Legal Question in Family Law in New York
name change w/o going to court, + getting legal ID afterwards in NY
My background is that at age 7, my mother and I agreed that I would change my name to xxxxxxxx, from the chinese name she was using for me, which wasn't what is written on my birth certificate. I am now very attached to xxxxxxxx (using it for my bank, my taxes, my diploma, my credit cards, my lease, my social security card, etc...). However last year my mother mentioned to me that she had never had my birth certificate legally chaned (and thus, I presumed, my name had not changed either). My life has felt like a mess ever since.
I was hoping that I could be given a reference to any relevant laws in new york state which define what is needed to effect a name change, and whether a judge and the NY Law Journal both need to be involved.
It's better for me if neither is, for the simple reason that having spoken to someone at the personals desk at the NY Law Journal, I was told that I would have to pay a large sum of money to advertise the name change in their publication - far more then I can afford. He explicitly stated that there were no special rates for an announcement of a name change.
This is essential to me at this point in life, because I need to obtain legal identification if I would like to travel overseas, and even flying domesticly has become quite a hassle.
2 Answers from Attorneys
Name change in NY
Go to your local county clerks office, (At the courthouse in thecounty you live in) and speak with one of the clerks. Name changing is more common than you think,and the clerk will give you all the instruction that you will need. Publication is often done,if necessary, in local papers that have much morereasonable pricing than the Journal.Good Luck!
Cost is less outside of New York County
If you have an address outside manhatten, you will not have to publish in the Law Journal. Go to the civil court and request forms and find out where the publishing will occur.
This transmission is not legal advice, nor does it imply an attorney client relationship. It is always my opinion that consultation with an attorney after setting out all the facts is the only proper way to receive legal advice.
Related Questions & Answers
Looking for something else?
10,200 active attorneys ready to answer your legal questions today.
Featured Attorneys
Earn additional revenue and grow your business.
