Do you know this?

There are approximately 18000 parents registered with CARA, while the number of children in the Government's adoption pool is less 1800.

Monday, September 17, 2007

Adoption Q and A # 27 (Getting DOB certificate in India)

This segment is reprinted from orkut.com with permission from the author.

How do I obtain a birth certificate in India for my child?

I went to the Municipality/Corporation office (MO) yesterday and learnt the process of applying for birth certificate for adopted child. here's how it goes:

  1. Approach the MO and ask for a birth certificate (BC) form. You will get it free of cost.
  2. Fill up the form (single page).
  3. Fill the child's name and parents' name in the relevant sections.
  4. Fill no. of copies section as 1.
  5. Leave the Name of hospital (where born) as blank.
  6. Fill the section "Place of Birth" with the address of the orphanage from where you have adopted. Don't put the name of the orphanage but just the address.
  7. Submit the form along with a copy of adoption deed. Charges RS. 60/-
  8. The MO checks at the concerned address for the child availability. Since the child was not born there, it would issue a Non Availability Certificate (NAC)
  9. The municipality would ask you to collect the NAC on a due date.
  10. On the due date, collect the NAC and use the same to file a petition at the District Magistrate's office.
  11. Court will issue an order for the municipality to generate a birth certificate.
  12. Using that again apply at MO.
  13. MO will generate a birth certificate with the parents' name.

Above information is made available to you by the HOPE House - A registered charitable trust caring for orphan, semi-orphan and disadvantaged girls in Vellore, India.  Click here to learn about how to support the HOPE House operations.

2 comments:

Lin said...

I believe the process of getting the DOB also varies from state to state in India. I know for a fact that it is the case in case of parents adopting under the GAWA Act. esp in Maharashtra.

Yors Truly said...

I live in Delhi and we adopted a girl from Kolkata last year. Very few of the agencies (including Missionaries of Charity) we approached through the West Bengal Co-ordination cell was actually willing to give babies to outstation Indians citing rather beauracratic reasons. They all suggested that we take a baby from Delhi. However, once one agency agreed to enroll us, the process was quite seamless and amazingly smooth sailing. The kolkata agency contacted another agency in Delhi who did the homestudy in delhi and within 6 months (lucky us!) our little doll lit up our home.

The trouble started after that -- since Jan 2007 till today, July 2008, we are running around for registration and birth certificate, and still havent got one. Now I realise why some of the agencies were discouraging us. We have had to fly in and out of Kolkata atleast 10 times in the last 1.5 years. I get a date with the judge, the judge doesnt turn up! Then bandhs called. Then the judge doesnt turn up again. Then rain washes away all transportation and court doesnt sit. Then the judge doesnt turn up again. Then judge comes and goes away before our file comes up. Then the judge doesnt turn up again! And now, after finally we get to meet the judge in March '08 (and it takes literally 3 and a half minutes to finish the formalities), and file for registration deed, we have been since then waiting for it. Even last week I was in Kolkata trying to find out the status - the registration office tells me it will be another 3 months. Until I get it, I cant get a birth certificate -- thereofre no passport, no school, and she is touching 2 years now!

I just cant say how frustrating the last part has been, just be careful about that part which is beyond you or your agency to control. The agency was extremely helpful with everything in their control; for whatever beyond, I have to say I was warned, but I didnt realise it would be this bad.