As one would probably predict and imagine, a large number of people in India, do not have their birth certificates. The main reason for this is the fact that birth certificates, although mandatory are not issued to children by a very large population of the poorer section of society. Statistically put, 38% of children under five years growing up in the rural parts of the country, do not have a birth certificate. In a recent article, the Indian Government mentioned that any documents related to the date and place of birth of an individual can be submitted to prove that Indians citizenship. This information goes into the National Register of Citizens which helps the Government keep an eye on the statistics in the country.
According to an India Spend analysis a large number of Indians, especially older citizens, do not possess birth certificates. Based on a survey conducted by the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-4), in the years 2015-16 three in five, that is 62.3% of children, under the age of five had their births registered and possessed a birth certificate, which was seen as a major improvement from the 26.9% in 2005-06. Nearly every fourth child, ie.23% belonging to the poorest wealth group did not have a birth certificate despite registering their birth as compared to 10.5% of the richest. Simply put, according to UNICEF, in the last five years, in India, nearly 24 million children under five did not have their births registered.
Furthermore, the birth certificate is one of the most popular linkage documents admissible as per NRC (National Register of Children). Most children under 18 years would not have any other documentation since they are not old enough for most of the application processes, making their birth certificate is the only document to provide a linkage to their parents. All across the country, children without birth certificates are usually the marginalised and face challenges getting admitted to private schools despite the Right To Education Act, which specifies that no documents are needed for school admission. This also leads them to not have their tenth or twelfth standard mark sheet, all because their parents could not provide them with their birth certificates.
As mentioned earlier, it is a requirement to register every birth in 21 days after the child is born, according to the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969. Unfortunately, only 84.9% of all births were registered in 2017, the latest figures by the Civil Registration System of Office of the Registrar General of India show. This is quite concerning since India has a very large population of children that do not have their birth certificates.
If a birth is not registered and the family requires a birth certificate at a later stage, it can be registered later. However, there is a possibility that there would be a fee to be paid along with a police verification that would have to be handled.
Death certificates and the process of applying for them
Death certificates are an important document, and applying for them is a requirement on behalf of someone who has passed away within the family. They are a mandatory document that the rest of their family would require and need for a lot of their documentation processes when they are staying behind. In some instances, they need it to perform the last rites based on the religious beliefs of the deceased individual and their family.
What are the documents needed when applying for a death certificate?
There are multiple documents to register for a death certificate, and the fastest way of getting this done is probably online since it takes about half the actual time. However, some people prefer doing this through the office.
Before receiving the death certificate, fill out the giant bunch of application forms. The application forms will need some supporting documents as well. If the applicant does not have this information, gather it before beginning the form filling. In most cases, this information should be provided among the supporting documents
- Date and place of the death
- The address of the deceased
- The full names (including the maiden name of a married woman). Any former married or other names by which the deceased individual, was known.
- The occupation before they passed away
- Details of their wife or husband or civil partner
- Whether he/she had any Government pension or other benefits
Here is a list of documents that have to be submitted along with the applications, for a death certificate
- Medical certificate and the cause of death
- NHS Card (also called the medical card)
- Birth certificate of the deceased
- Driving license or other proof of identification of the deceased person (if any)
- Marriage or civil partnership certificate (if applicable) this would be needed when allowing the spouse to handle any financial workings of the individual
- Passport of the deceased
- Proof of address (e.g. utility bills or other documents that prove address)
If the process is handled online, these same documents will have to be scanned and submitted. The website will go through them and provide a better understanding of the next steps. It takes about a week to ten days to dispatch the certificate so you can collect the certificate then. There are instances where the platform can be told to send the certificate to the home address.
What are the uses of the death certificate?
A death certificate is the primary documents that can be used to legally state that an individual has passed away. It will have information about the death of the person, including the date, time, and cause of death. The facts usually provided is verified by the Coroner before being added to the certificate.
Furthermore, the certificate would be needed for the spouse and kids (if any) to coordinate and handle financial or other dealings with various bodies, which is usually the case when coordinating with offices like the insurance office, the bank and so on.
All you need to know before passport renewal
Carrying or possessing a passport is a must when traveling abroad, as the Passport serves as one of the main identification documents. Whether you travel to any country with an ‘On arrival’ visa, or to the one where you have to apply for a visa beforehand, having a passport is the least you are asked for! Indian passports are valid for 10 years, on completion of which comes the time for Passport renewal. So get your passport renewed if the clock is ticking!
How to get your passport renewed?
You can get your passport renewed in two types of applications: Normal or Tatkaal. You can even select the number of pages in your passport from:
- 36 pages
- 60 pages
Online: Gone are the days when you had to make an appointment with an agent who would get all your formalities done and charge good fees. Thanks to the advancements in technology that you can save the agent fees and hustle and can easily book your appointment at your convenience.
The passport renewal form can be filled online and submitted on the official website. All you have to do then is to visit the Passport office as per your appointment date and time, with the required documents.
Offline: Not a tech-savvy? No need to worry. You are in safe hands. You can easily visit your nearest Passport Seva Kendra in the city, and fill out your application form then and there.
Documents required at the time of Passport Renewal:
In case of any queries, you can check out the ‘Document Advisor’ link mentioned on the Passport Govt. website. The documentation might vary in the case of Tatkaal’s appointment. Rest you can sit back and carry the following documents with you at the time of your appointment:
- Old passport original
- Printout of the application form filled online.
- Two Self-attested copies each of the first and last two pages of your old passport
- Two self-attested copies in case of the ECR/Non-ECR
- Valid address proof like Aadhar card/ electricity bill, etc.
- One self-attested copy of the observation page, if any.
- One self-attested copy of the extension of the validity page. (Only in case of Short Validity Passport)
Note: All the applicants are required to furnish all the original documents along with one set of self-attested photocopies each at the Passport Seva Kendra (PSK) for processing.
Fees
- · Rs. 1500/- in case of Normal reissue of the passport with 36 pages.
- · Rs. 3500/- in case of Tatkaal reissue of the passport with 36 pages.
*The amount may vary with the number of pages in your passport with the type of application.
Passport is an essential document, required for traveling out of the country and also serves other important purposes. Getting your passport renewed is now takes a few simple steps. Book your appointment online or offline and turn up at the Passport Seva Kendra with all the necessary documents and photocopies. The fees for the renewal of passport varies with the type of your application. So, get your passport renewed to avoid the last-minute hustle and start planning your next vacation.