The measures to change or modify the name or surname are of an exceptional nature and can be admitted only and exclusively in the presence of objectively relevant situations, supported by adequate documentation and by solid and significant reasons, as highlighted by the Decree of the President of the Republic of 3 November 2000, no. 396.
In particular, the Presidential Decree 396/2000 allows:
- The change of name or surname because it is ridiculous or shameful or because it reveals natural origin (art. 89);
- Changing one’s name or adding another name to one’s own (art. 89);
- Changing the surname or adding another surname to one’s own (art. 84)
COMPETENCE
The rule, as amended by the Decree of the President of the Republic of 13 March 2012, n. 54, established the attribution of competence in the matter to the Prefect (of the province of the place of residence or of the one in whose district the civil status office is located where the birth certificate to which the request refers is located). For AIRE members, the competent Prefect coincides with that of the Municipality of AIRE registration
HOW TO MAKE THE REQUEST
- Submit the application for name/surname change in person, attaching a copy of an Italian identity document. The application is subject to the payment of stamp duty. Where the change of name/surname is requested because it is ridiculous, shameful or revealing the natural origin, the application is presented on plain paper (without paying the stamp duty);
- All documentation that the interested party deems relevant to justify the request must be attached to the application. By way of example, foreign civil status documents with the new personal details, Italian and/or foreign identification documents, declarations, etc. could be attached;
- The Prefect carries out the investigation and, in the presence of the required requirements, issues the decree authorizing the posting of the summary of the request in the noticeboard of the Italian Consulate in Brisbane;
- During the posting period (thirty days) and during the following thirty days, any counter-interested parties may lodge an objection with the competent Prefect;
- Once said periods have elapsed, the Prefect issues the definitive provision which (subject to the payment of stamp duty), if favourable, will be transcribed and noted, by the interested party, in the civil status register of the Municipality for transcription of his/her birth certificate .
PROCEDURE
Present yourself at the offices of the Italian Consulate in Brisbane by making an appointment by e-mail writing to aire.brisbane@esteri.it to hand in the application in person accompanied by the following documents:
Photocopy of an Italian identity document;
Any documentation that the applicant deems necessary to support their reasons;
It will be necessary to pay the stamp duty, which will be followed by the payment of two further taxes later;
Wait for the Prefect to comment on the request to be contacted by the Italian Consulate in Brisbane.