• Visit the Registrar General's Department.
• Bring the necessary documents you need for registering.
• Pay the prescribed fees.

Children born in hospitalEdit

• Where parents are legally married, and were married before the child was born the following documents are required:
  • Mother and father's national identity cards
  • Birth confirmation record from the hospital or clinic
  • Marriage certificate
  • Only one of the parents can register the child but must bring the national identity card for the other spouse.
  • Where one or both parents are deceased relevant death certificates are required. Surviving spouse or relatives can register the child as the case may be

• Where parents are not legally married the following documents are required:
  • Mother and father's identity cards
  • A birth confirmation record from hospital or clinic
  • Both parents must be present to sign a declaration of paternity
  • Where one or both parents are deceased relevant death certificates are required.
  • Surviving spouse or relatives can register the child, as the case may be. The surviving spouse should sign the declaration of paternity
  • Single mothers are free to register their children under their maiden name, if the biological father refuses to acknowledge paternity or his whereabouts are unknown.

Children born out of hospitalEdit

Where parents are legally married, the following documents are required:

• Mother and fathers national identity cards
• A marriage certificate
• A baptismal certificate or
• One witness with a national identity card, preferably a midwife. In the case of a child born on a farm, a witness or a letter from the farmer, confirming the birth of that child at the respective farm.
• Either parent can register the child but must bring national identity card for the other spouse.
• Where one or both parents are deceased relevant death certificates are required. Surviving spouse or relatives can register the child, as the case may be.

Where the parents are not legally married, the following documents are required:-

• Mother and father's national identity cards.
• A baptismal certificate or
• One witness with a national identity card, preferably a midwife. In the case of a child born on a farm, a witness or a letter (declaration form supplied by the office) from the farmer.
• Both parents must be present to sign a declaration of paternity
• Where one or both parents are deceased relevant death certificates are required. Surviving spouse or relatives can register the child as the case may be. The surviving spouse should sign the declaration of paternity.
• Single mothers are free to register their children under their maiden name, if the biological father refuses to acknowledge paternity or his whereabouts are unknown.

Late birth registrationEdit

Late birth registration for children registered after one year from the date of birth. A late birth registration can be done for children born in a medical institution or outside a medical institution after one year from the date of birth.

Children born in hospital/clinic

Where parents are legally married the following documents are required:

• Mother and father's national identity cards
• Marriage certificate
• Birth confirmation record from the hospital or clinic
• Either parent can register the child but must bring the national identity of the other spouse.
• Children who are sixteen years of age and above must be present at the time of registration and must produce their identity cards if he/she was issued with one.

Where parents are not legally married, the following documents have to be produced:

• Mother and father's national identity cards.
• Birth confirmation record from the hospital or clinic
• Both parents must be present to sign a declaration of paternity
• Where one or both parents are deceased relevant death certificates are required. Surviving spouse or relatives can register the child, as the case may be.
• Single mothers are free to register their children under their maiden name, if the biological father refuses to acknowledge paternity or his whereabouts are unknown
• Children who are sixteen years and above must be present at the time of registration and must produce their identity cards

Children born out of hospital

Where parents are legally married, the following documents are required:

• Mother and father's national identity cards
• Marriage certificate
• A baptismal certificate or
• One witness, if the child is under sixteen years of age and two witnesses if the child is sixteen years and above. In the case of a child born on a farm, a witness/s or letter(Declaration form supplied by office) from the farmer.
• Where one or both parents are deceased relevant death certificates are required. Surviving spouse or relatives can register the child as the case may be. The surviving spouse should sign the declaration of paternity

Where parents are not legally married, the following documents are required:

• Mother and father's national identity cards
• Baptismal certificate
• One witness, if the child is under sixteen years of age and two witnesses if the child is sixteen years and above
• Both parents must be present to sign a declaration of paternity
• Where one or both parents are deceased relevant death certificates are required. Surviving spouse or relatives can register the child as the case may be.
• Single mothers are free to register their children under their maiden name, if the biological father refuses to acknowledge paternity or his whereabouts are unknown.
• Children who are sixteen years and above must be present at the time of registration and must produce their identity cards if he/she was issued with one.

Self RegistrationEdit

Self registrations are exceptional cases and are determined by the District Registrar and confirmed by the Provincial Registrar.

Applicants are required to produce the following documents:

• A National Identity card of the applicant.
• A baptismal certificate, if the child was baptized (within six months of birth).
• National Identity card of a near relative.
• A letter from the employer, if employed.
• In each case, citizenship status must be established beyond doubt.

Registrar General's Department

Central Registry Office

Makombe Building

Harare

Zimbabwe

Email: helpdesk@rg.gov.zw

Provide eligibility criteria's for going through this procedure.

Statutory fees for application for initial registration are presently as follows. They are however subject to change when necessary:

• For children under 6 years of age: FREE.
• For children above 6 years: US$2 (Initial).

Explain the time until which the certificate/document is valid.
e.g. Birth Certificate Valid Forever

Please attach documents which can be used by people who would like to follow this procedure.    

Please attach sample completed documents which would help other people who would like to follow this procedure.    

• Registration at District of Birth - one day
• Registration of Birth of a child born in another district - six weeks because of processing and communication between districts.

Videos explaining the procedure or to fill the applications. 
Attach videos using the following tag <&video type="website">video ID|width|height<&/video&> from external websites.
Please remove the "&" inside the tags during implementation.
Website = allocine, blip, dailymotion, facebook, gametrailers, googlevideo, html5, metacafe, myspace, revver, 
sevenload, viddler, vimeo, youku, youtube
width = 560, height = 340, Video ID = Can be obtained from the URL of webpage where the video is displayed.
e.g In the following url "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0US7oR_t3M" Video ID is "Y0US7oR_t3M". 
	

Please provide instructions on obtaining the certificate/documents.
e.g. The state office holds birth records since january 1908.

A list which displays the kind of information which is required to complete the procedure.
e.g.
1. Date of Birth.
2. City or County of Birth.

This page contains inforamtion on how to register a birth and birth certificate in Zimbabwe.

Enter other informations which might help

Please explain what are other uses of obtaining this document/certificate.
e.g. Birth Certificate can be used as proof of identity.

Place some external links which might help

More information which might help people.