Civil Registration;
Registration of a Birth Occurred at Home
- Inform the Grama Niladari within 07 days of the birth is occurred.
- Grama Niladari shall send a report to the registrar of the area.
- The birth is registered by the registrar of births and deaths of the area where birth has occurred.
- Duly filled declaration of birth shall submit to the registrar of births and deaths of the area. Declaration of birth can be obtained from the registrar.
- Persons required to give information,
- Father
- Mother
- Each person present at the birth
- Person have in charge of the child
- Birth may be register free of charge within a period of 03 months. Birth can be registered after 03 months. Please see the delayed registration of births.
- Certificate of birth is issued to the informant free of charge.
Registration of a Birth Occurred in a Private Hospital
- The Birth is registered by the Registrar of births and deaths of the area where birth occurred. If the birth has occurred at a private hospital, inform the Registrar of that area for registration of such birth.
- Appropriate persons for informing of a birth for registration
- Father
- Mother
- Person present at the time of occurrence of the birth
- Medical Officer of the Hospital
- Obtain the relevant declaration from the Registrar of births and deaths for informing the birth.
- Documents to be submitted
- Duly perfected declaration
- Hospital report issued in proof of the occurance of the birth
- A birth can be registered free of charge within a period of 03 months.
- A copy of the birth certificate is issued to the informant free of charge.
- Visit the Additional District Registrar of the Divisional Secretariat at your nearest for further information.
Registration of a Birth Occurred in a Rural Hospital
- The birth is registered by the Registrar of births and deaths of the area where birth occurred. If the birth has occurred at a Rural Hospital, inform the Registrar of that area for registration of such birth.
- Appropriate persons for informing of a birth for registration
- Father
- Mother
- Person present at the time of occurrence of the birth
- Medical Officer of the hospital
- Obtain the relevant declaration from the Registrar of births and deaths for informing the birth.
- Documents to be submitted
- Duly perfected declaration
- Hospital report issued in proof of the occurance of the birth
- A birth can be registered free of charge within a period of 03 months.
- A copy of the birth certificate is issued to the informant free of charge.
Visit the Additional District Registrar of the Divisional Secretariat at your nearest for further information.
Registration of a Birth Occurred in a General Hospital
- Inform the Registrar of births and deaths at the General Hospital for registration of birth.
- Appropriate persons for informing of a Birth for registration
- Father
- Mother
- Person present at the time of occurrence of the birth
- Medical Officer of the Hospital
- Obtain the relevant declaration from the Registrar of births and deaths at the General Hospital for informing the birth.
- Documents to be submitted
- Duly perfected declaration
- Hospital report issued in proof of the occurance of the Birth
- A Birth can be registered free of charge within a period of 03 months.
- A copy of the Birth Certificate is issued to the informant free of charge.
Visit the Additional District Registrar of the Divisional Secretariat at your nearest for further information.
Registration of a Birth Occurred at a Foreign Country
- Births of children born to Sri Lankan parents in foreign countries can be registered.
- Birth should be registered at the Ambassador/ High Commission of Sri Lanka in the country where birth occurred.
- Appropriate persons for informing a birth for registration,
- Father
- Mother
- Guardian
- Declaration to inform the birth can obtained from the Ambassador's / Commissioner's Office of Sri Lanka.
- Documents to be submitted
- Duly perfected declaration
- Relevant documents in proof of the birth
- A birth can registered free of charge within a period of 03 months.
- A copy of the birth certificate is issued to the informant free of charge.
- Births of persons occurred in a foreign country and not registered there and presently have arrived in Sri Lanka can be registered.
- Further information on this regard can be obtained from the Assistant Registrar General of the Central Record Room of the Registrar General's Department. Telephone: +94 112329773 or +94 112433075
Obtain a Certified Copy of the Certificate of Birth
- Refer the application to the Divisional Secretariat of the area in which the place of birth is occurred.
- Application can be obtained from any Divisional Secretariat.
- Fees chargeable
- If the number of the certificate of birth & the registered date is known Rs.25.00
- If don't know the number of the certificate of birth or the registered date,
- for search of birth registers for period of 03 months Rs.50.00
- for search of birth registers for period of 02 years Rs.100.00
- Required fee should be affixed in the application form by stamps.
- Duly filled application should be submit to the Divisional Secretariat.
- If you like to obtain the birth certificate by post, submit a stamped envelop with the application.
If the birth is registered a birth certificate will be send and if the birth is not registered a letter to the effect will be send.
Alteration of Information in a Birth Register
- In a Birth certificate,
- Information in cage 01 (Date & place of birth)
- Information in cage 03 (Sex)
- Information in cage 05 (Information of mother - if mother's name has been changed after the registration of the birth, it is not possible under this provision)
- Information in cage 09 (Informant's information) may be altered
- Produce the declaration to the Additional District Registrar of the Divisional Secretariat of the area where birth occurred.
- The declaration should be produced by
- Owner of the birth certificate
- Father or Mother
- Legal guardian
- A person who is dissatisfied with any of the information appearing in the birth register
- Stamps to be affixed to the declaration is Rs. 5/-
- A certified copy of the birth register to be amended should be essentially attached to the declaration.
- Following are some written evidences which may be produced to substantiate the request made in the declaration,
- Parents' marriage certificate
- List of children/ brothers and sisters
- Birth certificate of father/ mother
- Birth certificate of a child born after the registration of parents' marriage
- In case there is no child born after the registration of the marriage of parents, birth certificate of a elder or younger child of the subject
- Certified copies of records available in hospitals, maternity homes or midwife's records
- Student's record sheet, extract of the school admission register
- Copy of the electoral register where names of the subject and parents are included
- If father is deceased, his death certificate
Adoption of a Child
- Age of the adoptee child should not be more than 14years.
- Requirements to be met by the applicant
- He / She should be more than 25 years of age
- The age gap between the applicant and the adoptee child should be at least 21 years
- This will not apply if the child concerned is a descendant of the applicant / his brother or sister / any of their married partners
- Child's consent is required if he / she is over 10 years old
- Spouses (husband and wife) should produce an application
- Order of adoption is issued by the District Court
- This order should be registered at the Registrar General's Department
- Birth of the adoption child can be re-registered
- Following documents should be submitted for re-registration of such birth
- application for re-registration of birth
- Parents' marriage certificate
- parents' birth certificates
- Adoption certificate
- The application for re-registration of a birth should be produced to the Zonal Office of the Registrar General's Department to which the area where the child is born belongs to.
Issue of Probable Age Certificates
- Certificates of probable age are issued to children under 14 yrs. of issued to children under 14 yrs. of age whose birth cannot be registered.
- Certificates of probable age are issued to,
- Resident children of a children's home approved by the government.
- Children who are under the guardianship of persons other than children's homes approved by the government
- Documents to be submitted by the resident children of a children's home approved by the government.
- Affidavit of the matron of the children's home
- Medical certificate issued by a government medical officer determining the age of the child
- Other documents containing information of the child (if any)
- Documents to be submitted by the children other than residents of a children's home approved by the government together with the declaration;
- Affidavit of the guardian
- Documents in proof of the guardianship of the guardians regarding the child concerned
- Grama Niladhari certificate or
- Certificate of the probation and Childcare Service Officer
- Certificate from the Social Services Department
- Certificate issued by the Inspector of Police
- Medical certificate issued by a government medical officer determining the age of the child
- Health Development Record
- Copy of the school admission register if the child attends school
Contact Additional District Registrar of the Divisional Secretariat at your nearest for further information
Registration of Past Births
- If a birth has not been registered with 03 months since its occurrence it may be registered.
- Declaration should be produced to the Additional District Registrar of the Divisional Secretariat where birth occurred.
- Persons eligible for this
- Any party having interest of
- One of the parents
- Stamps to be affixed to the declaration
- within 12 months of occurrence - Rs. 1.00
- more than 12 months of occurrence - Rs. 5.00
- Only the following documents should be submitted with the declarations produced within one year since the occurrences of the birth.
- Marriage certificate of parents if they are married
- One of following documents in proof of the date and place of birth of the subject.
- Hospital birth report or certified copy
- Grama Niladhari birth report or certified copy
- Estate birth report or certified copy
- Public Health Officer's certificate
- Following documents should be produced with the declaration produced after one year since occurrence of the birth.
- Marriage certificate of parents if they are married
- Nil result sheet
- One of the following documents indicating date and place of birth of the person
- Hospital report of certified copy
- Grama Niladhari report or certified copy
- Estate birth report or certified copy
- Copy of the Midwife's birth register
- In case of non-possession of any of the above documents,
- Health development record
- Certificate of baptism
- Certified copy of the school admission register / pupil's record sheet
- Estate welfare officer's report
- Horoscope of the record of time prepared on a proximate date to the day on which the birth occurred
If any of these documents are not available, declaration including details having knowledge of and an affidavit.
Translate Birth Certificate
- Offices of the Department where service of sworn translators can be received are given below.
- Translations which can be obtained,
- Sinhala - English
- Tamil - English
- English - Sinhala
- English – Tamil
- Time for receiving of applications
- From 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
- Applications may be obtained from the offices where sworn translators are available.
- Documents to be submitted
- Duly completed application.
- Original or certified copy of birth certificate obtained from a Divisional Secretariat of the document to be translated.
- Stamped envelope if translations are to be received by post.
- Fees for translations
Rs. 100.00 for one copy
(Stamps should be affixed to relevant value)
Places where you can obtain Sinhala - English & English - Sinhala Translations of Birth certificates
|
Place |
Office |
Telephone No. |
|
Anuradhapura |
Land Registry |
0252222201 |
|
Awissawella |
Land Registry |
0362222204 |
|
Battaramulla |
Head Office |
0112889488 |
|
Colombo |
Land Registry |
0112692652 |
|
Delkada |
Land Registry |
0112815316 |
|
Elapatha |
Divisional Secretariat |
0452230038 |
|
Galle |
Land & District Registry |
0912234097 |
|
Gampaha |
Land Registry |
0332222315 |
|
Gampola |
Land Registry |
0812352273 |
|
Horana |
Land Registry |
0342260086 |
|
Kaduwela |
Divisional Secretariat |
0112561021 |
|
Kekirawa |
Divisional Secretariat |
0252264587 |
|
Kandy |
Land Registry |
0812222058 |
|
Kurunegala |
Zonal Office (North Central) |
0372228830 |
|
Matale |
Land Registry |
0662222727 |
|
Matara |
Land Registry |
0412222279 |
|
Matugama |
Land Registry |
0342247208 |
|
Nochchiyagama |
Divisional Secretariat |
0252257838 |
|
Panadura |
Land Registry |
0382232569 |
|
Passara |
Divisional Secretariat |
0552288138 |
|
Polonnaruwa |
Land Registry |
0272222320 |
|
Rajanganaya |
Divisional Secretariat |
0252257480 |
|
Tangalle |
Land Registry |
0472240200 |
|
Thambalagamuwa |
Divisional Secretariat |
0252276236 |
|
Trincomalee |
Land & District Registry |
0262222410 |
|
Udunuwara |
Divisional Secretariat |
0812315436 |
Places where you can obtain Tamil - English & English - Tamil Translations of Birth certificates
|
Place |
Office |
Telephone No. |
|
Batticaloa |
Land Registry |
0652222395 |
|
Jaffna |
Land Registry |
0212225681 |
|
Kalmunai |
Divisional Secretariat |
0672229599 |
|
Mannar |
Land Registry |
0232222009 |
|
Point Pedro |
Land Registry |
0212263272 |















