Use of full names

Wednesday, 23 October, 2019

Many legal documents require the signatory to use their full name. A person’s name can be quite a complex issue, because of changes of name, not commonly using a middle name and changes of status, such as marriage. If a person’s name on a notarised document (for example a degree certificate) does not match EXACTLY the name in identity documents, then further evidence may be needed by the person or body receiving the notarised document in another country. I can provide a statutory declaration if required to explain the situation.

It is good practice always to use all middle names in all officials documents. It can save a lot of trouble at a future date in explaining why a person uses different names.

Where I am being asked to notarise a document which contains a different family name, I will need to see evidence of the change of name. For example if a person’s name has changed on marriage, I would need to see the marriage certificate.

Typically, French documents relating to property transactions use a woman’s family name before marriage. Where the woman is using her married name, and that is the name on her identity documents, again a copy of the marriage certificate will be needed in order to authenticate the document.