Your family or your circumstances may change unexpectedly. When the structure of your family changes, it might require that you modify certain aspects of your life. For example, you might want to change your name or your child's name. Changing a minor's name in the state of Kansas is a relatively simple process.
Schedule an appointment with your local clerk of district court to start the process of changing your child's last name.
Read More: Father's Rights on a Child's Last Name Change
Bring a certified copy of your child's birth certificate with you to the appointment. Also, make sure both parents have identification, such as a driver's license. The biological father will need to be present if you're changing your child's last name to his last name.
Fill out a Paternity Content Form For Birth Registration, also known as a VS211, if you're changing your child's last name to his or her biological father's name, hyphenating the child's name, or changing the child's name to the mother's maiden name. The clerk's office will provide you with a copy of this form during the appointment and help you fill it out. Once completed, the clerk will submit the form for you.
Hire an attorney if you want to change your child's name to a name that isn't the biological mother's name or biological father's name. This will require a legal name change under the statute K.S.A. 60-1402. This can be difficult for the average person to understand, so hiring an attorney will help make the process easier. To legally change your child's name, you'll have to appear before a judge to get the request granted. Then, you'll need to submit the court order you receive to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment along with a letter stating you want your child's name changed.
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J. Johnson has been completing freelance writing work since September 2009. Her work includes writing website content and small client projects. Johnson holds a degree in English from North Carolina State University.