Greece - Change Your Name (Deed Poll)

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Procedure

Citizens visit the KEP of their choice to apply for the issuing of copies of birth, marriage, death, name or surname change or addition in civil acts, presenting the required documentation.

Step 1: The KEP employee receives and checks the documents that are presented by the citizen. If, during check, a missing or uncomplete document is discovered, the employee informs the citizen and refrains from submitting the Application.

Step 2: The employee fills in the electronic Application and creates a new folder in the KEP Information System. The citizen has the possibility, if he wishes it, to declare his mobile phone number and thus to be informed by SMS for the complemetion of the request. Finally, the employee hands to the citizen a request submission certificate in which the number of the request file is written.

Step 3: The Employee of the KEP sends to the Competent Entity the file of the case (which includes both the application and the supporting documents) in one of the accepted ways (email, fax, courier, post, etc).

Step 4: The employee of the KEP receives the final Document immediately from the Competent Entity and notifies the citizen (via sms or telephone) for him to come and take it.

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Required Documents

Application to issue copies of birth, marriage, death, name or surname change or addition in civil acts

Details of birth, marriage, death, name or surname change or addition in civil acts

Office Locations & Contacts

Contact Details population registers

Regions - Prefectorial Administrations - Municipalities Communities

Ministry of Justice of Transparency and Human Rights
Mailing address
Av. Mesogion 96
Zip Code 11527 ATHENS
GREECE
Tel. Center: (+30) 210 7767000

State Office of Citizen Relations
Tel. (+30) 210 7767055
Av. Mesogion 96
Zip Code 11527 ATHENS

Eligibility

People choose to change their name for a variety of reasons. Maybe you just want to change the spelling of your name, you don't like the name your parents gave you, you want to get rid of your middle name, you want to remove any family associations, or maybe you just want a change. You can legally change your first name, middle name or surname, or any combination of those.

Fees

Explain the fees structure which is required for obtaining the certificate/document.

Validity

Explain the time until which the certificate/document is valid.
e.g. Birth Certificate Valid Forever

Documents to Use

Application to issue copies of birth, marriage, death, name or surname change or addition in civil acts

Sample Documents

Please attach sample completed documents that would help other people.

Processing Time

Please explain processing time taken in obtaining the document/certificate.

Related Videos

Videos explaining the procedure or to fill the applications. 
Attach videos using the following tag <&video type="website">video ID|width|height<&/video&> from external websites.
Please remove the "&" inside the tags during implementation.
Website = allocine, blip, dailymotion, facebook, gametrailers, googlevideo, html5, metacafe, myspace, revver, 
sevenload, viddler, vimeo, youku, youtube
width = 560, height = 340, Video ID = Can be obtained from the URL of webpage where the video is displayed.
e.g In the following url "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0US7oR_t3M" Video ID is "Y0US7oR_t3M". 
	

Instructions

Typically, you may legally change your name to whatever name you'd like. There are some exceptions, though:

• You can't change your name just to escape debt liability or to hide from criminal liability.
• You can't change your name in order to commit a crime.
• You can't change your name with the intention to mislead. This usually involves taking the name of a famous person. Courts typically do not allow this, unless you have a convincing reason that is not related to the famous person or the use of his or her name.
• You can't choose a confusing name one that includes numerals or punctuation. However, some courts have permitted people to spell out the numbers, for example "Seven" instead of "7".
• You can't choose a name that would intimidate, offend, or be considered obscene.
• You can't choose a racial slur.

Required Information

• Your name as listed on birth certificate or immigration or citizenship documents.
• The full name you are applying to change to (if you are changing your name).
• Date and place of birth
• Marital status and details
• Places of residence for last three months
• Address for Correspondence

Need for the Document

If you are using, or wish to use, a name other than your registered name, there is no legal requirement that you formally change your name. It is, however, recommended that you change your name officially, both for identification and as evidence of your name change.

Name change generally refers to the legal act by a person of adopting a name different from their name at birth, marriage or adoption. The procedures and ease of a name change vary between jurisdictions.

Information which might help

How you should go about changing your name will depend upon which category you fit into. Changing your name after marriage or divorce is quite a simple process, while changing your name 'just because' requires a little more effort, but it is still quite straight forward and a lot easier than it used to be.

To change your name, submit a petition to your local Superior Court that details the reasons you'd like to change your name. After the court approves your request, you'll then need to update your Social Security card, driver's license and passport.

Other uses of the Document/Certificate

You may want to change your name because:

• You have just gotten married
• You have divorced
• You just want a change
• In case of adoption

External Links

Public Sector Websites

Ministry of Justice, Transparency and Human Rights

Issuing copies of birth, marriage, death, name or surname change or addition in civil acts (Consular Act)

Ministry of Interior

ND 2573/1953 - Change name, proper names - Recover Last Name

Others

The most important thing to do to legally change your name is to start using your new name. Introduce yourself using your new name, fill out forms and applications under your new name, tell all of your family and friends to only refer to you using your new name, and tell your school and/or employer of your new name.

If you wish to be known by a different name you can change your name at any time, provided you do not intend to deceive or defraud another person. There is no legal procedure to follow in order to change a name. You simply start using the new name. You can change your forename or surname, add names or rearrange your existing names.

Although there is no legal way to change a name, you may want evidence that you have changed your name. However, you cannot change details on your birth certificate, except in limited circumstances.

Once you have decided to change your name, you can use the new name for all purposes, for example, publishing marriage bans, legal proceedings and obtaining, or changing details on a driving licence or passport.