The draft law establishes that a person will be able to change their patronymic only if their father changes his name, or in the case of adoption, to the name of the adoptive parent. If the person who, according to the civil record, is considered the father or stepfather of the person has died, it will be impossible to change the patronymic.
Citizens under 14 years of age, those with criminal records, or those under trial or investigation will not be able to change their name and surname. Upon reaching 14, a person has the right to change their surname and first name only with the consent of at least one of the parents with whom they live, or a guardian.
The draft law proposes to unify the legal norms regulating the procedure for citizens to change their surnames, first names, and patronymics. In particular, it is necessary to amend the Civil Code, bringing it in line with the law "On Freedom of Movement and Free Choice of Residence in Ukraine" regarding the prohibition of restricting a person's rights in connection with their place of residence.
According to the Civil Code, the issue of changing one's name should be regulated exclusively by law, the press service of the Ministry of Justice notes. Currently, changes of names by Ukrainians are governed by the 1991 presidential decree "On the Procedure for Changing Surnames, First Names, and Patronymics by Citizens of Ukraine" and the "Regulations on the Procedure for Considering Petitions for Changing Surnames, First Names, and Patronymics by Citizens of Ukraine" approved by a government resolution in 1993.