Duplicate Birth Certificate and Copy of Original Birth Certificate

How to Get Copy of the Original Birth Certificate

Each state in India, has their own birth registration offices, so if a person has lost or misplaced their birth-certificate, they can get another copy of it by applying in the same office, as it is mandatory for such offices to keep and maintain their old -record.

One needs a birth-certificate for several purposes such as

1. Admission in school and jobs in government offices.
2. Registration of marriage.
3. It is an essential document to be submitted with filled passport form. A person born after 1 July 1987 can not get a passport, till they submit a copy of their birth-certificate.
4. For driving-license application.

An Indian citizen can get a Copy (duplicate) of original birth certificate only in the following circumstances

1. In case , the applicant had original birth certificate, when a person does not have an original birth certificate, or he / she has never applied for a birth certificate they can not apply for a copy of the birth certificate, in that case they will have to follow the procedure of, “Non- Availability of Birth Certificate”.
2. In case, the applicant has lost or misplaced the original certificate.

There is no such thing as duplicate birth certificate, when a person looses or misplaces their original birth certificate; they can get another copy of the birth certificate by;

1. Applying with the ward office of the concerned municipal corporation, this indicates to that municipal corporation where the birth of the child was registered or from where, the misplaced copy of birth- certificate was obtained. In order to get another copy of the birth certificate, one needs to submit a nominal fee. In India, some states provide an application form for another copy of birth-certificate, while some states ask the applicant to write a letter to the ward-officer, explaining their problem and requesting them to issue another copy of the same.

2. Second way, to obtain another copy of birth certificate is by filling and sending an application to the Public Health Department of one’s country of birth, along with the necessary fee. The form can be obtained from the same office.

3. The last way, is by sending the application through fax to the health department office, with the required amount of fee through cheque.

There is nothing like a duplicate death, birth or marriage certificate. One can get as many copies as they want of their birth certificate by applying in any of the above ways, with the required fees. Photocopies of birth, marriage and death certificate is not legally valid, only their first-original, second original or third original and so on copies are legally valid. New Delhi Municipal Corporation charges Rs. 5 for every additional copy of the birth-certificate.