New Passport Rule: No Marriage Certificate Needed To Add Spouse’s Name; Annexure J To Replace Marriage Certificate Requirement
Pune, 5th April 2025: In a move to simplify the passport application and renewal process for married women, the Central Passport Organization has introduced a new option—Annexure J—eliminating the mandatory requirement of a marriage registration certificate when adopting the husband’s surname or adding the spouse’s name in the passport.
According to Dr. Arjun Deore, Regional Passport Officer of Pune, if a woman applicant wants to include her spouse’s full name in the passport (either for a new application or during renewal), and does not possess a marriage certificate, she can now submit Annexure J—a joint declaration. This document must contain a joint photograph of the couple, their signatures, dates of birth, Aadhaar numbers, and either voter ID or passport numbers.
However, in cases where a woman wishes to remove her spouse’s name from the passport, a copy of the divorce decree is still required. Similarly, if the applicant wants to change the name of the spouse, they must provide either a divorce decree or the death certificate of the previous spouse, along with a remarriage certificate or a joint declaration including a recent photograph of the couple.
Dr. Deore also explained that women who change their surname and include their husband’s name post-marriage must now publish a name change notification in the state gazette or in two newspapers. Additionally, they must submit identification documents reflecting the new name, such as an updated Aadhaar card and PAN card.
This streamlined approach is aimed at making the process more convenient while maintaining necessary checks and verification, ensuring that name changes are processed smoothly without putting undue burden on the applicants.
