What are Birth Certificates
Almost everybody has this piece of paper tucked in a box or filed for safekeeping. If you were born legally in a hospital, you probably have this piece of paper; a birth certificate. Thousands of newborn babies come into a Singaporean hospital every day, and all of them are issued a birth certificate. We look into the process to translate and notarize birth certificate in Singapore.
A birth certificate is a document that is issued by the government that records the birth of a child for tax, military, and census purposes. It serves as a proof of identity showing information such as the individual’s age and citizenship status.
An official birth certificate contains personal information such as:
- Full Name (first, last, and middle)
- Age, Sex, Race
- Date and Place of birth
- Parent’s names, ages, and places of birth
- Name and address of the attending physician or midwife
Not all birth certificates will be the same as some may have fewer data shown while others may be incomplete at the time the birth certificate was issued. However, this document should be kept safe and secure at all times.
What Do I Need a Birth Certificate For
Certified birth certificates are a necessary identification document for a variety of legal purposes.
Here is some reason that birth certificates may be necessary:
- Obtaining your passport
- Getting your driver’s license
- Gaining employment
- Enrolling in school
- Getting Married
- Genealogy or Family History
- Domestic or International Adoption
- Signing up for youth sports program
How to Get a Birth Certificate in Singapore
In Singapore, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority registers the births. All births must be registered at a gazette birth registration center. Registering the child can be done by their parent or a proxy on behalf of the parent with a letter of authorization. Once they are registered, a birth certificate is issued.
The ICA comments on birth certificates with citizen information; A child born with a claim to Singapore citizenship will have a remark on their birth certificate stating that “this child is not a citizen of Singapore at the time of birth”. While a child born with a claim to Singapore citizenship will have “this child is a citizen of Singapore at the time of birth”.
All of the Singaporean birth certificates are laminated at the time that it is issued.
You should register the birth of your child within 14 calendar days from the date of birth and no later than 42 days. Any delay may require a letter from the parent explaining the reason for the late registration. These appeals can only be done at the Registry of Birth and Deaths at ICA Building.
Translate and Notarize Birth Certificate: The Documents Required
For walk-in registration, make sure you have these documents:
- Notification of Live Birth issued by the/doctor/midwife/hospital
- The Identity Cards of the child’s parents
- The original marriage certificate of the child’s parents (if the parents are married)
- A letter of authorization from the child’s parents (if the birth is registered by proxy).
Foreigners will need to provide additional original documents including:
- Passports of the child’s parents
- Long-Term Passcards of the child’s parents
- Embarkation/Disembarkation cards of the child’s parents
Certified and Notarized Translations will be required when the documents are not written in English. The ICA accepts:
- Translations provided by the embassy of the country that issued the document
- Translations produced by a notary public in Singapore or the country that issued the document
- Privately created translations attested by the embassy of the country that issued the document or notarised by a notary public in Singapore or the country that issued the document
- Insufficient documents or translation may result in the delay of your child’s birth certificate registration
Where to Register
You can register your child’s birth online using the Moments of Life app or at the counter of any Registry of Births & Deaths at ICA or gazetted birth registration centers.
- Birth Registration Centre
- Gleneagles Hospital
- KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital
- Mount Alvernia Hospital
- Mount Elizabeth Hospital
- Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital
- National University Hospital
- Parkway East Hospital
- Raffles Hospital
- Singapore General Hospital
- Thomson Medical Centre
Online Birth Registration
Singaporean parents using the Moments of Life app can also apply for Baby Bonus at the same time. It’s a smart nation initiative to support citizens at different moments of their lives. The app is available to the following people:
- One of the parents is a Singapore citizen
- Both parents have a SingPass account
- Parents’ marriage is registered in Singapore at the time of the child’s birth
- The baby is born at any of the hospitals gazetted as birth registration centers
Download the app for free at IOS App Store or Android Google Play Store.
Walk-In Registration
You can walk in to register the birth at the gazetted birth registration centers or at the Registry of Births & Deaths at ICA. The address is:
Registry of Births & Deaths
Citizen Services Centre
ICA Building
10 Kallang Road, Level 3 (next to Lavender MRT station)
Singapore 208718
Operating hours are normally 8.00 am to 4.30 pm from Mondays to Fridays, and 8.00 am to 12.30 pm on Saturdays.
Expect Longer-than-average waiting times during the following peak times:
Mondays, Fridays, Saturdays
School holidays
The day before or after a public holiday
Fees
Birth Certificate registration is a one-time S$18 fee, payable using NETS or CashCard.
Birth registration centers may charge additional administrative fees on top of the S$18.
Processing Time
Birth registration and collection can be completed on the spot if all the required documents are present. Parents can choose to collect the certificate at the hospital where the baby was born or go to the ICA Registry of Births and Deaths.
If you have registered the birth via the Moments of Life app, you’ll be required to set up an e-Appointment to collect the birth certificate at ICA Registry of Births and Death center.
Translate and Notarize Birth Certificate: What is Certified Translation and Notarized Translation
Certified translations are required when you’re submitting official documents or documents that need a translation agency to determine the readings are an accurate representation of the document.
Typically required when submitting legal documents that the language isn’t the official language of Singapore including:
- Legal Documents such as written statements, will, affidavit, and bank statements
- Official Certificates such as Death Certificates, Marriage Certificates, Divorce
- Certificates, Birth Certificates, Driving Licenses, and any type of Identification Card.
- Regulatory Documents
- Patents
Certified translations don’t need to be translated by a certified translator, but requires a qualified translator that certifies the exact translation of the original document.
An official stamp and a signed certificate will be included in the completed translation to show proof to government officials.
A notary translation is a certified translation approved by a lawyer from a translation notary official. These notarized documents are required by some schools when submitting documents such as high school transcripts and foreign diplomas.
The difference between a certified translation and notarized translation is more about fulfilling the formal requirements of the document, not the quality of the translation.
Translate and Notarize Birth Certificate in Singapore: Why do Birth Certificates Need To Be Translated and Notarized
In Singapore, anything government-related activities will need a form of identification such as a Birth Certificate.
This is crucial is you’re looking to immigrate to Singapore. Work Visas and passports will need to be certified translated to ensure your birth document aligns with ICA requirements. Many Malaysian citizens come to Singapore to work and after years of working in Singapore, some decide to become a Singapore Citizen. This is when they need to translate their Malay Birth Certificate to English and get it notarised before submitting to ICA for PR application.
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