Changing your overseas-born child's name before they turn 18
You can change your child’s first name once between the ages of 1 and 18. You can change your child’s family name once every 12 months if they are under 18, were born overseas and have lived in Queensland for the past 12 months (and currently live here).
If your child was born, adopted or lives in another Australian state or territory, you need to apply to the interstate registry office.
If your application is approved, we will send the official certificate and you will need to change your child's name everywhere they are registered in the community.
To submit an application to change your child's name in person at the Brisbane registry, request an interview appointment.
You must book an appointment for each change of name application you are submitting to us.
Change of name certificate
Change of name certificates only provide some birth information, the new name and any previous change of name registered in Queensland by us. They are not proof of birth details.
The application fee includes 1 free certificate. Additional certificates attract an extra cost.
Documents you will need to provide
If your child was born overseas, you must provide:
- certified proof of ID for both registered parents (read the rules below if you are a single parent or legal guardian)
- a certified copy of your child's birth certificate—if you can’t get one, we may accept other evidence of their birth (more about this below)
- evidence that your child currently lives and has lived in Queensland for 12 months before your application (or more), such as a letter. The letter should
- be dated and signed on letterhead from your child’s
- day care
- school
- doctor
- employer
- state how long they have lived in Queensland
- state how long the person or organisation has known your child
- be dated and signed on letterhead from your child’s
- evidence explaining why if your or your child’s current name is different to the name on their birth certificate, such as
- marriage certificate
- family deed poll document
- change of name document
- a copy of your child’s Australian citizenship certificate if they are a citizen.
If you can’t provide your child’s birth certificate, we may accept one of these (showing their birth name), you must provide:
- their citizenship certificate
- a travel document
- a passport issued by your child’s country of birth with a letter from the consulate confirming your child's details
and
- a statutory declaration that
- explains why your child's birth certificate isn't available
- includes your child's name at birth
- includes your child's date and place of birth.
If original documents are not in English, you must have them translated into English by an accredited translator and provide a certified copy of the original document with the original translation.
Your application will not be approved if:
- you have not been able to provide enough
- documentation to establish your identity
- evidence that your child normally lives in Queensland
- the change of name appears to be for a fraudulent or other improper purpose
- the name you’ve chosen is a prohibited name.
Detailed rules and requirements are outlined in our change of name and prohibited name policies.
If only one of the parents shown on your child’s birth certificate is applying, you will need additional evidence to support this, such as a court order or death certificate.
Rules for changing your child’s names
To change your child’s names before they turn 18, you must:
- not have changed your child’s first name
- not have changed your child’s family name in the past 12 months
- have consent from the registered parent(s) on your child’s birth certificate
- have your child consent to changing their name (if aged 12 to 17)
- choose a new name that is not a prohibited name
- give a detailed reason for your child’s name change.
Who can apply
If both parents are shown on a child’s birth certificate, both parents need to consent to changing their child’s name.
If you are a single parent, you can apply to change your child’s name if one of the following applies:
- you are the child’s mother and there are no details for your child’s father on the birth certificate
- you have Queensland Magistrates Court order, ordering a change of name
- one parent is deceased a death certificate is required.
A person with sole parental responsibility under a Family Court order can’t apply to change their child’s name, unless the order explicitly states that the person can change the child’s name to a specific new name.
If you are a legal guardian (i.e. you have been appointed under a law of a state or the Australian Government), you can apply to change the child’s name if you have both:
- evidence of legal guardianship issued by a court
- a Queensland Magistrates Court order.
How to apply
To apply to change your child’s name, you need to:
- Read and understand the rules above.
- Choose how you would like to pay the fee.
- Review your details.
- Read the email we send you to find out how to finalise your application.
- Have your proof of ID and supporting documents for both parents certified by a Justice of the Peace or another authorised person.
- Have another adult (18 or older) witness your signature(s) on the declaration section of the application form. This includes your child's signature if they are aged 12 to 17.
- Submit your signed application form, supporting documents and payment (if you chose not to pay online) to us
- by post
- in person by requesting an appointment at the Brisbane registry customer service centre.
Fill in the changing your child's name application form
Submit by post
Post your completed application form with your certified documents and payment (if you didn't pay online) to:
Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages
PO Box 15188
CITY EAST QLD 4002
We will begin to process your application when we receive it along with your documents.
Submit in person by requesting an appointment
To submit your completed application form in person, you need to book a 15-minute interview appointment with a registry officer.
This online service allows you to choose the date and time of your appointment at the Brisbane registry customer service centre at Level 32, 180 Ann Street, Brisbane.
To book your appointment, you will be asked for your name, email and mobile number, and you will get an email confirming your appointment. The email will also allow you to easily reschedule or cancel your booking, if necessary.
Privacy statement
The Department of Justice and Attorney-General, Registry of Births Deaths and Marriages is collecting your personal information for the purpose of facilitating your appointment booking online and for contacting you in relation to your appointment. Your personal information will not be used or disclosed for any other purpose unless authorised or required by law. Your personal information will be handled in accordance with the provisions of the Information Privacy Act 2009.
Other booking options
To book your interview appointment contact us.
Online: our general enquiry form.
By phone: local call* 13 QGOV (13 74 68)
International +61 7 3022 6100 (+10 hours UTC)
(Phone lines are open Monday–Friday, 8.30am–4.30pm)
*Costs may be higher from mobile phones and interstate.
Visit the Brisbane registry customer service centre at Level 32, 180 Ann Street, Brisbane.
Pay the fee
When applying, the total cost is calculated as you fill in the application form online.
You can pay:
- online
- by credit card (Visa or MasterCard)
- at the customer service centre
- by EFTPOS or credit card
- with a business account cheque
- with a bank cheque
- with a money order
- through the mail
- within Australia
- by credit card
- with a business account cheque
- with a bank cheque
- with a money order
- from overseas
- by credit card.
- within Australia
We will accept cash at the customer service centre but prefer contactless payments such as EFTPOS or credit card.
We do not accept personal cheques or cheques issued from outside Australia (in any currency).
Make Australian-drawn cheques and money orders payable to 'Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages'.
Fill in the changing your child's name application form
Application fees
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Change of name (includes 1 official change of name certificate) | $205.90 |
| Additional official change of name certificate | $54.40 |
| Urgent application | $108.10 |
Processing timeframe
Our processing timeframes apply to correctly filled out applications that have been submitted with all the required proof of ID and supporting documents (as required).
They apply once we receive applications submitted by post.
If an urgent application does not comply, and we have to ask for more information or documentation, you can be assured it has already been reviewed before others. When your application becomes compliant, we will continue to process it urgently.
| Priority | Number of business days |
|---|---|
| Non-urgent certificate applications (average processing time—no additional fee) | 10 |
| Urgent application | 3 |
Postage fees
Standard postage is included in the price when you order a certificate to be sent by mail.
You can choose to have your certificate sent by express or registered post for a fee.
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Express post | $7.45 |
| Registered post | $5.55 |
| International registered mail | $17.70 |
We value identity protection, so we recommend that you choose registered post to ensure the delivery of your certificate can be tracked and delivered to you more securely within Australia.
International registered mail is used for overseas deliveries. However, this can’t be tracked and signing on delivery is only available in some countries.
Certified and translated identity documents
When applying by post, you must have the supporting documents you provide certified by a qualified Justice of the Peace or another authorised person before you post them to us.
For original documents that are not in English, you must provide a translation from a translator accredited by the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI).
If you can't speak and understand English, you may bring an interpreter to your appointment.