Birth & Death Certificates

 Birth & Death Certificates

 Personal documents on offer include:

 • Initial Birth Certificates.

 • Duplicate long Birth Certificates.

 • Duplicate Death Certificates.

 • External Birth Certificates.

 • Non-Citizen Birth Certificates.

 • Abridged birth Certificates.

 • Authentications.

 • Death Certificates.

 • Export of bodies.

   To obtain these documents clients are required to meet the following conditions:

  Initial Birth Registation

 Current birth registration

 A current birth registration can be done for children born in a medical institution within one year fromthe date of birth.

  a (i) Children born in hospital

 Where parents are legally married, and were married before the child was born the following documents are required:

  • Mother and father's national identity cards

 • Birth confirmation record from the hospital or clinic

 • Marriage certificate

 • Only one of the parents can register the child but must bring the national identity card for the other spouse.

 • Where one or both parents are deceased relevant death certificates are required. Surviving spouse or relatives can register the child as the case may be

  Where parents are not legally married the following documents are required:

 • Mother and father's identity cards

 • A birth confirmation record from hospital or clinic

 • Both parents must be present to sign a declaration of paternity

 • Where one or both parents are deceased relevant death certificates are required.

 • Surviving spouse or relatives can register the child, as the case may be.  The surviving spouse should sign the declaration of paternity

 • Single mothers are free to register their children under their maiden name, if the biological father refuses to acknowledge paternity or his whereabouts are unknown.

   a (ii) Children born out of hospital

 Where parents are legally married, the following documents are required:

 • Mother and fathers national identity cards

 • A marriage certificate

 • A baptismal certificate or

 • One witness with a national identity card, preferably a midwife. In the case of a child bornon a farm, a witness or a letter from the farmer, confirming the birth of that child at the respective farm.

 • Either parent can register the child but must bring national identity card for the other spouse.

 • Where one or both parents are deceased relevant death certificates are required.  Surviving spouse or relatives can register the child, as the case may be. 

 Where the parents are not legally married, the following documents are required:-

  • Mother and father's national identity cards.

 • A baptismal certificate or

 • One witness with a national identity card, preferably a midwife.  In the case of a child born on a farm, a witness or a letter (declaration form supplied by the office) from the farmer.

 • Both parents must be present to sign a declaration of paternity

 • Where one or both parents are deceased relevant death certificates are required.  Surviving spouse or relatives can register the child as the case may be.  The surviving spouse should sign the declaration of paternity.

 • Single mothers are free to register their children under their maiden name, if thebiological father refuses to acknowledge paternity or his whereabouts are unknown.

  a (3) Late birth registration for children registered after one year from the date of birth.

           A late birth registration can be done for children born in a medical institution or outsidea   medical institution after one year from the date of birth.

  a (3.1) Children born in hospital/clinic

  Where parents are legally married the following documents are required:

 • Mother and father's national identity cards

 • Marriage certificate

 • Birth confirmation record from the hospital or clinic

 • Either parent can register the child but must bring the national identity of the other spouse.

 • Children who are sixteen years of age and above must be present at the time of registration and must produce their identity cards if he/she was issued with one.

  Where parents are not legally married, the following documents have to be produced:

 • Mother and father's national identity cards.

 • Birth confirmation record from the hospital or clinic

 • Both parents must be present to sign a declaration of paternity

 Where one or both parents are deceased relevant death certificates are required.Surviving spouse or relatives can register the child, as the case may be.

 • Single mothers are free to register their children under their maiden name, if the biological father refuses to acknowledge paternity or his whereabouts are unknown

 • Children who are sixteen years and above must be present at the time of registration and must produce their identity cards

   a (3.2) Children born out of hospital

 Where parents are legally married, the following documents are required:

 • Mother and father's national identity cards

 • Marriage certificate

 • A baptismal certificate or

 • One witness, if the child is under sixteen years of age and two witnesses if the child is sixteen years and above.  In the case of a child born on a farm, a witness/s or letter (Declaration form supplied by office) from the farmer.

 • Where one or both parents are deceased relevant death certificates are required. 

 Surviving spouse or relatives can register the child as the case may be.  The surviving spouse should sign the declaration of paternity

  Where parents are not legally married, the following documents are required:

 •    Mother and father's national identity cards

 • Baptismal certificate

 • One witness, if the child is under sixteen years of age and two witnesses if the child is sixteen years and above

 • Both parents must be present to sign a declaration of paternity

 • Where one or both parents are deceased relevant death certificates are required. Surviving spouse or relatives can register the child as the case may be.

 • Single mothers are free to register their children under their maiden name, if the biological father refuses to acknowledge paternity or his whereabouts are unknown.

 • Children who are sixteen years and above must be present at the time of registration and must produce their identity cards if he/she was issued with one.

  a(4) Self Registration

 Self registrations are exceptional cases and are determined by the District Registrar and confirmed bythe Provincial Registrar.

  Applicants are required to produce the following documents:

 • A National Identity card of the applicant.

 • A baptismal certificate, if the child was baptized (within six months of birth).

 • National Identity card of a near relative.

 • A letter from the employer, if employed.

 • In each case, citizenship status must be established beyond doubt.

   Statutory fees for application for initial registration are presently as follows.

 They are however subject to change when necessary:

 • For children under 6 years of age: FREE.

 • For children above 6 years: US$2 (Initial).

  Processing time

 Registration at District of Birth - one day

 Registration of Birth of a child born in another district - six weeks because of processing and communication between districts.

    Issuance of duplicate full birth certificates

 Statutory fee for

 • Normal processing: US$5.

 • Urgent processing: US$10.

  Requirements:

 • Applicant's birth entry number.

 • If the applicant does not have a birth entry number he/she will furnish the office with the date or yearwhen his/her birth was initially registered and pay US$10 search fee for each year provided.

 • Applicant's Identity document.

  Minimum processing time

 Normal birth certificate - 5 working days.

  Urgent birth certificate - 24 hours

    Issuance of duplicate death certificate

 Statutory fee for:

 • Normal processing: US$5.

 • Urgent processing: US$10.

  Requirements

 • The death entry number for the deceased.

 • If the deceased was married a marriage certificate should be produced and the surviving spouse must apply for the certificate.

 • If the couple was customarily married or cohabiting the spouse must call at the office with relativesof the deceased.

 Minimum processing time

 Normal death certificate - 5 working days.

 Urgent death certificates - 24 hours.

    External birth registrations

  Issued to persons born out of Zimbabwe to Zimbabwean Citizens other than by descent.

  Statutory fee for:

 • Normal processing: US$50.

  Requirements

 • Both parents to provide Zimbabwean passports and their Zimbabwe Identity Cards.

 • Marriage certificate (if not married both parents must acknowledge paternity)

 • Foreign birth certificate

  Minimum processing time

 Normal birth certificate - 10 working days.

 Urgent birth certificates - 24 hours.

    Non-citizen birth registrations

 These are birth certificates issued to children of foreign Nationals (visitors and expatriates).

  Statutory fee for:

 • Normal processing: US$25.

 • Urgent processing: US$30.

  Requirements

 • Foreign passports for both parents.

 • Marriage certificate (if not married both parents must acknowledge paternity) if the marriagecertificate is in foreign language, recognised authorities must translate it.

  Processing time

 Normal birth certificate - 10 working days.

 Urgent birth certificate - 5 days.

   Adoptions

 Requirements

 • Child's birth certificates.

 • Four copies of the order of adoption.

 • A statutory fee of US$2.

  Processing time

 10 working days.

 Correction of errors

 Statutory fee

 • Normal processing: US$7.

 • Urgent processing: US$12.

  Requirements

 Documentary evidence e.g. school certificates or hospital records must be produced to substantiate thecorrection.

  Processing time

 Normal correction - 5 working days.

 Urgent correction - 24 hours.

    Change of surnames and names

 Requirements

 Change of surname by Notorial Deed plus publication evidence

 • Statutory fee of US$105 for normal processing.

 • Additional US$5 per urgent processing.

  Change of first names.

 • Statutory fee of US$7 for normal processing.

 • Statutory fee of US$12 for urgent processing.

 • Documentary evidence should be produced to substantiate any changes to be made.

  Processing time

 Normal - 5 working days.

 Urgent - 24 hours.

  Legitimation

 Requirements

 • Affidavit from the mother consenting that the child assumes the father's surname and stating thename of the father of the child.

 • Affidavit from the father confirming that he is the father of the child and he now wants the child toassume his surname.

 • If either parent is deceased an affidavit from a close relative of the deceased must call at the officewith an identity card.

 • A statutory fee of US$50.

 • Both parents to present themselves at the office with affidavits.

  Processing time

 1 to 2 months.

   Authentications

 Requirements

 • A statutory fee of US$50.

 • Applicant's birth certificate.

  Processing time

 5 working days.

 Correction of errors on death certificates 5 days

    Import of bodies

  Where a person or next of kin applies to bring in a deceased person's body for burial in Zimbabwe.

  Requirements

 • The deceased person's National Identity document.

 • Deceased person's passport.

 • No objection letter, for health reasons, from our Ministry of Health.

 • No objection letter from the exporting country where the person died.

 • A death certificate from the exporting country.

 • Embalmation certificate from the exporting country.

 • A certificate of non infectious disease/non epidemic from the exporting country.

 • Finally, check for the customs clearance stamp and advice note or waybill on the consignment.

  NB: Photocopies of required documents from the exporting country should be submitted to the District

 Registrar of the port of entry or the Registrar General in advance to enable him to obtain a no objection letter from the Ministry of Health and to confirm particulars of the Deceased.

  The Ministry of Foreign Affairs plays a facilitative role by liaising with our Foreign Missions or the countries concerned.

  Export of bodies

  Where a next of kin applies to take out the body of a deceased person for burial outside the country.

  Requirements

 • A no objection letter from the importing country where the body will be buried.

 • A no objection letter for health reasons, from the Ministry of Health.

 • A non-infectious disease certificate from the Doctor who last attended the deceased.

 • A form BD.11 completed by the hospital where the person died or any other person as prescribed.

 • A form BD.12 issued by the Doctor who last attended the deceased.

 • The deceased person's National Identity card or passport as the case may be.

 • Embalmation certificate from the embalmer.

 • On receipt of the above documents, all being in order, the District Registrar can issue a burial orderand a death certificate to the applicant.