The National State of Disaster might be lifted for now, but who knows what the future holds and when we’ll face another lockdown. If there’s something we’ve all learned over the past two years, it’s that life can change a the drop of a hat. This means that life sometimes can’t go on as normal. 

During levels 4 and 5 of lockdown, we weren’t able to apply for any type of documents at the DHA, birth certificates included. When we moved down to lockdown level 3, that changed. However, there was a major backlog of birth registrations that made the waiting time even longer. As we speak, the waiting time at the DHA is around six months for birth certificates. This timeframe can be shortened with the help of a document agent like DocAssist, but more about that later.

Can I Apply for Birth Certificate During Lockdown?

In short, you can only register a birth or apply for an abridged/unabridged birth certificate on levels 1-3 of lockdown. 

How Do You Register a Birth Certificate in South Africa?

The birth of your child must be registered within 30 days after birth at the Department of Home Affairs. That is unless we are in levels 4 or 5 of lockdown, as previously mentioned.

At the time of registration, an abridged birth certificate is free of charge. If you need additional unabridged birth certificates, you will need to pay R75 per certificate once the birth of the child has been documented. Any legal guardian or parent can register the birth at a Department of Home Affairs office. Births can be registered at your nearest embassy or consulate if you are overseas.

According to a new immigration law that went into effect on 1 June 2015, children younger than 18 must present an unabridged birth certificate when entering or leaving the country. This document includes both parents’ details, including their full names, city of birth, and country of citizenship, and it is vital in the attempt to prevent fraud and human trafficking.

When you go directly to the Department of Home Affairs, getting abridged or unabridged birth certificates can be a difficult process. But don’t worry. We have a solution for you! We can assist you in getting a copy of your birth certificate, abridged or unabridged, through DocAssist. We can expedite the process for you if you have already applied but don’t want to wait for months on end. It may take a few days for it to arrive, but it will not take months.

You can rest assured that we will take the burden of obtaining legal documents entirely off of your shoulders. Once the process is complete, the documents will be delivered directly to your home. Contact DocAssist today for more information or to get started.