अनुक्रम ( छुपाये )
All you need to know about
obtaining birth certificates in
India
In India, a birth certificate is an essential document that proves one’s citizenship. While it is advised
that parents get the birth of their child registered the moment they are born, a recent survey
showed that about 38 per cent of children under the age of five did not possess this document.
Birth certificates are issued by the Municipal Corporation for those living in urban areas and the
Village Panchayat for rural areas. The process is simple. The applicant needs to approach the
Registrar’s office for a Certificate Registration Form and fill it in within 21 days since the birth of the
child. Delays in registering within this timeframe will result in additional police verification along
with a late fee. The Registrar will verify the records and issue the certificate accordingly within 7 to
14 days and is usually dispatched by post. If it doesn’t arrive within the given time, the applicant
should follow up with the municipal corporation.
When the application process is done within the given 21 days, a fee of INR 20 has to be paid along
with the submission of the following documents – identity proof of the parents, birth and marriage certificates along with the hospital letter indicating proof of the child’s birth.
Dealing with non-availability of birth certificates
If a person has no proof of their birth, they can go in for a Non-Availability of Birth Certificate
(NBAC) by approaching the respective municipal corporation. The applicant may have to fill in an
application form provided by the Registrar or competent authority. Alternatively, the Municipal
Corporation may issue an affidavit on their letterhead.
While drafting the affidavit, the applicant should keep the following things in mind:
● Stamp paper worth Rs. 20/- or more should be used to draft the affidavit under the
observation of a required gazetted officer.
● The person petitioning for the birth certificate is referred to as the ‘beneficiary’ while the
person standing in as the witness to the birth is referred to as the ‘deponent’
● The affidavit will have to be attested or notarized once drafting is done.
Documents needed to apply for NABC
In order to obtain the NABC, the person would have to submit certain documents as proof of his or
her birth. If the person has primary evidence like a damaged copy of the birth certificate, the
process would be easy. If not, the petitioner should get their hands on one of the following
secondary documents.
● A letter from the hospital or nursing institute where the petitioner was born issued by the
authorized officer
● If the child was adopted, an adoption letter or equivalent legal document
● School records like mark sheets, degree certificate or leaving certificate
● Driving license or PAN card
● If the person was born in a jail or boarding house, a letter by the ‘Jail In-charge’ or
respective authority
● A statement issued by two witnesses along with complete personal details and their
relation to the petitioner can also be submitted.
Attach these documents along with a letter stating that no original record of the birth was
found by the concerned authority and you will be able to get yourself an NABC which will assist in getting a birth certificate.
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