Individuals seeking to change their names are being reminded that they have a straightforward channel through which to do so – the deed poll.
This legal document not only facilitates a change of name but also provides official recognition and documentation of the alteration.
The process, administered by the Registrar General’s Department (RGD), can be used to change one’s first name or surname, add names, change the entire name, rearrange the current name or simply change the spelling of one’s name.
To initiate any of these, applicants over 18 years can submit a certified copy of their birth certificate and, if applicable, a certified copy of their marriage certificate to the RGD for processing.
For minors, the undertaking requires the consent of both parents or legal guardians, following all appropriate legal procedures, to amend their vital records.
Upon submission of the documents, the individual is required to pay the fees associated with having the deed poll drafted.
Once drafted, the applicant must sign the document with their new name in the presence of a Justice of the Peace before it is stamped by the Stamp Duty and Transfer Tax Department at a Tax Administration Jamaica (TAJ) office.
The stamped draft is then returned to the RGD along with payment of the relevant recording fees.
Upon recording of the document, which signifies that the deed poll has taken effect, the applicant will receive a certified deed poll document bearing their new name along with the individual’s original birth certificate before their name change was effected.
Persons are also reminded that the deed poll must always be used in tandem with their birth certificate, as the altered name will not replace the one originally registered.
For further information on the deed poll process, please visit the RGD website at https://www.rgd.gov.jm/index.php/products-and-service/deed-poll or call 876-749-0550.
The Registrar General’s Department oversees vital records and legal documentation, ensuring compliance and accuracy in name changes and other official matters affecting personal identity.
Source
The Jamaica Information Service: RGD’s Deed Poll Process Facilitates Changes to Individuals’ Registered Names – Jamaica Information Service (jis.gov.jm)
