[rajesh1868]

No not the TBHP one, but your real one

Long back, as a 15 year old we were supposed to sign our SSLC book(10th standard certificate equivalent). This is for many their first official sign and I looked upon this event with great anticipation and preparation. I had a complex design which i successfully managed to put in the book.

The same was adopted as my sign from then on.Now almost close to 2 decades later, i struggle to replicate my sign.

Some 6 years back when i applied for my auto loan the bank rejected it citing signature mis match. i spent close to 2 hours practising how to sign as 'me'.
Recently my MF redemption request got rejected.

Im seriously thinking of changing my sign in the bank to a much simpler version of my name. Just before i venture i just wanted to check if any of you have done so and faced any issues due to it.

Is it advisable to change in other docs as well? (like PAN, is it possible?)

[aaggoswami]

Originally Posted by rajesh1868

No not the TBHP one, but your real one

Long back, as a 15 year old we were supposed to sign our SSLC book(10th standard certificate equivalent). This is for many their first official sign and I looked upon this event with great anticipation and preparation. I had a complex design which i successfully managed to put in the book.

The same was adopted as my sign from then on.Now almost close to 2 decades later, i struggle to replicate my sign.

Some 6 years back when i applied for my auto loan the bank rejected it citing signature mis match. i spent close to 2 hours practising how to sign as 'me'.
Recently my MF redemption request got rejected.

Im seriously thinking of changing my sign in the bank to a much simpler version of my name. Just before i venture i just wanted to check if any of you have done so and faced any issues due to it.

Is it advisable to change in other docs as well? (like PAN, is it possible?)

When for the first time I was made to sign something significant, it was St. 10 (SSC) exam form.
That sign was certainly not safe enough to be used for long time. Wanted to change my sign and it is tough.
You have to file/fill in an affidavit, then give notice in newspaper having certain amount of circulation, etc. It was very very tough. Fortunately, I managed to change my sign which is OK now.

Do not go for very simple sign or sign with only your initials. Its very easy to replicate and not safe, specially for bank transactions.

I suggest, you relax and try to do your own signature which will help. Changing sign now means you will have to notify all, including all banks, change/modify passport, etc. Its too much of a trouble. Meet a lawyer first and then decide.

[noopster]

Even though it may be legally possible I would hesitate to advise anyone to change their signature. Reason is: you have signed so many documents at various times and places in your life. How on earth are you going to send out so many notices of changed signature out? It's just not worth the hassle.

I am in the reverse position as you: my official signature is too babyish. I used to ape my sister's rounded hand when I was in school, which used to help me write neater and faster which was crucial in examinations. After I went to college my handwriting went through a radical change and stabilized in my late teens. By then my signature was already on my DL, passport, academic certificates, financial documents etc. and it was too late to do anything about it. I did discuss it with my Dad once but he convinced me that it looked quite fine. I did stylize it a little though over the years: if I compare my first passport and latest one you can see clear differences, though not enough to suspect a forgery.

[alpha1]

I am not aware of ANY place where they ask you to provide 10th pass certificate and ask you to match the signature. (is there a signature in the 10th certificate?)
The only purpose of 10th pass certificate is to ascertain the date of birth.

I still remember how our parents/seniors/teachers made a big hoopla about how the 10th is the most important thing in the life. Looking back I can just laugh at the way they had terrorized us.

[akshay380]

Wow! I have never managed to get two signs looking similar. Seems I have to hone my skills before its too late.

[Ashley2]

Originally Posted by alpha1

I am not aware of ANY place where they ask you to provide 10th pass certificate and ask you to match the signature. (is there a signature in the 10th certificate?)
The only purpose of 10th pass certificate is to ascertain the date of birth.

I still remember how our parents/seniors/teachers made a big hoopla about how the 10th is the most important thing in the life. Looking back I can just laugh at the way they had terrorized us.

Tenth class certificates do have signature but they are not considered as a signature proof. As you said its only for DoB verification. Signature is verified mostly with banks, pass port etc. in my case 10 pass certificate, DL, passport have different types, with passport signature being verified for any documents.

[Samurai]

My dad changed his signature in his 50s, and he was a bank manager. I don't remember why he did it. But I suppose there are procedures for that.

[raghu.t.k]

Even I started my first signature in the 10th std, and was in use till I joined college. It was nothing but my name and initial in running hand, and a couple of dots and dash. During my college I changed my signature and used the earlier form of signature only in my bank transactions. As I moved on, and got my DL, passport and other docs, my current signature was used. After years of not using the first signature, I had to do a couple of transactions with my earlier bank account and for every single transaction I had to approach the manager for his approval since the signature never matched. Finally I requested them to update their specimen, since the specific account was not on regular used. It was promptly updated after checking my Identity, and also reference (it is a nationalised bank). But this was 2 decades back.

That said, my current signature is not an exact copy of what I have used for my first DL or passport. The style and strokes are the same, but the legibility between start and end has significantly changed, and none has raised an issue till date. I still sign cheques every month, and the bank has not called me till now!!


Even today, if I happen to sign a bunch of docs more than twice, the first and last signatures will not be exactly the same.

[pjbiju]

I guess a person can have multiple signatures. For example I could have a specific signature for one bank and another signature for another bank. It does not have to be the same everywhere. If I have already given a specific signature to one bank, then you cannot change it for that bank unless you officially get it changed in their records. I am sure the bank will have its own forms/formalities to let the customer change his/her signature in their records. My thoughts are based on my own understanding of this whole thing.

[GJ01]

I used to have a different signature earlier, it has been there on my SSC certificate as well as older bank accounts that I had when I was in school and early college. I remember changing my signature when I was in college and I have not had any issues at all.

I dont recall having to produce my SSC certificate as a proof of my signature. Banks make you sigh a card that they have for verification and all my accounts have the new signature. My PPF account that was started when I was a minor had the old signature, that I put in when I was 18, and I have thereafter changed it to the signature that I use now.

I must however state that other than the one PPF account all that I changed my sign at, all other accounts have been created with my new signature.

[supremeBaleno]

As many already said, you don't really need to keep signing like you did on your SSLC certificate, which was for most of us the first "official" signing we did.

Like with many, my sign on SSLC was not only way boyish but very easy to replicate. I meanwhile worked on and identified another 'better' signature which looked more stylish and also hard to replicate, which is what I have been using over the years.

[shipnil]

It is hardly a complex issue. I have used 4 /5 signatures so far including a devanagari one. In fact even today, I have one signature for financial transactions and another for rest of the things.

No need of affidavits etc. to change a signature. If you want to change signature in a bank, just visit the branch and say your signature has been compromised. They will ask you to fill a form and put your new signature there. That's it. It's done. Done it myself with ICICI.

Same with PAN card. Fill the form for reissue of cards and tick the box against signature. Put your new signature on the print out and sent it across. You'll get a new card with new signature. Again, first hand experience.

You can follow it everywhere. It is no big deal. The only issue with multiple signatures is you have to remember which one you have used where.

[Farukh]

When I had to sign for the first time, while filling up forms for SSC, I just aped my dad's signature which was our family name with style. Dad's signature is beautiful but my turned out to be really ugly. I despise it and could never match my signatures even when I signed back to back. I slowly copy my own signature these days.

Worst was while signing the form for PAN. The pen gave up in the middle and I had to sign again over previous signature... an eyesore!

I agree with shipnil. My bank (ICICI) asked me to fill up a form only to change the signature and for PAN, as shipnil said above.

P.S. I am yet to change my signatures.

[rajesh1868]

Originally Posted by alpha1

I am not aware of ANY place where they ask you to provide 10th pass certificate and ask you to match the signature. (is there a signature in the 10th certificate?)

I never meant it getting compared with 10th certificate. Comparison done by bank is with their specimen saved while registering for the account. Just wrote how I (and probably many others) started a sign for the first time. As for me I decided to continue that till now

Originally Posted by shipnil

It is hardly a complex issue. I have used 4 /5 signatures so far including a devanagari one. In fact even today, I have one signature for financial transactions and another for rest of the things.

No need of affidavits etc. to change a signature. If you want to change signature in a bank, just visit the branch and say your signature has been compromised. They will ask you to fill a form and put your new signature there. That's it. It's done. Done it myself with ICICI.

Same with PAN card. Fill the form for reissue of cards and tick the box against signature. Put your new signature on the print out and sent it across. You'll get a new card with new signature. Again, first hand experience.

You can follow it everywhere. It is no big deal. The only issue with multiple signatures is you have to remember which one you have used where.

Thanks. I think I will do the same

[GTO]

I have two signatures too!

In school, I developed a stupid, fancy, complicated signature for my passport. Been through 3 passports since and all of them have the same silly sign.

For financial transactions etc., I have a newer, more formal signature.

Unfortunately, I have to revert to the ol' signature whenever any organisation asks for a copy of the passport (as part of the verification documents).