Malawi
A well developed and functioning civil registration system ensures the registration of all vital events including births, marriages and deaths and issues relevant certificates as proof of such registration. Civil registration promotes efficient government planning, effective use of resources and aid, and more accurate monitoring of progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
Birth Registration
| Legal framework for birth registration | National Registration Act of 2010 (operationalized, 1 August 2015)
The Act is universal and compulsory, mandating registration of any birth, death, marriage and adults (age 16 years and above) in Malawi with the National Registration Bureau. |
| Official authorities in charge of registering births | National Registration Bureau |
| Organizational structure | Centralized |
| Is there a legal obligation to register the birth of a child? | Yes |
| Is an official birth certificate issued as a result of birth registration? | Yes, issued within 10 days |
| Legal informant to register a birth | Father and mother, Occupier of the house in which birth occurred, Person present at birth, Any person having charge of such child |
| Time allowed for registration | Within 6 weeks of birth |
| Fee for birth registration | No |
| Can the fee be increased or waived? | No |
| Fee for birth certificate | Yes |
| Penalty for late registration | Yes |
| 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 | Identification of the child’s father, Father’s consent (for children born out of wedlock), Identification of the child’s mother, Mother’s consent, Marriage certificate or proof of marriage, Birth notification, Name of the child, Adoption order (if needed) |
| Information collected | Regarding the child: Name, Date of birth, Sex, Weight at birth, Place of occurrence [of the birth], Type of place of occurrence (hospital, home, etc.), Type of birth (single, twin, triplet and so forth), Date of registration, Place of registration,
Regarding the mother of the child: Date of birth or age, Marital status, Place of usual residence, Place/country of birth, Number of children born alive to the mother during her entire lifetime, Nationality, Date of marriage Regarding the father of the child: Date of birth or age, Place of usual residence, Home address, Nationality, Date of marriage |
| Processing | Manually (on paper), Electronically (via computer or tablet) |
| Place of registration | Mayor’s office, Other district or local authority, Hospital/health centre, Village or commune elder, head or administrator, Place of occurrence of the birth |
| A birth certificate is required for: | Identification, Travel, Education, Inheritance |
| Process for establishing vital statistics on births | The National Registration Bureau has not yet begun producing statistics; the National Statistical Office is the government agency mandated to produce statistics and will be the major partner in the vital statistics production. |
Download sample birth registration form
Data sources: Information on civil registration systems was compiled over a period from December 2016 to November 2017 using the existing relevant legal frameworks and in consultation with CRVS experts, officials within the relevant national institutions, and UNICEF country offices. All reasonable precautions have been taken by UNICEF to verify this country profile; updates will be made to reflect changes in policy and implementation and/or new information.
Marriage Registration
| Legal framework for marriage registration | Marriage, Divorce and Family Relations Bill No. 5 (2015) |
| Official authorities in charge of registering a marriage | National Registration Bureau |
| Organizational structure | Centralized |
| Legal age for marriage | 18 years old for both sexes |
| Is there a legal obligation to register marriages? | Yes |
| Is an official marriage certificate issued as a result of marriage registration? | Yes, immediately |
| Legal informant to register a marriage | Spouses |
| Time allowed for registration | 3 months |
| Fee for marriage registration | No |
| Can the fee be increased or waived? | No |
| Fee for marriage certificate | No |
| Penalty for late registration | No |
| Other official fees involved in the marriage registration process | No |
| Additional registration requirements or fees if one spouse was born outside the country or has dual citizenship | No |
| Requirements for marriage registration | Husband’s presence at registration, Wife’s presence at registration, Proof of wife’s age, Proof of husband’s age, Witness to the marriage |
| Information collected | Regarding the spouses: Date of birth or age of bride, Date of birth or age of groom
Regarding the marriage: Date of occurrence, Date of registration, Place of occurrence, Place of registration |
| Processing | Manually (on paper) |
| Place of registration | District Registration Office, Place of occurrence of the marriage |
| A marriage certificate is required for: | – |
| Process for establishing vital statistics on marriage | – |
Data sources: Information on civil registration systems was compiled over a period from December 2016 to November 2017 using the existing relevant legal frameworks and in consultation with CRVS experts, officials within the relevant national institutions, and UNICEF country offices. All reasonable precautions have been taken by UNICEF to verify this country profile; updates will be made to reflect changes in policy and implementation and/or new information.
Death Registration
| Legal framework for death registration | National Registration Act of 2010 (operationalized, 1 August 2015)
The Act is universal and compulsory, mandating registration of any birth, death, marriage and adults (age 16 years and above) in Malawi with the National Registration Bureau. |
| Official authorities in charge of registering a death | National Registration Bureau |
| Organizational structure | Centralized |
| Is there a legal obligation to register deaths? | Yes |
| Is an official death certificate issued as a result of death registration? | Yes, within 10 days |
| Legal informant to register a death | Relative(s) present at death or in attendance during last illness, Relative(s) dwelling within the district of death, Occupier(s) of the house in which death occurred, Any person(s) finding or reporting the death or arranging the burial |
| Time allowed for registration | 6 weeks |
| Fee for death registration | No |
| Can the fee be increased or waived? | No |
| Fee for death certificate | No |
| Penalty for late registration | Yes |
| Other official fees involved in the death registration process | No |
| Registration requirements or fees specific for the deaths of people who were residents in the country and also of foreign nationality | No |
| Requirements for death registration | Medical death certificate, Birth certificate, Identification card, Date of death, Age at death |
| Information collected | Regarding the deceased: Name, Sex, Date of birth or age, Place of usual residence
Regarding the death: Date of death, Place of occurrence of the death, Type of place of occurrence (hospital, home, etc.), Date of registration, Place of registration, Cause of death, Certifier |
| Information collected in case of fetal death | None |
| Processing | Manually (on paper), Electronically (via computer or tablet) |
| Place of registration | Mayor’s office, Other district or local authority, Hospital/health centre, Village or commune elder, head or administrator, Place of occurrence of the death |
| A death certificate is required for: | Inheritance, Obtaining social assistance |
| Process for establishing vital statistics on deaths | The National Registration Bureau has not yet begun producing statistics; the National Statistical Office is the government agency mandated to produce statistics and will be the major partner in the vital statistics production. |
Download sample death registration form
Data sources: Information on civil registration systems was compiled over a period from December 2016 to November 2017 using the existing relevant legal frameworks and in consultation with CRVS experts, officials within the relevant national institutions, and UNICEF country offices. All reasonable precautions have been taken by UNICEF to verify this country profile; updates will be made to reflect changes in policy and implementation and/or new information.