A birth certificate is a vital record that documents the birth of a person. The term "birth certificate" can refer to either the original document certifying the circumstances of the birth or to a certified copy of or representation of the ensuing registration of that birth. Depending on the jurisdiction, a record of birth might or might not contain verification of the event by a healthcare professional such as a midwife or doctor.

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 17, an integral part of the 2030 Agenda, has a target to increase the timely availability of data regarding age, gender, race, ethnicity, and other relevant characteristics which documents like a birth certificate have the capacity to provide.^[1]

History and contemporary times

The documentation of births is a practice widely held throughout human civilization. The original purpose of vital statistics was for tax purposes and for the determination of available military manpower. In England, births were initially registered with churches, who maintained registers of births. This practice continued into the 19th century.^[2] The compulsory registration of births with the United Kingdom government is a practice that originated at least as far back as 1853.^[3] The entire United States did not get a standardized system until 1902.^[4]

Most countries have statutes and laws that regulate the registration of births. In all countries, it is the responsibility of the mother's physician, midwife, hospital administrator, or the parent(s) of the child to see that the birth is properly registered with the appropriate government agency.

The actual record of birth is stored with a government agency. That agency will issue certified copies or representations of the original birth record upon request, which can be used to apply for government benefits, such as passports. The certification is signed and/or sealed by the registrar or other custodian of birth records, who is commissioned by the government.

The right of every child to a name and nationality, and the responsibility of national governments to achieve this are contained in Articles 7 and 8 in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child: "The child shall be registered immediately after birth and shall have the right from birth to a name, the right to acquire a nationality..." (CRC Article 7) and "States Parties undertake to respect the right of the child to preserve his or her identity, including nationality, name and family relations..." (CRC Article 8).^[5]

...it's a small paper but it actually establishes who you are and gives access to the rights and the privileges, and the obligations, of citizenship.

— Archbishop Desmond Tutu, February 2005^[6]

Despite 191 countries ratifying the convention, the births of millions of children worldwide go unregistered. By their very nature, data concerning unregistered children are approximate. About 29% of countries do not have available or sufficient data to assess global progress toward the SDG goal of universal coverage.^[7] However, from the data that is available, UNICEF estimates that more than a quarter of children under 5 worldwide are unregistered.^[8] The lowest levels of birth registration are found in sub-Saharan Africa (43 percent). This phenomenon disproportionately impacts poor households and indigenous populations. Even in many developed countries, it contributes to difficulties in fully accessing civic rights.^[9]

Birth registration opens the door to rights to children and adults which many other human beings take for granted: to prove their age; to prove their nationality; to receive healthcare; to go to school; to take exams; to be adopted; to protection from underage military service or conscription; to marry; to open a bank account; to hold a driving licence; to obtain a passport; to inherit money or property; and to vote or stand for elected office.^[10]

There are many reasons why births go unregistered, including social and cultural beliefs and attitudes; alternative documents and naming ceremonies; remote areas, poor infrastructure; economic barriers; lack of office staff, equipment and training; legal and political restrictions; fear of discrimination and persecution; war, conflict and unrest or simply the fact that there is no system in place.^{[10][11][12][13][14][15]}

Retrospective registration may be necessary where there is a backlog of children whose births have gone unregistered. In Senegal, the government is facilitating retrospective registration through free local court hearings and the number of unregistered children has fallen considerably as a result. In Sierra Leone, the government gave the National Office of Births and Deaths special permission to issue birth certificates to children over seven. In Bolivia, there was a successful three-year amnesty for the free registration of young people aged between 12 and 18.^[16]

Statelessness, or the lack of effective nationality, impacts the daily lives of some 11–12 million people around the world. Perhaps those who suffer most are stateless infants, children, and adolescents. Although born and raised in their parents' country of habitual residence, they lack formal recognition of their existence.^[17]

Algeria

The establishment of the first birth certificates in Algeria dates from the 1830s, during the French colonial era. Full copies are issued only by the commune of birth. However, birth certificates can be issued by any municipality or consulate on presentation of a family record book and are valid for 10 years.^[18]

In 2020, the government launched an online service for requesting civil status documents.^[19]

The secure birth certificate, known as 12S (in Arabic: 12خ), is an extract of birth certificate issued once in a lifetime on a special and secured paper, this document is mandatory for the issuance of the biometric ID and passport.^[20]

Australia

States and territories of Australia are responsible for the issuance of birth certificates, through agencies generally titled "Registry of Births Deaths and Marriages" or similar.^[21]

Initially registering a birth is done by a hospital through a "Birth Registration Statement" or similar, signed by appropriately licensed and authorized health professionals, and provided to the state or territory registry. Home births are permitted, but a statement is required from a registered midwife, doctor or 2 other witnesses other than the parent(s). Unplanned births require in some states that the baby be taken to a hospital within 24 hours.^[22] Once registered, a separate application (sometimes it can be done along with the Birth Registration Statement) can be made for a birth certificate, generally at a cost. The person(s) named or the parent(s) can apply for a certificate at any time.^[23] Generally, there is no restriction on re-applying for a certificate at a later date, so it could be possible to legally hold multiple original copies.

The Federal government requires that births be also registered through a "Proof of Birth Declaration" similarly signed as above by a doctor or midwife. This ensures the appropriate benefits can be paid, and the child is enrolled for Medicare.^[24]

The state or territory issued birth certificate is a secure A4 paper document, generally listing: Full name at birth, sex at birth, parent(s) and occupation(s), older sibling(s), address(es), date and place of birth, name of the registrar, date of registration, date of issue of certificate, a registration number, with the signature of the registrar and seal of the registry printed and/or embossed. Most states allow for stillbirths to be issued a birth certificate. Some states issue early pregnancy loss certificates (without legal significance if before 20 weeks).^[25] Depending on the state or territory, amendments on the certificate are allowed to correct an entry, add ascendant, recognize same-sex relationship,^[26] changing the sex of the holder is possible in all states and territories.^[27]

The full birth certificate in Australia is an officially recognized identity document generally in the highest category.^[28] The birth certificate assists in establishing citizenship. Shorter and/or commemorative birth certificates are available; however, they are not generally acceptable for identification purposes.^[29]

Birth certificates in Australia can be verified online by approved agencies through the Attorney-General's Department Document Verification Service^[30] and can be used to validate identity digitally, e.g. online.

Canada

In Canada, the issuance of birth certificates is a function of the provinces and territories. In 2008, provinces and territories started rolling out new polymer certificates to new applicants.^[31][32]

Canadian birth certificates may be obtained from the following:

• Alberta – A registry agent authorised by the Province
• British Columbia – British Columbia Vital Statistics Agency
• Manitoba – Manitoba Vital Statistics Agency
• New Brunswick – Service New Brunswick
• Newfoundland and Labrador – Service NL
• Northwest Territories – Health Services Administration Office
• Nova Scotia – Access Nova Scotia
• Nunavut – Registrar-General of Vital Statistics
• Ontario – ServiceOntario
• Prince Edward Island – Vital Statistics Registry
• Quebec – Director of Civil Status (Directeur de l'état civil)
• Saskatchewan – eHealth Saskatchewan
• Yukon – Vital Statistics, Government of Yukon

Types issued

There are three forms of birth certificates issued:

• Certified true copy/photostat – contains all information available on the birth of a person.
• Long-form – contains name, place and date of birth, parental information, date of issue, date of registration, registration number, certificate number, and authorised signature(s).
• Short-form – as with long-form, except for parental information. Previously in card format.

Residents of Quebec born elsewhere can have their non-Quebec birth record inserted into Quebec's birth register. Quebec birth certificates issued with regard to a birth that occurred outside of Quebec are referred to as "semi-authentic" under paragraph 137 of the Civil Code of Québec, until their full authenticity is recognised by a Quebec court.^[33] Inserting one's birth record into the Quebec register is a prerequisite for anyone born outside of Quebec to apply for a legal name and/or legal gender change in the province. Semi-authentic birth certificates are issued in the long-form only.

Languages

Depending on the province, certificates are in English, French or both languages. Birth certificates from Canadian territories are in English and French, as well as Inuktitut in Nunavut (though individual data is in the Roman alphabet only, not in Inuktitut syllabics). The Northwest Territories previously issued certificates bearing Inuktitut.

DND 419 birth certificates

In 1963, the Department of National Defence started issuing birth certificates to dependents of Canadian Forces members born overseas. These certificates were never accorded legal status, but served as a convenient substitute for the original record of birth from the country of birth. In November 1979, production of these certificates ceased.^[34]

Today, the DND 419 is recognised as a proof of age, but not of citizenship.^[35] At least two Canadians have had Canadian passports withheld on the basis of their DND 419 birth certificates.^[36][37]

China

Due to the one-child policy, there are an estimated 8 million people whose birth went unregistered, mostly women, called "Heihaizi". They are not allowed to go to school or otherwise participate in the public sphere. The People's Republic of China issued its first medical birth certificate on 1 January 1996. Persons born prior to that date can obtain a birth certificate from a Chinese notary public by way of presenting their hukou and other supporting documents. The notary then proceeds to issue a notarial birth certificate based on the information contained in the said documentation. This notarial birth certificate is acceptable for immigration purposes.^[38]

The fifth-generation medical birth certificate was adopted nationwide on 1 January 2014.^[39] Still, China is amongst those countries with no globally comparable data, presenting challenges to researchers who wish to assess global and regional progress towards universal birth registration.^[7]

Cuba

In Cuba, birth certificates are issued by the local civil registries.

With the passage of Extraordinary Official Gazette Number 9 of 2020, issued by the Cuban Ministry of Justice, birth certificates (as with all other vital records, excepting certificates of single status) will no longer expire after a certain amount of time.^[40]

Children born to Cuban citizens abroad may have the details of their birth transcribed in a Cuban civil registry through a Cuban overseas mission. This is known as a Birth Certificate Transcript.^[41] Because of the considerable difficulty of obtaining Cuban vital records for individuals residing outside of Cuba – even where Cuban overseas missions have been delegated to provide these services – private services such as the Massachusetts-based Cuba City Hall offer retrieval services, wherein they apply for a certificate from a Cuban civil registry on behalf of an overseas individual. These services have been called overpriced.^[42]

Czech Republic

The Czech Republic maintains a registry of vital records, including births, of people, regardless of nationality, or birthplace. Every citizen of the Czech Republic will need to register their birth if born abroad, effectively granting a foreign born person two birth certificates. The Czech Republic will also register foreigners in some cases. The office that registers births is colloquially called 'matrika'.

Denmark

In Denmark, the authority responsible for registering births is the Registrar of the Church of Denmark.^[43]

There are three types of Danish birth certificates:

• Personattest (Certificate of Personal Data): issued to persons born in (or baptised in) Denmark.
• Foedsels- og Daabsattest (Birth and Baptism Certificate): issued to persons born in Denmark and baptised in the Church of Denmark.
• Foedsels- og Navneattest (Birth and Naming Certificate): issued to persons born in Denmark but not baptised in the Church of Denmark.

France

Civil records in France have been compulsory since the 1539 ordinance of Villers-Cotterêts, in which the King Francis I ordered the parishes to record baptisms, marriages and sepultures. Then in 1667 the parishes were asked to issue two registers in two different places in order to avoid the loss of data. Jews and Protestants were allowed to have their own records by Louis XVI in 1787. In 1792, the registers were fully secularized (birth, civil marriage and death replaced baptism, religious marriage and sepulture, plus an official kept the records instead of a priest), and the Code civil did create the compulsory birth certificate in 1804 (in its articles 34, 38, 39 et 57).^[44] This document should be completed at one's marriage since 1897, at one's divorce since 1939, at one's death since 1945 and at one's civil union since 2006. A note is added on the certificate for all these events.

Hong Kong

In Hong Kong, the system is similar to England and Wales, wherein the government keeps a birth register book, and the birth certificate is actually a certified copy of the birth register book entry.^[45]

Currently, the Immigration Department is the official birth registrar. All parents need to register their children's birth within 42 days.^[46] Birth certificates issued between 1 July 1997 and 27 April 2008 recorded whether or not the child's Hong Kong permanent resident status was established at birth. Birth certificates issued after the latter date record which provision of the Immigration Ordinance the said status has been established under.^[47]

India

Traditionally births were poorly recorded in India.^[48]

For official purposes, other proofs are accepted in India in lieu of the birth certificate, such as matriculation certificates.^[49] Facilities are available to produce a birth certificate from a passport.^[50]

By law since 1969, registration of births is compulsory as per provisions of Registration of Births & Deaths Act.^[51] Birth certificates are issued by the Government of India or the municipality concerned. Specific rules vary by state, region and municipality.

In Delhi, for example, births must be registered within 21 days by the hospital or institution, or by a family member if the birth has taken place at home. After registration, a birth certificate can be obtained by applying to the relevant authority. Certificates can also be issued under special provisions to adopted children, and undocumented orphans. Overseas births can also be registered.^[51]

Some municipalities, such as the Greater Chennai Corporation, allow for fully digital birth certificates to be applied for, printed, and verified online.^[52]

Indonesia

The current legislation governing the registration of births is the 2006 Act No 23 on the Administration of Civil Status (UU No. 23 Tahun 2006 tentang Administrasi Kependudukan), as amended by 2013 Act No 24 on Amendments to 2006 Act No 23.^[53][54][55]

Births outside Indonesia

Pursuant to Chapter 29 of the Act, Indonesian citizens born overseas must register their births with the local civil registrar using a foreign birth certificate upon returning to Indonesia, and receive a Report of Birth Abroad (Tanda Bukti Laporan Kelahiran).^[56] If born in a jurisdiction which does not register the births of non-citizens, they will instead be issued a regular Birth Certificate by the local Indonesian overseas mission.^[57]

Births within Indonesia

Within Indonesia, local civil registrars are responsible for issuing birth certificates (akta kelahiran).

The following Staatsbladen (state gazettes), enacted by the Dutch colonial government, were supplanted by the Act:

• 1849 Staatsblad 25 for persons of European descent
• 1917 Staatsblad 130 for persons of Chinese descent
• 1920 Staatsblad 751 for persons of Indigenous descent
• 1923 Staatsblad 75 for persons of Indigenous descent professing the Christian faith

Prior to 1986, persons not born in any of the above groups had to be registered through court order. This changed by a 1986 decree of the Minister of Home Affairs, resulting in a jolt in the number of births being registered. In 1989, a subsequent decree was effected by the Minister, allowing those born between 1986 and 1989 to have their births registered.^[55]

There are several types of birth certificates issued to Indonesian-born individuals, per the Denpasar Civil Registry:^[58]

• General Birth Certificate (Akta Kelahiran Umum)
• Delayed Birth Certificate (Akta Kelahiran Terlambat)
• Birth Certificate for a Child Born to a Single Mother (Akta Kelahiran Anak Seorang Ibu)

Pursuant to the Act's domicile principle, a birth certificate is issued by the Civil Registry of the parents' home regency or city, as determined from their Indonesian identity card. This is not always the same place as the actual regency or city of birth of the child.

There is no such thing as a certified copy of the original birth registration form; all Indonesian birth certificates are abstracts in nature and list an individual's nationality, name, place and date of birth, birth order, parents' names and marital status only. Indonesian birth certificates are typically laminated like Malaysian and Singaporean ones; however, unlike Malaysia and Singapore, it is not done at the time of issuance by the civil registry. The Indonesian government recommends against lamination, as it may render the certificate unacceptable for use overseas (laminated certificates cannot be legalised).^[59][60]

In 2019, Indonesian local civil registrars began to issue birth certificates with QR codes in lieu of the traditional authenticating signature and stamp. Widodo, director of civil registry services for the Bengkulu Civil Registry, is quoted as saying that "this is by decree of the Minister of Home Affairs, and will help simplify things for the general public as they will no longer be required to go through the hassle of getting legalised."^[61][62] In July 2020, Indonesia phased out birth certificates printed on security paper, and started allowing Indonesian-born people to print out their own birth certificates on regular A4 paper; these certificates have the same legal value as birth certificates printed on security paper. The move reportedly helped the central government save 450 billion rupiahs in the 2020 fiscal year.^[63]

Iran

A shenasnameh (شناسنامه), or birth certificate is issued by the National Organization for Civil Registration. It includes the name and surname of the infant, place and date of birth, gender, information relating to the parents including their names and residences, and the "registration documentation (witness or physician's certificate). A newer format was introduced in 2015. Those eligible to replication include newborn babies, people who are changing their names, those who have lost their original birth certificates, and those born before 2001 who have reached the age of 15 and need to change their cards to add the photograph. Those applying for a new certificate must show their old certificate.^[64]

Japan

In Japan, the household registration document (jp: 戸籍, koseki) is generally used in lieu of a birth certificate.

Since a koseki also acts as proof of Japanese citizenship, only Japanese citizens can hold one. Anyone born in Japan, including children born to non-Japanese parents, can obtain a Certificate of Matters Stated In a Written Notification (jp: 出生届記載事項証明書, shusshō todoke kisai jikō shōmeisho). A Certificate of Matters Stated In a Written Notification may be obtained from the city/ward/town office the birth was reported to, and is the equivalent of a birth certificate. This is to be distinguished from a Certificate of Acceptance of Birth Notification (jp: 出生届受理証明書, shusshō todoke juri shōmeisho), which, according to the Australian Embassy at Tokyo, only constitutes a receipt proving that a birth registration has been lodged with a city/ward/town office.^[65][66]

Birth records for children born to non-Japanese parents in Japan are not maintained permanently; usually only for the duration of ten years from the date of lodgement, but this varies from one city/ward/town office to another.^[67]

Malaysia

In Malaysia, the National Registration Department (Jabatan Pendaftaran Negara) is responsible for the registration of births, and for issuing birth certificates (sijil kelahiran).

In 2011, the department started colour-coding birth certificates. Henceforth, citizens at birth would receive a pale-green birth certificate, while those who do not acquire Malaysian citizenship at birth would be given a red birth certificate. Then-director Datin Jariah Mohd Said was reported as saying that "it address the wrong impression among foreign parents that their children automatically become Malaysians by virtue of them having the pale green certificate."^[68]

Malaysian birth certificates are laminated at the time of issuance, forming an exception to most countries' need for an unlaminated document (e.g. the United Kingdom when applying for a passport).^[69]

Morocco

In Morocco, there are 3 birth documents: the "Extrait d'acte de naissance" (proof of Moroccan citizenship), a "Fiche individuelle de naissance" and an "Acte de naissance". All of them are valid for 3 months. In 2017, the government opened requests for birth certificates online.^[70][71]

New Zealandedit

The Department of Internal Affairs is responsible for issuing birth certificates in New Zealand.^[72][73] Certain historical records including historical birth certificates are available online in a searchable format on the Birth, Death and Marriage Historical Records website. The available records are for births recorded at least one hundred years ago.

Citizenship information is recorded on New Zealand birth certificates for births after 1 January 2006, as this was when the country formally ended its practice of jus soli.^[74]

• 
  A New Zealand birth certificate without citizenship information, issued before 2006

Nigeriaedit

The birth certificate in Nigeria is a document that entails the date of birth, location (Town, L.G.A and state) and details of the parents. It is issued by the National Population Commission for every child and is usually issued at the hospital where the child is born and it is compulsory for everyone. The National Population Commission (NPC) formed in 1992, is the only body responsible for registering births, and issuing certificates in the country.^[75]

For those who were not issued a certificate at birth, it is possible to apply for one up until their 18th birthday. However, only people aged 18 and below are issued a birth certificate. People above age 18 are issued an 'Age Declaration Affidavit'. Although now in Nigeria, you will have to provide an attestation letter issued by the NPC as the 'Age Declaration Affidavit' is no longer a sufficient document.

An attestation letter is a written document given as backup for the 'Age Declaration Affidavit'.

However, in terms of legal value and effect, the attestation of a birth certificate is equal to a birth certificate. The NPC Act states that only people born after 1992 are eligible to apply for birth certificate since that was when the NPC was formed. Also only birth certificate issued at birth or 60 days after birth is free any scenario after birth would require you to pay.^[75]

Philippinesedit

A birth certificate in the Philippines is a document being issued by the Philippine Statistics Authority and has lifetime validity.^[76] In almost all cases, this document is required by other government agencies as a primary requirement for getting service or benefits.

Russiaedit

Russian birth certificates were previously issued in a booklet format, similar to that of internal passports; today, they are issued on numbered and watermarked A4 security paper. They are typically issued in the Russian language only; however, if a birth is recorded in one of the Russian republics with federal subject status, the resulting birth certificate may be bilingual (Russian and the official language of the said republic).^[77][78]

Filling a birth certificateedit

A Russian birth certificate may either be filled out in type or print. It is then signed and sealed by a qualified officer of the public authority issuing the certificate (a local civil registry or Russian overseas mission). By default, information on the parents' ethnic origins is no longer recorded – however, it may be recorded upon request.

Obtaining a birth certificateedit

A Russian birth certificate may be applied for by the person named on the certificate if they are of full age, their parents if still vested with parental rights, their guardian(s) and/or caregiver(s). If the certificate is lost, the public authority that issued the original document issues a replacement on application.

Singaporeedit

In Singapore, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority is the registrar of births. All births in the country must be registered at a gazetted birth registration centre by the parents or by authorised proxy.^[79] A Certificate of Registration of Birth is received after the registration of birth; a Certificate of Extract from Register of Births is issued for all subsequent requests for birth certificates.

The ICA annotates birth certificates with citizenship information; a child born without a claim to Singapore citizenship will have a remark on their birth certificate stating "this child is not a citizen of Singapore at the time of birth".^[80] Conversely, a child born with a claim to Singapore citizenship will have "this child is a citizen of Singapore at the time of birth" on theirs.

Singaporean birth certificates are laminated at the time of issuance, forming an exception to most foreign countries' need for an unlaminated document (e.g. the United Kingdom when applying for a passport).^[69] This practice began on 1 January 1967.^[81]

• 
  A 1967 Singapore certificate of registration of birth, without indication as to citizenship status
• 
  A 1979 Singapore certificate of registration of birth, indicating the child was a citizen of Singapore at birth
• 
  An undated Singapore certificate of registration of birth, indicating the child was not a citizen of Singapore at birth
• 
  A 2015 Singapore certificate of registration of birth, issued to mark Singapore's 50th anniversary'
• 
  A sample Singapore certificate of extract from register of births

Somaliaedit

In Somalia, many births go unregistered – owing to the large nomadic population in the country.^[82]

Prior to 1991, the Siad Barre government issued birth certificates (Somali: shahaadada dhalashada or warqadda dhalashada) for events occurring in urban areas. Subsequent to the collapse of said government, Somalia ceased to have a functioning birth registration system.^[82][83] As of January 2014, it has been reported by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs that Somalia has once again started issuing birth certificates, primarily for Somali citizens to be able to obtain the new Somali passport.^[84] In Mogadishu, this function is fulfilled by the Mayor of Mogadishu.

Somali autonomous regions, such as Jubaland, Puntland, and Somaliland, have separate, functioning birth registration systems for those born within their respective jurisdictions. In Somaliland, birth certificates are routinely issued only to babies born at a hospital. Home births are registered by way of affidavit with the Somaliland Ministry of Religious Affairs at Hargeisa.^[82]

• 
  A Jubaland birth certificate
• 
  A Mogadishu birth certificate
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