One and the Same Person Affidavit

The short answer

A one and the same person affidavit is a sworn statement explaining that two or more names, or spellings of a name, refer to the same individual. It is commonly requested when a passport, birth certificate, diploma, bank record or property document shows a name differently. The person signs the affidavit under oath before a notary public. If it will be used in another country, it is then apostilled or legalized for that country.

When you might need one

• Your passport shows your full name, but your birth certificate or degree shows an initial or a shortened name.
• Your surname changed through marriage or divorce and older records use the previous name.
• A name has been transliterated differently from another alphabet, such as Hindi, Arabic, Russian or Chinese.
• Your given name and surname appear in a different order on foreign and U.S. documents.
• A parent's or ancestor's name is spelled differently across records, which is common in citizenship-by-descent files.
• A bank, pension office, land registry or university asks you to reconcile name differences before it will act.

What the affidavit usually contains

• Your full legal name, date of birth and address.
• Each name or spelling variation, and the documents on which each appears, such as passport numbers or certificate details.
• A statement that all of the names refer to you.
• The reason for the difference, when known, such as marriage or transliteration.
• The purpose of the affidavit, if the receiving office asks for it.
• Your signature, made under oath before a notary.

Many receiving offices, banks and consulates provide their own wording or template. Use it when one is provided. A notary cannot draft legal documents or advise you on what your affidavit should say; if you are unsure, ask the receiving office or an attorney.

How it is notarized in Massachusetts

Because you are swearing that the contents are true, an affidavit is usually completed with a jurat: you sign in the notary's presence and take an oath or affirmation. The notary identifies you with a current government-issued photo ID and completes the jurat certificate. See Acknowledgment vs. Jurat and Affidavit Notary.

Using it abroad

See Apostille for India, Italian Citizenship Documents and Embassy Legalization.

Tips that prevent rejections

• Write every name exactly as it appears on each document, including middle names and initials.
• Bring the documents showing each variation to your appointment.
• Use the receiving office's template when one is provided.
• If the affidavit will be translated, notarize and apostille first, then translate. See Translate Before or After the Apostille?.

Related documents that may help

• Marriage certificate or divorce decree. Shows the legal basis for a surname change.
• Court-ordered name change. The strongest evidence of a legal name change, issued by the Probate and Family Court.
• Certified passport copy. Shows your current legal name. See Certified Passport Copies.
• Self-attested copies. Some Indian offices also ask for self-attested copies of identity documents. See Self-Attested Documents.

Signing from outside Massachusetts

If you live outside Massachusetts, you can sign the affidavit before a notary in your own state and have it apostilled by that state. If you are abroad, the U.S. embassy or a local notary may be options, and the receiving country will explain what it accepts. If you are visiting Boston, we can meet you anywhere in Greater Boston.