At the Department of Home Affairs, a child may originally be registered with the mother’s surname, but later the father may decide to change the surname. It is also possible for the opposite to occur. It occurs when a child has her father’s last name, and the mother wants her to have her mother’s last name. It often occurs when children are born out of wedlock or when parents divorce. What can parents do to change the surname of their child? 

Another scenario occurs when the details of the father are not included in the child’s registration with the Department of Home Affairs. Mothers may not want the child to be associated with the father if they are unsure of who he is or if they do not know who he is. In either case, this section of the child’s birth certificate remains blank. What can a parent, or child, do in such a situation?

You are connected to your ancestors and family through your surname. Sometimes your last name can be an omen that you carry with you for a lifetime. As a parent, you want your child to have your family name so he or she can feel connected to you. There are times, however, when it can be difficult to get it right, especially if the child’s parents are not married and do not have the same surname.

How Do I Remove My Biological Father from My Birth Certificate in South Africa?

It is not possible to remove the name of a biological father from a child’s birth record. If it is established that a father is not the biological father of the child, his name can be removed from the child’s birth entry.

While a record can be amended to reflect the marital status of the parents or the identity of the father of a minor child, we are dealing with factual information; changing a surname has much greater implications. For example, mothers would not have much of a problem forbidding a father from having his name listed as a father on the records. However, when it comes to parents forbidding a surname change, things are not as straightforward. In these cases, one should look at the child’s best interests. At this point, litigation is inevitable.

Do you need help with abridged or unabridged birth certificates? At DocAssist, we can apply on your behalf, so you don’t have to go through the hassle of dealing with the Department of Home Affairs. For more information, get in touch with the team at DocAssist today.