PROCESSING A BIRTH CERTIFICATE IN TANZANIA

Processing a birth certificate is done by the Registration, Insolvency and Trusteeship Agency (RITA) and is governed under The Births and Deaths Registration Act CAP 180. Section 11 and 19 of the Act provides that registration of birth should be entered within three months.

Before one can commence with the process of obtaining a birth certificate in Tanzania, sections 9 to 13 of The Births and Deaths Registration Act requires that births should be registered by the district registrar of a district and signed by the person registering the birth.  Section 11 provides that it’s the duty of the mother or father or anyone who’s aware of the birth of a child to register that birth within three months.

PROCEDURE OF OBTAINING A BIRTH CERTIFICATE 

1. Registration of Birth within Three Months

If the birth occurred in a hospital, health centre or dispensary, you must obtain a Notification of Birth. The notification is prepared to provide information to the District Registrar of the District within which the birth occurred.

If the birth occurred at home, a report shall be handed out to the Village Executive Officer or the District Registrar of Births and Deaths to obtain Notification of Birth. This should also be done within three months.

2. Application for Registration

In order to apply for registration, you must have the necessary documents. They include but are not limited to, a baptism certificate if the child is Christian or a notification issued by either a hospital or the village executive officer or District Registrar of Births and Deaths. Afterwards, you make the appropriate payment feefor the certificate.

3. Registration of Births of children below the age of 10

Any child born within the age of three months to ten years can be registered at the District Office by filling form BD15 which is available at the District offices. Other documents that will accompany the form is a passport picture of the child, Clinic card, Baptismal certificate if applicable, letter from relevant government authorities such as Ward Executive Officer (WEO), Village Executive Officer and so on. After submission of the said documents, payment of appropriate fees has to be made.

4. Registration of Births of children above the age of 10

For any child aged ten years and above is registered by obtaining and filling form BD 15A which is also available at the District Offices. You will also need to affix a passport sized photograph and attach supporting documents which will include: Clinic card, Baptismal certificate if applicable, school leaving certificates, letter from relevant government authorities such as the Ward Executive Officer (WEO), Village Executive Officer), for proof of date birth, place of birth and nationality of parents. Afterwards, the person making the application has to pay the relevant fees.

It should be noted the processing a birth certificate in Tanzania will not be possible if the child was born abroad.