| Legal framework for birth registration |
Law No. 2009-010 (11 June 2009) |
| Official authorities in charge of registering births |
Civil registration is placed under the joint supervision of the Minister of Territorial Administration and the Minister of Justice, who oversee its organization, operation and control (article 2).
Vital event declarations are received by mayors or delegates in municipalities, and by ambassadors, chargés d’affaires or consuls in the field of diplomatic or consular representations (article 5). |
| Organizational structure |
Decentralized |
| Is there a legal obligation to register the birth of a child? |
Yes (article 18) |
| Is an official birth certificate issued as a result of birth registration? |
Yes, immediately |
| Legal informant to register a birth |
Parents, Doctor, Midwife;
The declaration of birth is the responsibility of one of the child’s parents, any person authorized by one of the parents and, failing that, by the doctor or the midwife in accordance with the legal provisions in force (article 18). |
| Time allowed for registration |
45 days (article 18) |
| Fee for birth registration |
Yes, fees currently vary by municipality. However, fees for the registration of vital events shall be harmonized throughout the national territory by joint decree of the Minister of Finance and Minister of Territorial Administration (article 8). |
| Can the fee be increased or waived? |
No |
| Fee for birth certificate |
Yes, included in birth registration cost |
| Penalty for late registration |
Yes, a cost for supplementary judgment to register a birth after 45 days;
Fines are applicable to anyone who is legally bound to declare a birth or death but fails to do so (article 39). However, this does not seem to be enforced. |
| Other official fees involved in the birth registration process |
No |
| Requirements or fees specific to children who are eligible for citizenship but were born outside the country |
No |
| Requirements or fees specific to children whose parents are foreign nationals |
No |
| Requirements for birth registration |
Medical certificate of birth, Identity cards of the parents, Identity card of declarant if not one of the parents |
| Information collected |
Regarding the child: Name, Sex, Date of birth, Date of registration, Place of occurrence, Place of registration, Type of place of occurrence (hospital, home, etc.), Attendant at birth
Regarding the mother of the child: Date of birth or age, Place of usual residence, Number of children born alive to the mother during her lifetime, Number of fetal deaths born to the mother during her lifetime, Date of birth or age, Place of usual residence, Occupation, Nationality, Marital status
Regarding the father of the child: Date of birth or age, Place of usual residence, Occupation, Nationality, Marital status |
| Processing |
Manually (on paper) |
| Place of registration |
Central offices in the prefectures or municipalities, Secondary offices within a prefecture
The secondary offices are usually established in densely populated cantons or villages, with the aim of facilitating access to civil status services. |
| A birth certificate is required for: |
Identification, Education, Inheritance, Voting, Obtaining social assistance |
| Process for establishing vital statistics on births |
The National Institute for Statistics and Economic and Demographic Studies (INSEED) coordinates the national statistical system and the production of official statistics and has the responsibility to produce vital statistics. Once data have been collected, the Regional Directorates carry out the entry of the components and send a copy of the information to INSEED headquarters. The collection is left to the civil registrars who, at their discretion, invite statistical processing to the regional statistical offices. |
75.7 PER 1,000 LIVE BIRTHS
7,305,000
75.7 PER 1,000 LIVE BIRTHS
7,305,000
