The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) records 141 digital birth certificates on the first day of the new registration process. This proves that we truly live in a modern era. Thanks to technology, new parents can easily register their babies’ births.
With just a few clicks from our devices, we could be able to make our tasks or even jobs done digitally. We can now accomplish different things in the comfort of our homes through our smart devices.
In Singapore, ICA introduced a new registration process for birth certificates. They were able to make the procedure a lot easier after deciding to digitise it.
In this article, you’ll read:
- ICA Records 141 Digital Birth Certificates During New Registration
- Registering Birth and Download a Digital Birth Certificate Online
- The Convenience of the New Digital Birth Certificate Registration
ICA Records 141 Digital Birth Certificates During New Registration
Image source: iStock
The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) recorded a total of 141 digital birth certificates on the 29th of May. It was the first-day such certificates were given in place of physical hard copies.
Additionally, ICA added that they approved 78 digital birth certificates as of 6:00 PM on Monday. The additional number of birth certificates issued brings the total to 219.
Before this new process, ICA issued about 39,000 birth certificates annually over the past five years. This works as an average of 107 physical birth certificates given a day in the previous years. On the other hand, the number of digital certificates issued on Sunday was higher than the normal average.
Making the Registration Process Easier
The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority wants to make the registration process easier for Singaporean citizens. Concerning this, they decided to no longer issue physical birth and death certificates. To ease the process, they now implement online registrations. As a result, in-person birth and death registration will no longer be available.
Register Birth and Download a Digital Birth Certificate Online
According to Singapore’s Immigration and Checkpoints Authority, all births in the country must be registered within 42 days from birth. To do this, parents need to register their child’s birth via LifeSG as soon as they can.
Failing to provide your child’s birth certificate within 42 days will be an offence under the Registration of Births and Deaths Act. Moreover, those who fail to complete the process may receive a fine or face imprisonment.
Meanwhile, the new process does not apply to births overseas. The parents need to register the child’s birth and obtain the birth certificate from foreign authorities. Furthermore, acquiring a Singaporean birth certificate only applies to those born in the country.
Birth Certificate Digital Registration Procedure
Image source: iStock
All parents of newborns, regardless of their immigration or marital status, must register their child’s birth online via LifeSG. They can register online through the mobile app.
They will be given up to 90 days to download the document, which can be stored and saved on their devices. Parents who are Singapore citizens, permanent residents or long-term pass (FIN) holders will have to log in using their Singpass accounts.
Keep in mind that maternity hospitals no longer provide birth registration services. Because of this, you cannot ask for any documentation. You may download the mobile app for free on your chosen mobile platform. Parents may also visit the Singpass website to register for a Singpass account.
Fees to Remember
A fee of S$18 is payable for the birth registration and issuance of a digital birth certificate. Expect this amount after you create your account.
The Convenience of the New Digital Birth Certificate Registration
For some parents like Mr Muhammed Fahm Nurkamal, the convenience of digital birth registration was worth waiting for. He is a 27-year-old watch technician, and his daughter was born on the 23rd of May, 2022.
Mr Muhammed and his wife decided to wait a week so that they could register her birth digitally on Sunday. Mia, his daughter, was among the first few children who were able to experience digital birth certificate registration.
“It was a good choice because it ended up being very convenient,” said Mr Muhammed. “I registered her birth a little after midnight on May 29.” “It was all done in less than 20 minutes. I imagine it would be a hassle to head down to ICA to register and collect the birth certificate.”
Image source: iStock
Before ICA digitalise the process of birth registration, parents need to register their child’s birth at the hospital where the baby was born. Before, parents could also register at ICA’s Registry of Births and Deaths at the ICA building in Kallang.
Moreover, parents previously also had the option to register their child’s birth online. However, they still need to collect the physical certificate at the hospital or ICA building. Fortunately, parents can now register online and receive instant notification to download the digital certificate.
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