Uganda
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 | Registration of Persons Act (2015) |
| Official authorities in charge of registering births | National Identification and Registration Authority |
| Organizational structure | Centralized |
| Is there a legal obligation to register the birth of a child? | Yes; Upon notification of birth from the hospital or the community, and application by the declarant, a birth certificate is issued within 2 days. |
| Is an official birth certificate issued as a result of birth registration? | Yes, but upon application and payment of prescribed fee |
| Legal informant to register a birth | Mother or father of a child, A guardian or person taking charge of child in their absence |
| Time allowed for registration | Immediately, by law, but no fixed legal period for registration is mentioned |
| Fee for birth registration | No |
| Can the fee be increased or waived? | No |
| Fee for birth certificate | Yes |
| Penalty for late registration | No, for nationals; Yes, for foreigners |
| Other official fees involved in the birth registration process | None |
| 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 | Yes, citizens are charged less than foreign nationals for birth certificate |
| Requirements for birth registration | Identification of the child’s father, Identification of the child’s mother, Birth notification, Particulars of the child |
| Information collected | Regarding the child: Name, Sex, Date, Disability (if any), Weight at birth, Place and district of birth
Regarding the mother of the child: Name, Age, Marital status, Place of usual residence, Nationality, National ID number or alien ID number, Level of education, Profession or occupation, Number of children born in her lifetime Regarding the father of the child: Name, Age, Marital status, Place of usual residence, Nationality, National ID number or alien ID number, Level of education, Profession or occupation Regarding the declarant of the birth: Name, Capacity, Nationality, National ID number or alien ID number for citizens, Signature of informant, Date of notification |
| Processing | Electronically (via computer or tablet) |
| Place of registration | Civil registrar’s office, Place of occurrence of the birth |
| A birth certificate is required for: | Identification, Education |
| Process for establishing vital statistics on births | At the moment, the civil registration offices compile the information, but efforts are under way for cooperation with the Uganda Bureau of Statistics. |
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 Act (1904) for civil marriages
Customary Marriage Registration Act (1973) Cap 248 Marriage and Divorce of Mohammedans Act (1906) Cap 252 Hindu Marriage and Divorce Act (1961) Cap 250 |
| Official authorities in charge of registering a marriage | Uganda Registration Service Bureau |
| Organizational structure | Currently centralized, but will soon be decentralized to the district level. |
| Legal age for marriage | 21 years for both sexes;
Exemptions: 18 years for both sexes with parental consent |
| 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 | 6 months |
| Fee for marriage registration | Yes |
| Can the fee be increased or waived? | No |
| Fee for marriage certificate | Yes |
| 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 | Yes, in case of foreign nationals, a letter from the civil registration or vital statistics office confirming that the party is not married |
| Requirements for marriage registration | Husband’s presence at registration, Wife’s presence at registration, Residential proof of husband, Residential proof of wife, Proof of wife’s age, Proof of husband’s age, Proof of nationality (voter’s card, passport, national identity card, etc.), 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, Occupation of bride and groom
Regarding the marriage: Date of occurrence, Date of registration, Place of occurrence, Place of registration |
| Processing | Manually (on paper) |
| Place of registration | Civil registrar’s office, Mayor’s office, Other district or local authority (place of occurrence of the marriage) |
| A marriage certificate is required for: | – |
| Process for establishing vital statistics on marriage | No statistics are published on marriages. |
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 | Registration of Persons Act (2015) |
| Official authorities in charge of registering a death | National Identification and Registration Authority |
| 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, upon notification certificate is produced within 2 days |
| Legal informant to register a death | Registration officer upon notification from the hospital or community, Next of kin, Any person aware of the death |
| Time allowed for registration | Immediately |
| Fee for death registration | No |
| Can the fee be increased or waived? | No |
| Fee for death certificate | Yes |
| 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 | Yes, citizens are charged less than foreign nationals for death certificate |
| Requirements for death registration | Medical cause of death certificate, Identification card, Date of death, Age at death, Notification record from community or hospital depending on where the deceased died |
| Information collected | Regarding the deceased: Name, Sex, Date of birth or age, Place of usual residence
Regarding the death: Date of death, Date of registration, Place of occurrence, Cause of death, Certifier, Type of place of occurrence (hospital, home, etc.) |
| Information collected in case of fetal death | Fetal deaths are not registered. |
| Processing | Electronically (via computer or tablet) |
| Place of registration | Civil registrar’s office, Place of occurrence of the death |
| A death certificate is required for: | Inheritance, Obtaining letters of administration |
| Process for establishing vital statistics on deaths | At the moment, the civil registration offices compile the information, but efforts are under way for cooperation with the Uganda Bureau of Statistics. |
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.