Namibia
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 | Births, Marriages and Deaths Registration Act, No. 81 (1963) |
| Official authorities in charge of registering births | Ministry of Health (notification);
Ministry of Home Affairs (registration) |
| 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, immediately |
| Legal informant to register a birth | Mother or father, Guardian, Social worker |
| Time allowed for registration | 14 days (urban areas), 28 days (rural areas) |
| Fee for birth registration | No |
| Can the fee be increased or waived? | – |
| Fee for birth certificate | No |
| Penalty for late registration | No |
| 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, Identification of the child’s mother, Mother’s consent, Marriage certificate or proof of marriage (if applicable), Birth notification from hospital, Name of the child
If the child is orphaned or abandoned, a report from social worker is required; the social worker will choose a name and surname for the child if unknown. |
| Information collected | Regarding the child: Name, Date of birth, Sex, Date of registration, Place of occurrence, Type of place of occurrence (hospital, home, etc.), Name of health facility (if applicable), Place of registration, Type of birth (single, twin, triplet and so forth)
Regarding the mother of the child: Date of birth or age, Marital status, Date of marriage, Educational attainment, Place of usual residence, Place/country of birth, Birth order parity Regarding the father of the child: Date of birth or age, Marital status, Date of marriage, Educational attainment, Place of usual residence |
| Processing | Manually (on paper), Electronically (via computer or tablet) |
| Place of registration | Civil registrar’s office, Magistrate office, Hospital/health centre, Place of occurrence of the birth |
| A birth certificate is required for: | Identification, Travel, Education, Voting, Inheritance, Obtaining social assistance |
| Process for establishing vital statistics on births | The data are processed on an annual basis at the Namibia Statistics Agency. |
Download sample birth registration form
Download sample birth certificate
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 Act No. 25 (1961) and amendments |
| Official authorities in charge of registering a marriage | Ministry of Home Affairs and Immigration |
| Organizational structure | Centralized |
| Legal age for marriage | 21 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 | Marriage officer |
| Time allowed for registration | 3 days |
| Fee for marriage registration | Yes |
| 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 | Presence of spouses at solemnization, Proof of spouses’ age, Witness to the marriage |
| Information collected | Regarding the spouses: Date of birth or age of bride, Place of usual residence of bride, Date of birth or age of groom, Place of usual residence of groom, Identification numbers of spouses
Regarding the marriage: Date of occurrence, Place of occurrence, Place of registration, Designation number and full name of marriage officer |
| Processing | Manually (on paper), Electronically (via computer or tablet) |
| Place of registration | Civil registrar’s office, Place of occurrence of the marriage |
| A marriage certificate is required for: | Registering children, Accessing health services, Transferring or sharing land ownership |
| Process for establishing vital statistics on marriage | Data on marriage registration are currently not processed by the Namibia Statistics Agency. |
Download sample marriage registration form
Download sample marriage certificate
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 | Births, Marriages and Deaths Registration Act, No. 81 (1963) |
| Official authorities in charge of registering a death | Ministry of Health and Social Service, and Police (notification);
Ministry of Home Affairs and Immigration, Department of Civil Registration (registration) |
| 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, immediately |
| Legal informant to register a death | Relative [of the deceased], Police |
| Time allowed for registration | Within 24 hours (urban areas), within 14 days (rural areas) |
| Fee for death registration | No |
| Can the fee be increased or waived? | No |
| Fee for death certificate | No |
| Penalty for late registration | No |
| 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, Identification card, Date of death |
| Information collected | Regarding the deceased: Name, Sex, Date of birth or age, Marital status, Place of usual residence
Regarding the death: Date of death, Date of registration, Place of occurrence, Place of registration, Cause of death, Certifier |
| Information collected in case of fetal death | Date of occurrence of fetal delivery, Date of registration, Place of occurrence, Place of registration, Sex of the fetus, Date of birth or age of the mother, Date of marriage of the mother, Place of usual residence of the mother, Date of birth or age of the father, Place of usual residence of the father |
| Processing | Manually (on paper), Electronically (via computer or tablet) |
| Place of registration | Civil registrar’s office, Hospital/health centre, Place of occurrence of the death |
| A death certificate is required for: | Cremation, Burial, Inheritance, Obtaining social assistance |
| Process for establishing vital statistics on deaths | The data are processed on an annual basis at the Namibia Statistics Agency. |
Download sample death registration form
Download sample death certificate
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.