How to obtain birth certificate (பிறப்புச் சான்றிதழ்) ? (Special reference to Tamil Nadu)

Birth Certificate

• A Birth certificate is one of the most import identity documents. If you possess this certificate you can benefit from entire gamut of services offered by Indian government to its citizens.
• It is the most authentic document that proofs someone’s birth place

Why it is necessary ?

Birth Certificate is necessary because it serves to establish the date and fact of one's birth for a whole range of purposes, like

1. acquiring the Right to Vote,

2. admission to Schools and to the Government Service,

3. claiming the Right to marry at the legally permissible age,

4. settlement of inheritance and property rights,

5. Obtaining Government-issued identity documents like a driving license or passport etc.,

What you need to do ?

• To apply for a Birth Certificate, you must first register the birth

Registration of birth

Whom to register with ?

• You have to report and register the birth of the child with the  concerned local authorities at the place of occurrence of birth within 21 days from the birth of the child

Who are the concerned local authorities ? or Whom to contact ?

Area / Place of birth	Birth Registers
Village Panchayat	Village Administrative Officer
Primary Health Care Centre	Health Inspector
Town Panchayat/ Corporation / Municipal Area	Sanitary Inspectors of the Division

How to register birth?

• Visit the office of the birth register at the place of birth (VAO office /Town Panchayat office /Municipal office/Corporation office) . For example, if your child is born in a hospital located in a Town panchayat area, you have to visit the concerned Town panchayat office.
• If your child born in primary health centre (PHC) of your village. Visit the PHC and approach health inspector.
• Collect the birth registration form (See: Sample of birth registration form).
• Fill the complete details in the birth registration form. Some important details include name of the child, date of birth, sex, place of birth. (So, name your child before  register his/her birth. Birth certificate will be issued on the name of your child)
• If the birth taken place in hospital/health care centre or maternity home or other like institution, you have to attach a certificate from the person or medical institution that conducted the delivery.
• When the Birth has taken place in a house, the head of the house or nearest relative of the head of the House or oldest person in the family has to report and register the birth.
• Submit the duly filled form to the birth register (VAO /Town Panchayat office /Municipal office/Corporation office)

Issue of birth certificate

• Birth certificate is issued after verification with actual records of the concerned hospital.
• Free copy of birth certificate is issued if you register the birth within 21 days  of occurrence of birth

Delayed registration

• If you have not registered within the 21 days from the date of birth. The procedure to be followed is as follows.

After expiry of 21 days but within 30 days	Registered on payment of a late registration fee
After thirty days of birth, but within one year	Registered only with the written permission of the Officer prescribed in this behalf and on payment of late registration fee
One year after the date of birth	Registered only on orders of the First Class Judicial Magistrate and on payment of a late registration fee

• If you are registering the death after 30 days of occurrence, but within one year, you need the written permission of the concerned officers. The concerned officers are as follows

Local authorities	Officers
Village Panchayat	Village Panchayat President
Corporation	Commissioner
Municipal Areas	Commissioner

Application for birth certificate

• If you require birth certificate at later date, you have to apply to the concerned local authority at the place of birth
• Collect the application form from the VAO office/Town Panchayat office/Municipal office/ Corporation office as the case may be. ( See: Model application form of birth certificate prescribed by Chennai corporation, Madurai corporation, Coimbatore corporation, Salem Municipal corporation)
• Fill the application form giving all the details like name of your child, date of birth, place of birth, hospital address, your residential address at the time of your child birth.
• Pay the requisite fee
• Submit the application form in the VAO office/Town Panchayat office/Municipal office/ Corporation office.