Statutory Declaration Service for Name or Date of Birth Differences

Statutory Declaration Service: what it is

A statutory declaration is a formal written statement that you solemnly declare to be true. In England and Wales it is made under the Statutory Declarations Act 1835. You sign it in front of an authorised person, such as a solicitor acting as commissioner for oaths, or a notary public.

Making a false statutory declaration is a criminal offence. So it carries real weight with banks, employers and other organisations that need to know two documents belong to the same person.

What a "one and the same person" declaration says

The most common type for refugees is a one and the same person declaration. It usually:

• states your full name as it appears on each document;
• lists the documents, with their numbers and issue dates;
• explains briefly why the spellings or dates differ; and
• declares that all the names refer to you.

Copies of the documents can be attached as "exhibits", each marked and signed by the person taking the declaration.

What it cannot do

A statutory declaration does not change your name. A deed poll does that. It also does not change the details the Home Office holds about you. If your Home Office record has an error, speak to your solicitor or an adviser regulated by the Immigration Advice Authority (IAA). We do not give immigration advice.

Who needs a statutory declaration and when

Names and dates often change when they move from one alphabet or calendar to another. This is one of the most common problems refugees face. If your name spelling is different on documents UK organisations hold, a declaration can link them together.

Common reasons for differences

A statutory declaration date of birth problem often starts with the paper Tazkira. Most paper Tazkiras give an age in a Solar Hijri year rather than a full date of birth. See our Tazkira translation page for how we translate that.

Where a declaration may be asked for

• Banks and building societies opening accounts or updating records.
• Employers, universities and professional bodies checking certificates in an older spelling.
• Overseas authorities, often with a notarised declaration and an apostille.
• Later applications for settlement, citizenship or a passport, if the receiving body asks for evidence linking documents. See our refugee ILR and citizenship translation service for the translations those applications need.

Always check what the organisation actually asks for before you pay for anything.

How we arrange your statutory declaration

1. Send us the documents that differ. Scans or photos are fine. Include the letter or email from the organisation asking for a declaration.
2. We translate what is not in English. Each foreign-language document gets a certified translation. We spell names in the translations as they appear in the original, transliterated carefully, and note alternative spellings where it helps. Our birth certificate translation and ID card translation pages explain how we treat names and dates.
3. We draft the declaration wording. It lists your documents and the different spellings or dates in plain English, based only on what you tell us and what the documents show. You check every line.
4. You sign before an authorised person. You declare it in front of a solicitor, commissioner for oaths or UK notary public, and we arrange the appointment. Bring your originals and photo ID.
5. You receive the signed declaration. It comes with exhibits and certified translations, ready to send.

If you do not read English well

The person taking the declaration must be satisfied that you understand what you are signing. If English is not your first language, they may want the declaration translated for you, or an interpreter present. We can provide a translation of the declaration into your language.

Declarations for use abroad

If the declaration is going to another country, it is usually made before a notary public, and may then need an apostille from the FCDO. See notarised translation for refugees and our apostille and legalisation service.

Statutory Declaration Service price and time

• Drafting the declaration: from £25.
• Solicitor or commissioner for oaths fee: £5 per declaration and £2 per exhibit (this fee is fixed by law).
• Notary, if the declaration is for use abroad: from £45 per bundle.
• Certified translation of your documents: from £18 per page, or from £15 per document for ID cards and single certificates.
• Typical time: 1 working day for ID cards and certificates, or 2–3 working days for longer documents, to prepare everything, then the signing appointment.
• Urgent option: same day or within 24 hours, from £10 extra per document.

Prices shown are starting prices and include VAT. We confirm your exact price in a written quote before any work starts. See our translation prices page for our translation rates.