Name Change Petition Chile (Solicitud de Cambio de Nombre)

Name Change Petition Chile (Solicitud de Cambio de Nombre) is a formal legal procedure governed by Ley 17.344 of 1970 (Ley sobre Cambio de Nombres y Apellidos), as amended by subsequent legislation including Ley 21.334/2021, through which a Chilean resident or citizen may request a change to their first name (nombre), paternal surname (apellido paterno), or maternal surname (apellido materno) registered in the Servicio de Registro Civil e Identificación. Article 1 of Ley 17.344 establishes that every person has the right to request a name change once in their lifetime (una sola vez) by demonstrating a legitimate reason (razón legítima) specified by law or recognized by Chilean courts.

Ley 17.344 Article 1 establishes the following legitimate grounds (causales) for name change in Chile: (a) when the name or surname is ridiculous, burlesque (ridículo o burlesco), or likely to subject the petitioner to public derision or mockery; (b) when the name or surname is foreign and difficult to pronounce or spell in Spanish; (c) when the name is not a proper name (nombre de persona) or does not correspond to the petitioner's sex (no corresponde al sexo); (d) when the petitioner has been known throughout their life (ha sido conocida) by a name different from the one registered in the Registro Civil (commonly known as uso or nombre de uso); (e) when the paternal or maternal surname causes the petitioner serious moral harm (grave perjuicio moral) by reason of its notoriety in criminal matters; and (f) since the amendment by Ley 21.334/2021, to add or incorporate the surname of the parent who did not transmit it (agregar o anteponer el apellido del progenitor que no lo transmitió).

The procedure for name change in Chile follows two tracks depending on the grounds invoked. For changes on the grounds of (a) ridiculous name, (b) foreign name, (c) improper name, or (d) known name (nombre de uso), the petitioner may file directly with the Servicio de Registro Civil e Identificación under the administrative procedure established by the Reglamento de la Ley 17.344. For grounds involving serious moral harm (e) or complex evidentiary situations, the petition must be filed before the Juzgado Civil competent in the petitioner's domicile as a voluntary proceeding (acto voluntario de jurisdicción no contenciosa) under Artículo 817 and following of the Código de Procedimiento Civil.

Upon approval of the name change petition — whether by the Registro Civil administratively or by the Juzgado Civil — the resolution is annotated in the marginal notes (anotaciones marginales) of the petitioner's birth certificate (partida de nacimiento) in the Registro Civil. The name change automatically extends to the petitioner's minor children under Artículo 3 of Ley 17.344 — children under 18 who carry the changed name as their paternal or maternal surname acquire the new surname automatically. The petitioner must update all official documents following the name change: Cédula Nacional de Identidad (CNI), passport, RUT registration with the SII, bank accounts at institutions regulated by the CMF, electoral roll (padrón electoral) maintained by the Servicio Electoral (SERVEL), and professional credentials (títulos profesionales) issued by Chilean universities.

Ley 21.334/2021 introduced a significant reform by allowing any person born in Chile to add the surname of the parent who did not transmit it, giving all Chileans the option to carry both parental surnames in the order they prefer — a reform driven by gender equality considerations that brought Chile in line with international standards on surname rights. This reform applies retroactively, allowing adults to restructure their surnames regardless of age.

A Name Change Petition Chile is needed whenever a person has a legitimate ground (causal) under Artículo 1 of Ley 17.344/1970 and wishes to officially change their name or surname in the Servicio de Registro Civil e Identificación records.

Persons whose registered name is ridiculous, burlesque, or causes ongoing social embarrassment file the petition to correct an unjust burden imposed at birth registration (inscripción de nacimiento) — particularly when parents registered unusual or inappropriate names that now affect the petitioner's professional reputation, employment prospects, or daily social interactions.

Immigrants and naturalized Chilean citizens (ciudadanos naturalizados under Decreto Ley 1.094/1975 — Ley de Extranjería) whose foreign names are difficult to pronounce or write in Spanish commonly file name change petitions after obtaining Chilean nationality to facilitate integration into Chilean society, simplify interactions with the SII, banks, and official institutions, and avoid systematic mispronunciation or misspelling of their names in official documents.

Transgender and non-binary individuals in Chile may file a name change petition under Article 1(c) of Ley 17.344 on grounds that the registered name does not correspond to their sex — this is separate from but often filed alongside a gender marker change petition under Ley 21.120/2018 (Ley de Identidad de Género) before the Juzgado Civil, which allows persons over 14 to legally change their registered sex and name in Chile.

Persons who have been known throughout their lives by a different name (nombre de uso) — for example, someone registered as 'Juan' but always known as 'Sebastián' — file the petition to align their official documents with their lived identity, particularly when the discrepancy creates difficulties in banking (with institutions regulated by the CMF), at the workplace, or when obtaining professional certifications from Chilean universities.

Parents who wish to add the other parent's surname to their children's registered name under Ley 21.334/2021 file the petition at the Registro Civil to exercise the reform right — this applies to parents of minor children as well as adult petitioners restructuring their own surnames.

Persons whose paternal or maternal surname is associated with notorious criminal activity — particularly where the shared surname causes them to be confused with convicted criminals in media reports or background checks conducted by employers — may petition under Article 1(e) of Ley 17.344 for relief from the grave moral harm caused by the association.

A valid Name Change Petition Chile under Ley 17.344/1970 Article 1 must contain the following essential elements to be accepted by the Servicio de Registro Civil e Identificación or the Juzgado Civil:

Petitioner Identification (Individualización del Solicitante): Full current legal name as registered in the Servicio de Registro Civil e Identificación, RUT number (Rol Único Tributario), RUN number (Rol Único Nacional), date and place of birth (fecha y lugar de nacimiento), current domicile, and contact information. Attach a copy of the Cédula Nacional de Identidad (CNI) and the original partida de nacimiento (birth certificate) issued by the Registro Civil — the partida must be recent (issued within the last 90 days for judicial proceedings).

Requested New Name (Nombre Solicitado): The exact new first name, paternal surname, or maternal surname requested, written clearly and correctly. If requesting addition of the other parent's surname under Ley 21.334/2021, specify the desired surname order (paternal first or maternal first). The requested name must comply with the restrictions established by Artículo 31 of Ley 4.808 (Ley de Registro Civil) as amended — it cannot be a name that is objectively ridiculous, that could create confusion regarding the petitioner's sex, or that corresponds to a well-known trademark or brand.

Causal (Legitimate Ground — Artículo 1 Ley 17.344): Clearly identify the specific causal under Artículo 1 of Ley 17.344 justifying the name change: (a) ridiculous or burlesque name; (b) foreign name difficult to pronounce; (c) improper name or name not corresponding to sex; (d) known name (nombre de uso) different from registered name; (e) grave moral harm due to criminal notoriety of surname; or (f) addition of other parent's surname under Ley 21.334/2021. Each causal requires specific supporting evidence.

Supporting Evidence (Antecedentes Acreditativos): Documents supporting the causal claimed: for name of use (d), sworn declarations (declaraciones juradas) from employers, neighbours, or educational institutions confirming the petitioner has been known by the requested name; professional certificates (títulos profesionales or certificados de estudios) issued in the name of use; for foreign name (b), immigration documents (visa, residence permit under DL 1.094) showing foreign origin; for moral harm (e), court records (registros de condena) showing the criminal notoriety of the shared surname; for gender-related changes (c), a medical or psychological certificate if applicable.

Declaration of No Prior Name Change (Declaración de Nombre Único): Under Artículo 1 of Ley 17.344, a name change may only be requested once in a lifetime. The petition must include a sworn declaration (declaración jurada) that the petitioner has not previously changed their name or surname under Ley 17.344. The Registro Civil can verify this through its national records, but the sworn declaration is required as part of the petition.

Publications (Publicaciones — Artículo 2 Ley 17.344): For judicial proceedings, Artículo 2 of Ley 17.344 requires publication of an extract (extracto) of the name change petition in the Diario Oficial of Chile and in a newspaper of wide circulation in the petitioner's region (e.g., El Mercurio for the Región Metropolitana, La Estrella for Valparaíso). The publication must occur twice within 30 days and serves to inform third parties who may oppose the name change. In administrative proceedings before the Registro Civil, publications may not be required depending on the causal.

Minor Children (Hijos Menores — Artículo 3 Ley 17.344): If the petitioner has minor children who carry the changed name as a surname, the petition should identify them and confirm that they will automatically acquire the new surname. For children who may be adversely affected, the Tribunal de Familia may be consulted. Birth certificates (partidas de nacimiento) of minor children must be attached.

Forms-legal.com provides this Name Change Petition Chile template as a reference document. Given the once-in-a-lifetime nature of the right under Ley 17.344, petitioners should consult with an abogado or the Corporación de Asistencia Judicial before filing to ensure the petition is correctly prepared and the chosen causal is properly supported. Los usuarios de forms-legal.com pueden descargar este documento de forma gratuita en formato PDF o DOCX, completar los campos del formulario guiado y obtener un documento listo para firma.