1. The Family Code 1969
Article 191
Place and procedure for registration of a change of family name, first name, or patronymic
�Registration of a change of family name, first name or patronymic of a citizen of Ukraine shall be conducted by civil status registration offices at their place of residence.
Registration of a change of family name, first name or patronymic shall be notified to those civil status registration offices in Ukraine which keep records of births, marriages and divorces of those who have changed their family names, first names, or patronymics.�
2. The Civil Code 2003 (in force since 1 January 2004)
Article 28
An individual�s name
�1. An individual acquires rights and responsibilities and implements them under his or her own name.
The name of an individual who is a citizen of Ukraine consists of family name, first name and patronymic, unless the law or custom of the national minority to which they belong provides otherwise...�
Article 294
Right to a name
�1. An individual has the right to a name...�
Article 295
The right to change a name
�1. An individual who has reached the age of sixteen has the right to change his or her family name and first name in accordance with the procedure prescribed by law.
...
3. An individual�s patronymic can be changed if his or her father changes his first name...�
3. The Family Code 2002 (in force since 1 January 2004)
Article 149
Change of patronymic
�1. If a father changes his name, the patronymic of his child who has reached fourteen years shall be changed with his or her consent.�
COMPLAINT
The applicant complains under Article 8 of the Convention that the domestic authorities interfered in her private life by refusing to change her patronymic. She noted that for many years she lived in a family with her stepfather, mother and half-brother and wanted to associate herself more closely with them by taking the family name of her stepfather and a patronymic derived from the stepfather�s given name. Although she was allowed to change her family name, her patronymic could not be changed due to new legislation which unnecessarily restricted her right to change her patronymic.
QUESTION TO THE PARTIES
Has there been an interference with the applicant�s right to respect for her private and family life, within the meaning of Article 8 � 1 of the Convention?
If so, was that interference in accordance with the law and necessary in terms of Article 8 � 2?