What is Birth Registration?

A prerequisite for a legal identity...

Birth registration is the process by which a child's birth is recorded in the civil register by the applicable government authority.

It provides the first legal recognition of the child and is generally required for the child to obtain a birth certificate and consequently any other legal documents and rights.

Whilst, in some cases, this is issued to the child at the same time as registration, in others, a separate application must be made. It is important that the registered child receive a birth certificate, since it is this that provides permanent, official and visible evidence of a state's legal recognition of his or her existence as a member of society.