Kazakhstan has specific requirements for changing a citizen's name and surname. However, valid reasons are required to change a person's name. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Sputnik Kazakhstan.

What is the main requirement

The Code on Marriage and Family has a special chapter on changing the name, patronymic and surname of a citizen of Kazakhstan. It also lists the valid reasons for changing a person's name.

They include:

  • 01cacophony;
  • 02difficulty in pronunciation;
  • 03change after marriage;
  • 04return to premarital surname;
  • 05desire to have a common surname with children from a previous marriage;
  • 06taking the premarital surname after the death of a spouse;
  • 07desire to have a common surname with children after the death of a spouse if the premarital surname was not changed;
  • 08choosing a name and surname corresponding to the nationality of one of the parents if the parents have different nationalities;
  • 09desire to use a name commonly used in life rather than in documents;
  • 10choosing a surname based on the father's or grandfather's name due to national traditions;
  • 11registration under the surname and name of the person who actually raised the applicant;
  • 12obtaining a name, patronymic and surname corresponding to the gender after surgical gender change.

Also, when writing a person's new name, numbers and symbols cannot be used.

Where the application is submitted

An application to change a person's name, patronymic or surname must contain several important details.

They are:

  • 01surname, name, patronymic of the applicant;
  • 02chosen surname, name, patronymic;
  • 03reasons for changing the name, patronymic, surname.

The application is submitted to the civil registry office or to the public service center. Those abroad can apply to the embassy.

Registration authorities issue the relevant birth, marriage or divorce certificate to confirm the change of name, patronymic, surname.

Which documents must be replaced

After changing their name, a citizen of Kazakhstan must also replace personal documents:

  • 01identity card;
  • 02bank documents;
  • 03property documents;
  • 04documents containing the person's previous name.

All documents must be replaced within one month.

How much money document replacement costs

Changing a person's name is a paid service. The price is 2,001 tenge.

In addition, other documents must also be paid for:

  • 01identity card - 0.2 MCI (865 tenge);
  • 02passport - 8 MCI (34,600 tenge);
  • 03driver's license - 1.25 MCI (5,406 tenge);
  • 04children's birth certificates and marriage certificate - 2,001 tenge.

By law, there is no limit on the number of times a citizen can change their name and surname. But each application must have valid reasons.