Changing the Name on a Childs birth Certificate. Will I need a Paternity DNA Test?

14 Aug 2017

A birth certificate is a legal document; changing the name on a birth certificate is not an easy thing to do. DNA paternity testing might help depending on the particular circumstances. But let’s begin with some basic information which is vital for anyone to know when it comes to the issue here being discussed.

Who can make changes to the Child’s birth Certificate?

The laws are quite strict in this case; a parents or legal guarding- these are the only people who can make changes. Forenames as, so to speak, are the easiest to change. The forenames must have been names used within the first 12 months and not any name may be added- only baptismal names. There are other examples in which parents might wish to change the child’s first name.

Changing the Surname of a Child on the Birth Certificate

The marital status is important under UK Law. The mother has the option of leaving the father’s name blank on the birth certificate. This is often the case when parents are not married. The mother may genuinely not know who the father of her child is. If she does wish to register a father’s name, that man has to attend the registration process and consent to his name being put on the birth certificate. Any father who goes ahead with having his name listed on the child’s birth certificate must bear in mind that changing the name on the certificate should there be doubts regarding the issue of paternity is very difficult.

If Parents are married, it is taken as automatic that the biological father is the husband of the woman. If the father or mother has any doubts, things get complicated. They will need a paternity DNA test to get the name changed on the child’s birth certificate. In most cases you will need a legal paternity test for this- in other words the paternity testing will have to follow certain procedures to ensure the validity of the results. In the UK, there is the Human Tissue Act- anybody cannot collect DNA samples from another person with the intent of having a DNA test without informing that person that their samples have been taken and what they will be used for.

Sometimes fathers want to have their surnames put down on the birth certificate. In some cases, the mother may voice her doubts and not allow this. A court ordered paternity test or a paternity test for legal purposes can help. In some instances, the judge can refute the results of the test, even if it shows that the tested man is the biological father; this can happen in cases in which the father is deemed unfit to be a father. In other cases, if the father has had regular contact with the child for a period of time, the judge may choose to ignore the results of test and allow for the tested man to have his name on the child’s birth certificate even if he is not the biological father.

Again, if you are thinking of changing a name on a birth certificate, paternity DNA testing will help but may not necessarily be the solution. Always seek advice from a legal professional.

Paternity rights

Paternity rights are a big issue at the moment. Unsurprisingly, most dad’s have paternity rights which they are not aware of, perhaps, because paternity rights have only recently emerged. Click here for more information.