is required.
You can use the following agreement template:
Consent to name change - Minor over 13 years
The procedure is different if you want to bear the name of your spouse.
Renaming a Minor
Anyone can ask to change the name of one of their own minor French children without changing his.
For example, so that it bears the same name as its half-brothers and half-sisters.
It is not necessary for the applicant parent to be French.
However, the child concerned must have French nationality.
Only the following people can apply:
- Parents of the minor
- The minor's only parent
- His guardian. In this case, the authorization of the family council is necessary.
If parents disagreeHowever, the parent who wishes to request the change of name must bring the matter before the family judge ruling in matters of guardianship of minors.
If the minor is over 13 years of age, his/her written personal agreement is required.
You can use the following agreement template:
Request via internet
The request for publication in the JORF is made online.
The online service can be accessed through a Public Service account or FranceConnect.
FYI
you can also make the request by email or by post. The publication period is longer, between 5 and 10 days. The text of your ad must respect a model precise.
Who shall I contact
Official Journal - Request for publication
By email
annonces.jorf@dila.gouv.fr
By postal mail
DILA, DIRE - OFFICIAL JOURNALS
TSA #71641
75901Paris CEDEX 15
Price
The publication of a prior notice of a change of name in the JORF is free.
Time limit for publication
From 3 to 5 days.
Access to the announcement after publication in the JORF
For go to your listing and have the proof of its publication in the JORF, you can download for free from the home page of Légifrance website.
The signing certificate is embedded in the PDF file.
So you can legally rely on the text once it's printed.
If you want to interrupt the rename process
Since your listing has already been published in the JORF, it is no longer possible to cancel the publication.
FYI
your advertisement published in the JORF is one of the documents to be attached to your name change request. If you don't send it to the Department of Justice, the name change process stops automatically. Your marital status will not be changed.
Répondez aux questions successives et les réponses s’afficheront automatiquement
Renaming a Major
You must submit a name change request:
- directly to the Minister of Justice,
- or via the French consulate or embassy which will transmit to the French Minister of Justice.
You don't have to have a lawyer.
Who shall I contact
Your file should include the following documents:
- Slip summarizing all attachments to the folder. It shows your name, first name, address, phone number, and possibly email.
- Full copy of your birth certificate less than 3 months old
- Copy of a document proving that you have French nationality: copy of the national identity card or passport, certificate of french nationality, declaration of acquisition of French nationality or copy of Expansion of the naturalization decree
- Bulletin No 3 of the criminal record
- Printing the pdf file of the authenticated electronic OJ extract
- Query on free paper addressed to the Minister of Justice.
It must be dated and signed.
It must specify the reasons for the abandonment of the original name and the reasons for the choice of the name requested.
If you're proposing several new names to the minister, you have to give an order of priority. Attach any document establishing the validity of your application (family booklet, judgments...).
If you wish to use a family name, you can provide a family tree. Attach copies of the civil status documents of the individuals listed. Where such documents exist in only one original, a copy may be provided.
Change of name of a minor
File submitted by the 2 parents
You must submit a name change request:
- directly to the Minister of Justice,
- or via the French consulate or embassy which will transmit to the French Minister of Justice.
Who shall I contact
The file includes the following documents:
- Slip summarizing all attachments to the folder. It shows your name, first name, address, phone number, and possibly email
- Full copy of the birth certificate of the minor under 3 months of age
- Copy of a document proving that the child has French nationality: national identity card, passport, certificate of french nationality, declaration of acquisition of French nationality or magnification of the naturalization decree
- If the minor is over 13 years of age, his written and signed agreement + copy of an identity document signed by him (identity card, passport)
- Printing the pdf file of the extract from the authenticated electronic official journal
- Full copy of each parent's birth certificate less than 3 months old,
Please note
if you want to change your child's last name despite the opposition of the other parent with whom you practice in common parental authorityYou can go to the guardianship judge. You can use the form 5874 to make the request. The form gives access to an explanatory note of the procedure.
File submitted by a single parent (parental authority of the 2 parents)
You must submit a name change request:
- directly to the Minister of Justice,
- or via the French consulate or embassy which will transmit to the French Minister of Justice
Who shall I contact
The file includes the following documents:
- Slip summarizing all attachments to the folder. It shows your name, first name, address, phone number, and possibly email
- Full copy of the birth certificate of the minor under 3 months of age
- Copy of a document proving that the child has French nationality: national identity card, passport, certificate of french nationality, declaration of acquisition of French nationality or magnification of the naturalization decree
- If the minor is over 13 years of age, his written and signed agreement + copy of an identity document signed by him (identity card, passport)
- Printing the pdf file of the extract from the authenticated electronic official journal
- Full copy of each parent's birth certificate less than 3 months old
- Agreement on the second parent's free paper regarding the child's name change. Or, in case of disagreement, authorization from the guardianship judge.
Please note
if you want to change your child's last name despite the opposition of the other parent with whom you practice in common parental authorityYou can go to the guardianship judge. You can use the form 5874 to make the request. The form gives access to an explanatory note of the procedure.
File submitted by a single parent (who exercises sole parental authority)
You must submit a name change request:
- directly to the Minister of Justice,
- or via the French consulate or embassy which will transmit to the French Minister of Justice.
Who shall I contact
The file includes the following documents:
- Slip summarizing all attachments to the folder. It shows your name, first name, address, phone number, and possibly email
- Full copy of the birth certificate of the minor under 3 months of age
- Copy of a document proving that the child has French nationality: national identity card, passport, certificate of french nationality, declaration of acquisition of French nationality or magnification of the naturalization decree
- If the minor is over 13 years of age, his written and signed agreement + copy of an identity document signed by him (identity card, passport)
- Printing the pdf file of the extract from the authenticated electronic official journal
- Full copy of parent's birth certificate less than 3 months old
- If the other parent has died: full copy of the death certificate
- If the exercise of parental authority is subject to a court decision: copy of the judgment conferring exclusive exercise of parental authority on the requesting parent or withdrawing parental authority from the other parent
File submitted by the minor's guardian
You must send the request for a name change to the Minister of Justice.
You don't have to have a lawyer.
Who shall I contact
The file includes the following documents:
- Slip summarizing all attachments to the folder. It shows your name, first name, address, phone number, and possibly email
- Full copy of the birth certificate of the minor under 3 months of age
- Copy of a document proving that the child has French nationality: national identity card, passport, certificate of french nationality, declaration of acquisition of French nationality or magnification of the naturalization decree
- If the minor is over 13 years of age, his written and signed agreement + copy of an identity document signed by him (identity card, passport)
- Printing the pdf file of the extract from the authenticated electronic official journal
- Full copy of the birth certificate of the guardian less than 3 months old
- Authorization of the family council
Instruction
The Seal Department of the Department of Justice is reviewing your case.
This service can request the public prosecutor to conduct an investigation.
It may also ask the Council of State for its opinion in the event of difficulties.
FYI
if you wish to waive your request, you must do so in writing within 2 months after you send your folder.
Deadline
The time limit for obtaining a decision is variable depending on the complexity of the request.
Allow several months, sometimes several years.
You can contact the Department of Justice Civil Affairs and Seal Branch to find out how your case is progressing.
Who shall I contact
A decree concerning your name change is published in the JORF.
One copy (or amplification) of the decree is addressed to you in RAR: titleContent.
The public prosecutor has your civil status documents.
If your application is refused, the refusal must be motivated.
It's yours notified by registered letter with AR: titleContent.
You can challenge the refusal decision before the administrative court of Paris within 2 months of its notification.
The use of a lawyer is not mandatory.
Who shall I contact
Before challenging the decision of refusal before the administrative court of Paris, you can make a ex gratia appeal to the Minister of Justice.
However, you need to submit new elements for your appeal to be considered.
You must make the appeal free of charge within 2 months of the notification of the refusal decision.
If you make an ex gratia appeal, the appeal to the administrative court is interrupted.
Example :
The Department of Justice will notify a refusal on April 4, 2023 and you file an ex gratia appeal on May 26, 2023. Your application for leave is dismissed on June 24, 2023. You can apply to the administrative judge until midnight on August 25, 2023. If the deadline expires on a Saturday, Sunday, public holiday or non-working day, the time limit shall be extended to 1er working day next.
One third party may object to your name change if it gives specific reasons.
For example, to protect his own surname.
The third party may send a letter to the Ministry of Justice.
He has to send his mail after publication in the JORF of your prior request but front the publication in the JORF of the decree relating to your change of name.
Who shall I contact
If the decree concerning your name change has been published in the JORF, the third party must initiate proceedings before the Council of State within 2 months of its publication in the JORF.
Who shall I contact
To ensure that no third party has objected to your name change, you can contact the Council of State.
The Conseil d’État issues you:
- Either a certificate of non-objection, if no one objected to your name change,
- Or a copy of the decision refusing the opposition if the Council of State has refused the opposition of a third party to your name change.
If the Council of State cancels the decree concerning your name change, you cannot renew your application unless you have new exceptional elements.
Once the civil status records affected by your name change are updated, you must request renewal of your identity card and/or your passport.
The renewal of your identity card and/or your passport is obligatory even if your ID is still valid.
This approach is free if you provide the national identity card and/or passport for which you are requesting renewal.
After renewing your identity card and/or passport, you must also apply for a renewal of your driving license and your vital card.
Remember to communicate your change of namesore administrations and bodies concerned by your name change.
Please note
The use of an identity document that does not correspond to your civil status is punishable by 3 years imprisonment and €45,000 of fine.
Conditions for changing names (Articles 61 to 61-4)
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