Home Affairs has announced the readiness of the Regulations governing the implementation of the amendments to the Births and Deaths Registration Act which were passed into law in December 2010. These amendments will thus now be implemented.

The department’s briefing reiterated that the amendments govern:

• Registration of children by persons other than their biological parents (which is no longer permitted unless the parents are dead or have abandoned the child);
• Registration of orphans and abandoned children;
• Paternity-related issues;
• Registration of births beyond 30 days of birth;
• Registration of adopted children;
• Enhanced security features through the inclusion of the particulars of the parents on the birth certificate.

Most critically, registrations of all births after 30 days of birth are now regarded as late birth registrations (previously it was after a year of birth). Births can only be registered by parents, unless deceased, within 30 days of the birth.

The Department provides a useful and detailed synopsis of the birth registration process and requirements.

WEB LINKS FOR THIS ARTICLE

Click here to view the briefing and process requirements.