Section 12
Change of name of foreigner in India.
The Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025
About this Act
An Act to confer upon the Central Government certain powers to provide for requirement of passports or other travel documents in respect of persons entering into and exiting from India and for regulating matters related to foreigners including requirement of visa and registration and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
(1) No foreigner who was in India on the date on which this Act came into force shall, while in India after that date, assume or use or purport to assume or use for any purpose, any name other than that by which he was ordinarily known immediately before the said date, except where a specific permission for change of name has been granted by such authority in such manner as may be prescribed.
(2) No foreigner who has entered into India a fter the date on which this Act came into force shall, while in India after the date of his entry, assume or use or purport to assume or use for any purpose, any name other than that by which he was ordinarily known immediately before the said date of entry, except where a specific permission for change of name has been gran ted by such authority as may be prescribed.
(3) For the purpose of this section—
(a) the expression “name” includes a surname; and
(b) a name shall be deemed to be changed if the spelling thereof is altered.
(4) Nothing contained in this section shall apply to the assumption or use by any married woman, of her husband’s name.
(2) No foreigner who has entered into India a fter the date on which this Act came into force shall, while in India after the date of his entry, assume or use or purport to assume or use for any purpose, any name other than that by which he was ordinarily known immediately before the said date of entry, except where a specific permission for change of name has been gran ted by such authority as may be prescribed.
(3) For the purpose of this section—
(a) the expression “name” includes a surname; and
(b) a name shall be deemed to be changed if the spelling thereof is altered.
(4) Nothing contained in this section shall apply to the assumption or use by any married woman, of her husband’s name.