Initial Birth Registration

Requirements

  • Mother and father’s national identity documents.
  • Both parents must be present to sign declaration of paternity if customarily married or not married.
  • Birth confirmation record from the hospital or clinic where applicable.
  • Health card where applicable.
  • Witness preferably birth attendant where applicable. If the child is above the age of sixteen, two witnesses are required.
  • Marriage certificate where applicable.
  • Where parents are in a registered marriage, one parent can register the child.
  • Single mothers are eligible to register their children in their maiden names.
  • Where one parent is deceased, the surviving spouse must bring the death certificate, near relative of the deceased and the above supporting documents.
  • Where both parents are deceased, the death certificates are required and near relatives from both sides (maternal and paternal) should be present to register the birth.
  • Letter from school for children above the age of six (6) years.
  • Where the child is above the age of sixteen (16), he/she must be present at the time of registration and must simultaneously be issued with a national identity document.

Statutory fee

Normal              –       Free (6 years and below)

–       US$5.00 (Above the age of 6 years)

Processing time

Normal              –       1 day (If notice of birth is given to the

Registrar of District of child’s birth)  –       3 days (For applications from other districts).

NB: 1. Birth certificates (Initial) are issued for free to children 6 years and below.

The Department issues computerised and manual birth certificates and both are authentic documents.

The Department’s services are provided at Central Registry, all the 10 Provincial Registry Offices, 63 District Registry Offices, 206 sub-offices and foreign missions

Harare, Zimbabwe
(Mon - Sat)
(8am - 5pm)