Steps you need to follow to legally change your name and remove IQ (IĆ) or VIQ (VIĆ) from your last name in Montenegro
1. Proof that you are not under investigation
(obtained at municipal court building in Montenegro, a simple procedure)
2. Fill out the "name change request form" at your local ID issuing office in Montenegro
3. Within 30 days you will be notified that your last name no longer contains IQ (IĆ) or VIQ (VIĆ) extensions
I am albanian but my last name ends with -VIQ(Ć). Why is that?
So that some can claim that you are of Slavic origin!
During the XX century the Kingdom of Yugoslavia and communist regime, without consent added extensions IQ(Ć) and VIQ(Ć) to Albanian last names.
The goal was to claim that people inhabiting Albanian lands are of Slavic origin.
Unfortunately, IQ and VIQ survived to this day and the goal of this page is to provide information on how to perform a legal name change in Montenegro.
My last name ends with -VIQ(Ć). Do I have an albanian last name?
Unfortunately, you don't! You have a Slavic last name.
Albanian last name do not end with IQ(Ć) nor VIQ(Ć)! You are Albanian but your last name is not. There are Albanians with Italian last names but that still does not make the last name Albanian.
Example: Last name Hasani is an Albanian last name. When we add VIQ(Ć) it becomes Hasanoviq(ć). Hasanoviq(ć) is a boshnjak last name which is Slavic and not Albanian!
Even if your last name ends with the letter Q which is a letter of the Albanian alphabet your last name is still a Slavic last name.
Is name change allowed in Montenegro?
Absolutely!
Montenegro has simplified the procedure significantly!
You just have to visit your local ID office and bring with you proof that you are not under investigation (issued by municipal court). They'll hand you a "name change request form" which you will fill out and that is it!
Within 30 days you'll be notified that your request was accepted and that your last name has no longer the IQ(Ć) or VIQ(Ć) extension.
If you do not live in Montenegro please inquire about name change in your country of residence!
when i correct my last name will i experience any difficulties regarding my documents (property ownership, diplomas etc)?
None whatsoever!
Correcting your last name does not change the national identification number (JMBG in MNE, SSN in USA etc).
At birth we are all assigned a national identification number which never changes so correcting the surname has no effect on any of your documents.
why should removing iq or viq be free of charge?
The abused should not be paying for the correction of the abuse!
Paying for correcting your last name is abuse in and of itself!
Some say that with VIQ(Ć) is how you write it in Serbian and without vIq(Ć) is how you Write it in albanian! Is that true?
It is not!
You can not translate your last name and you can only have one last name!
Your last name is what is currently on your ID!
can I help AND HOW ?
Yes, you can help!
Talk, respectfully, with relatives, friends and acquaintances about the reasons and the need for removal of IQ(Ć) or VIQ(Ć) extension.
We believe that every person who calls himself Albanian after realizing the purpose of IQ(Ć) or VIQ(Ć) in their last name will decide to correct it.
*** We call on Albanian political parties, NGOs, The National Council of Albanians in MN and diaspora organizations to arrange with the Government of MN for FREE of charge correction of the surname and reissuing of personal documents! ***
("HIQ VIQ" is a citizen and non-partisan initiative)