Don’t you have a birth certificate?
Certainly, losing or never having a birth certificate can barricade your ways to prove your identity. Further, you won’t be able to access various legal and administrative leverages. Specifically say, obtaining a passport, driver license, and claiming benefits from a government scheme can be challenging. So, the non-availability or absence of this essential document can leave you in despair.
Fortunately, there are some proven methods to procure it, which are shared below. But before that, let’s share some challenges that can help you establish your birth and identity.
Difficulties in Obtaining a Birth Record
The foremost challenge in obtaining your birth certificate is to enclose official documents for verification. These can be the proof of your birth, which states your name, date, & place of birth. Their unavailability presses you to bring out secondary evidence that can prove your factual date and place of birth and also that your birth proof is missing or unavailable.
Step-by-Step Guide to Apply for a Birth Certificate
For sure, this process involves multiple steps that are shared to make it easy for you:
1. Check for Existing Records: If you’re applying it late, these steps are mandatory to follow.
- First and foremost, thoroughly check where your birth certificate is. If you are confirmed that it does not exist, get it recorded.
- Visit the vital records office, which can be the Municipal Corporation or gram panchayat office, where you were born.
- Sometimes, the record may be there but stored in a different location. If it is found recorded, you can request a certified copy from the court or sub-divisional magistrate.
- If the record is absent, request a Letter of No Record so that it can be confirmed that your birth is not registered.
2. If it is not found, collect secondary evidence: In case of an unavailable birth certificate, compile all secondary evidence to register your birth. Here is the checklist of all documents that can be secondary evidences:
- Hospital records: Get the bills or hospital birth records, stating your date, place, and time of birth with parental details.
- Baptismal or religious records: Like Christians who baptise their child shortly after the birth, many other religious records can be used to prove it.
- Medical records: If you don’t have any hospital proof, an early childhood medical record can be used, which must state the details of your birth.
- School records: A school enrolment card or admission paper can also reveal the actual birth date and place.
- Census records: This can be the registry of birth and death, which the government agencies do. The Civil Registration System (CRS) at the CRS Portal proof can also prove it.
- Nationality proof: If you have a nationality card or ID, it can be easy to apply.
- Affidavits: Affidavits from family members or other individuals who have witnessed your birth can be helpful, provided it is notarized.
- Affidavit for Birth At Home: If your birth took place at home in a rural area, it’s obvious that the birth was not officially registered. So, you would need an affidavit in this case. It should be from your family members or neighbours who witnessed this event.
- A life insurance policy: Sometimes, parents insure their child early in life. This proof can be used to prove the birth and identity.
- Adoption decree: If you are an adopted child, your birth proof might be sealed. So, you would have to contact the adoption agency or the court in this case. It can help in obtaining a copy of your original birth certificate or an adoption decree, which is also a secondary evidence.
- In countries like the US or Europe, the applicant may have to provide these documents to pass through verification:
- Passport: It is accepted as proof of an individual’s proof of citizenship and identity.
- Military Records: If you have any proof from military camp, it can be useful to prove your birth date.
- Naturalisation Certificate: This is basically issued in the USA, which can be treated as proof of citizenship.
3. Obtain a delayed birth certificate or a non-availability of birth certificate (NABC).
There is always a provision of obtaining a delayed birth certificate. This is often called a non-availability of birth certificate, which can be procured years after your birth. But you need to provide some secondary evidence for it. For reference, check the list shared above.
It is a paid service, which requires a penalty for delayed registration. So, ensure that you need to pay its fee in the end.
4. Verification of your NABC application
Once you apply, the authority may conduct verification to enquire whether the provided documents are authentic and valid.
If everything goes smoothly, your application will be approved. And the certificate will be issued within 2-4 weeks. Thereafter, it can be used as an original birth certificate.
Non-residents can consult with the consulate or a legal matter expert in the native country. The process of registering the birth may require you to follow state-specific rules. So, ensure that you have learnt precise details about the requirements and the birth registration process if the birth is not registered with local authorities.
Legal Assistance
If you face challenges in obtaining a birth certificate or don’t have any idea about alternative documents for identification, seek support from a legal assistant or solicitor. His advice can help in navigating the process without any friction.
Majorly, the solicitor or consultant can help you with specific requirements, which will vary depending on the purpose. Always consider secondary evidence as significantly important and keep it ready before application. Ensure that all your records or documents are original and accurate.
Conclusion
This is an alternative proof of an original birth certificate, which is acceptable for legal purposes, such as passport application, immigration, and delayed birth registration. In India, it is called a non-availability of a birth certificate. The aforesaid steps help in collecting the necessary documents. You can effectively prove your birth and get it finally registered to prove your identity and citizenship. For precise details, a legal consultant can guide you better.
