Law Firm Haracic + Partners initiates and conducts administrative procedures on behalf of his clients, including administrative proceedings for the change of name and/or surname.
The request for changing a name and/or surname is submitted to the competent registry office (civil status office) according to the person’s place of birth. In order to change your name and/or surname, you must have no outstanding debts to the tax administration or the Indirect Taxation Authority, must not have a criminal record, and no criminal proceedings must be pending against you.
The basic list of required documentation includes:
- Birth certificate
- Certificate of citizenship
- CIPS registration certificate (proof of residence)
- Court certificate confirming no criminal proceedings are pending
- Certificates from the tax administration and the Indirect Taxation Authority confirming no outstanding debts
- Certificate of no criminal record
- In the case of an existing marriage and children – marriage certificate and proof of payment of maintenance obligations
Reclaiming the maiden name after divorce
An important note regarding the reclaiming of the maiden name after divorce: By making a declaration at the competent registry office, a person may reclaim their maiden name within 6 months from the date of termination of marriage, without further administrative procedures.
This is regulated by Article 12 of the Law on Personal Name of the Federation of BiH (“Official Gazette of FBiH”, no. 7/2012):
“A person who changed their surname upon marriage may, after the termination of the marriage, reclaim the surname they had prior to marriage by submitting a declaration.
The declaration on reclaiming the surname must be submitted within six months from the termination of the marriage to the registrar who keeps the register of births in which the person was originally entered, or to the registrar competent according to the person’s place of residence.”
If this 6-month deadline after the termination of marriage expires and the person fails to reclaim the maiden name, the regular procedure for changing a name/surname described in the first part of this article must be carried out. This procedure is considerably more complex, which is why it is important to observe this time limit.
