The Ministry of Justice of Ukraine has issued information on how to change the surname of a minor child. According to the Family Code, there are several cases when this is possible.
If both parents change their surnames, the child's surname will automatically change if they are not yet seven years old. If the child is older than seven years, their consent is required.
In the case where only one parent changes their surname, the child's surname can be changed with the consent of both parents and the child themselves if they are already seven years old.
Another situation is that before the age of 14, children who were assigned the surname of one parent at birth may receive the surname of the other parent in case of their death or incapacity.
An application for a change can be submitted to various institutions and departments, and for this, it is necessary to have the required documents on hand.
Consideration of the application and requirements
The time for consideration of the application can take up to six months, and after the issuance of the certificate, a state fee of 0.34 UAH must be paid.
If one of the parents disagrees with the change, the matter can be resolved through guardianship authorities or court, which will take the child's rights into account.
The Ministry of Justice emphasized that the civil registry offices cannot refuse to accept the application for the child's surname change.
The explanations and guide on changing a minor child's surname contain clear instructions regarding the conditions, procedure, and timeframes for submitting applications, as well as the process for considering the case and potential conflict resolution options that may arise.