Changing a surname or first name

changing a surname

1. Who is entitled to apply for a change of surname?

Solely Belgian nationals, UN refugees and stateless persons. Evidence of one of these statuses is required when making the application.
The application has to be forwarded in writing to the :

Federal Public Service for Justice – Surname and first name change department - Boulevard de Waterloo 115, 1000 Brussels

2. documents to enclose with the application:

- a certified true copy of the person's birth certificate.
- a recent certificate of residence.
- a certificate of Belgian nationality or, in the case of refugees and stateless persons , papers to prove this status.
- a written undertaking to pay the registration fees owed if the application is accepted (€49 or €740 per beneficiary if a name or word is added or if a small letter or a capital letter is replaced.
- a certificate of good character or an extract from the police record.

3. what happens next?

When the change of surname is granted pursuant to a Royal Decree. The Royal Decree allowing a surname to be changed has to be published in the Belgian Official Gazette. The authorisation is deemed to be effective after 60 days . A copy of the Decree is then forwarded to the Federal Public Service for Finance (Registration administration) which provides it to the applicant against payment of the registration fees.
The applicant then has to send or deliver a copy of the Decree to the council house and more specifically the registrar of births, marriages and deaths, within 60 days after the registration. The registrar of births, marriages and deaths is responsible for transcribing the enacting terms of the Decree in the records.
The change of surname takes effect only when the transcription process has been completed.
The competent registrar of births, marriages and deaths is the registrar :
- for the place of birth of the beneficiary or one of the beneficiaries
- for the normal place of residence of the beneficiary or one of the beneficiaries if none of them was born in Belgium;
- for the first district of Brussels if none of the beneficiaries was born in Belgium and does not have his/her normal residence there.
If the copy is not provided within the prescribed period, the Decree is deemed to be null and void.

4. time covered by the procedure:

The average length of the procedure is currently 18 months to two years.
 

changing a first name

The procedure is broadly the same as the one for changing a surname, although it involves fewer formalities :
- the authorisation is granted by a Ministerial Decree.
- there is no publication in the Belgian Official Gazette nor is 60 days allowed for filing an opposition.
- the customary registration fee is set at €490 for an authorisation to change a first name.
- An application is not normally sent to the judicial authorities for investigation. It is up to the applicant to cooperate voluntarily in opening the applicant's file.
The registration fee may be limited to €49 if the first name to be changed is derisory or loathsome in itself, in association with the surname or because of its obviously outmoded character.

For further details please get in touch with:

Federal Public Service for Justice

Surname and first name change department
Boulevard de Waterloo, 115 1000 Brussels
tel : 02/542 67 04 ( surname )
tel : 02/542 67 35 (surname and first names )
tel : 02/542 67 64 (first names)
fax : 02/542 70 23