Want to change your name? What to know about new rules

People seeking to change their names will now follow revised procedures under a new Ministerial Order that aims to improve service delivery, strengthen verification requirements, and align implementation with the 2024 law governing persons and family. The new order, published in the Official Gazette on June 1, 2026, replaces the 2025 Ministerial Order on name-change procedures. Speaking to The New Times, Juma Prince Muvunyi, Population, Social and Civil Registration Specialist at the Ministry of Local Government (MINALOC), outlined the key changes. ALSO READ: Here are 10 most common Rwandan baby names Clearer rules for children's name changes One of the revisions explicitly states that applications to change a child's name must be submitted by the child's parents or another person exercising parental authority. Muvunyi said this requirement already existed under the 2024 law but was not clearly reflected in the previous ministerial order. The new order aligns implementation with the law, he said. Criminal record certificate now mandatory Applicants seeking to change their names must now provide a criminal record certificate in addition to other required documents. The required documents include a birth certificate, national identity card or passport, criminal record certificate, marriage certificate where applicable, and any other supporting documents relevant to the request. According to Muvunyi, the new requirement is intended to prevent people from using name changes to conceal criminal records. We need to know who is requesting the change of name. If someone was recently convicted and has not yet benefited from rehabilitation, changing their name could effectively give them a new identity while legal consequences are still in force, he said. You should not commit offences under one identity and then acquire another before rehabilitation has taken place. Once rehabilitation has occurred, changing a name is not a problem. ALSO READ: Child naming: Is the trend changing for Rwandan names? Processing time cut from 45 days The revised order significantly reduces the time required to process name-change applications. Under the 2025 rules, authorities allowed a 30-day period for members of the public to submit information about an applicant before the Minister in charge of civil status could make a decision within an additional 15 days. Applicants could therefore wait up to 45 days after publication of their request. The new order removes the 30-day waiting period. Instead, the Minister must decide within 15 days after receiving proof that the required publication and broadcasting of the request have been completed. If we approve your request, the process should move faster. If additional analysis is needed, applicants should also be informed sooner rather than waiting for the previous 45-day period, Muvunyi said. He added that the criminal record certificate reduces the need for lengthy verification. The 30-day waiting period partly existed to facilitate verification. Once an applicant provides a criminal record certificate showing there is no issue, the level of uncertainty is significantly reduced, he explained. New certificate format for children The order also introduces a separate certificate format for children's name changes. Previously, certificates were drafted as though the individual whose name was being changed had personally submitted the application, regardless of age. Muvunyi said this could create the impression that a young child had personally written to the Minister requesting a name change. The new format will instead identify the parent or guardian who submitted the application, improving transparency and accountability. Fees remain unchanged The cost of obtaining a name-change certificate remains Rwf20,000, payable to the State Treasury. Muvunyi noted that the fee has remained unchanged since 2017, when the process was shifted from the courts to an administrative procedure handled by the Minister in charge of civil status, making the service more affordable and accessible. Required documents Under the new Ministerial Order, applicants must submit: A birth certificate; A national identity card or passport, where applicable; A criminal record certificate; A marriage certificate, if the application is based on marriage; and Any additional supporting documents relevant to the request. Rwandans living abroad must also provide a passport and a residence permit issued by their host country. According to MINALOC, while the most visible reform is the shorter processing time, the broader objective is to improve the quality, consistency, and integrity of name-change services.

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Want to change your name? What to know about new rules