Burundi: Requirements and procedure to obtain a birth certificate or a birth certificate extract; appearance and security features of such documents; administrative transactions that can be performed with each document (2017-January 2020)
1. Birth Certificates
1.1 Definition and Function
In an interview with the Research Directorate, an official at the Embassy of Burundi in Canada stated that a birth certificate is a document that is systematically provided by the medical centre where the child is born (Burundi 7 Jan. 2020). It certifies the birth, but is not recognized by the Burundian administration for civil administrative transactions (Burundi 7 Jan. 2020).
1.1.1 Distinction Between Attestation of Birth and Birth Certificate
The official from the Embassy of Burundi in Canada stated that for the Burundian administration there is a distinction between an attestation of birth and a birth certificate: an attestation of birth is issued to people born until 1980 and a certificate is issued to those born after 1980 (Burundi 7 Jan. 2020).
1.2 Content, Appearance and Security Features
Article 39 of the Persons and Family Code (Code des personnes et de la famille), as it appears in the Civil Code (Code Civil) of Burundi, provides the following: [translation] “Birth certificates indicate the date and place where the child was born, the child’s sex, the child’s family name and any given names, as well as whether the child is legitimate, the first and last names of the mother and father, as well and their residence” (Burundi 1993). Article 40 stipulates the following: [translation] “Birth certificates of natural children list only the mother, unless the father simultaneously recognizes the child” (Burundi 1993).
According to the website of the Embassy of France in Bujumbura, [translation] “complete copies of birth certificates” are in A3 format (France 20 Mar. 2013). In correspondence with the Research Directorate, the official from the Embassy of Burundi in Canada said that they were [translation] “unable to confirm or deny the information provided by the Embassy of France in Bujumbura” (Burundi 17 Jan. 2020a).
During a telephone interview with the Research Directorate, the official from the Embassy of Burundi in Canada stated that the two main security features on the birth certificate are the official stamp of the communal office or of Bujumbura city hall, as well as the volume number on the document that is obtained when the birth certificate is registered in the registry of the communal office or of Bujumbura city hall (Burundi 17 Jan. 2020b). Moreover, these two features must match the birth certificate extract (Burundi 17 Jan. 2020b).
1.3 Requirements and Procedure to Obtain a Birth Certificate
According to the official of the Embassy of Burundi in Canada, the birth certificate is systematically given to the father or the mother in the medical centre when the child is born (Burundi 7 Jan. 2020).
2. Birth Registration
The US Department of State's Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2018 states that the government [US English version] “registers, without charge, the births of all children if registered within a few days of birth” (US 13 Mar. 2019, 47). US Country Reports 2016 states that the government fines parents who do not register a birth within the time limit (US 3 Mar. 2017, 32). Article 37 of the Persons and Family Code stipulates the following: [translation] “Births must be declared within fifteen days to the civil registrar in the jurisdiction where the mother resides. This also applies to children who died within those 15 days” (Burundi 1993). Article 38 of the Code states the following:
[translation]
The onus to declare the birth is on:
- the father of the child;
- in the absence of the father, the mother;
- in the absence of the father or the mother, any other person present at the birth. (Burundi 1993)
For further information on the procedure for births that were never registered, see section 3.4 of this Response.
3. Birth Certificate Extract
3.1 Definition and Function
According to Isôko, the information portal on administrative procedures of the Ministry of the Public Service, Labour and Employment of Burundi, the birth certificate extract must be presented for [Burundi English version] “numerous administrative procedures” (Burundi n.d.) which, according to the official from the Embassy of Burundi in Canada, includes passport and marriage certificate applications, school registration and graduation, and enlistment in the Burundian army (Burundi 7 Jan. 2020). According to US Country Reports 2018, [US English version] “an unregistered child may not have access to some public services” (US 3 Mar. 2019, 47).
The website of the Embassy of France in Bujumbura states that extracts in A4 format [translation] “are not civil status documents and will not be accepted by the consular section” (France 20 Mar. 2013). However, the official from the Embassy of Burundi in Canada stated that the Burundian registrar accepts birth certificate extracts for administrative transactions (Burundi 17 Jan. 2020b).
3.2 Content, Appearance and Security Features
Information on the contents of the birth certificate extract could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.
According to the official from the Embassy of Burundi in Canada, the two main security features on the birth certificate extract are the official stamp of the communal office or of Bujumbura city hall and the volume number on the document that is obtained when the birth certificate is registered in the registry of the communal office or of Bujumbura city hall (Burundi 17 Jan. 2020b). These two features must match the birth certificate (Burundi 17 Jan. 2020b).
3.3 Requirements, Fees and Procedures
According to the Isôko information portal, all persons born in Burundi, whether they are citizens or not, and all citizens born outside of the national territory must obtain a birth certificate extract (Burundi n.d.).
The birth certificate extract is obtained by following these steps:
- According to the Isôko information portal, the applicant must go to the communal office of the place of birth or to Bujumbura city hall (Burundi n.d.). According to the official from the Embassy of Burundi in Canada, if Bujumbura is the place of birth, the applicant must go to Bujumbura city hall and contact the civil status officer (Burundi 7 Jan. 2020).
- The applicant presents the birth certificate to register the birth in the registry of the communal office or of Bujumbura city hall to obtain the volume number for the birth certificate, then requests the birth certificate extract (Burundi 17 Jan. 2020b). When it is not possible to present a birth certificate, the date and place of birth must be provided (Burundi 7 janv. 2020). According to the official from the Embassy of Burundi in Canada, this information must be confirmed in person at the communal office or at Bujumbura city hall, by at least two witnesses of the birth (Burundi 7 Jan. 2020).
- A civil status officer completes a form and gives it to the applicant (Burundi n.d.).
- The applicant has the birth certificate extract, along with the information provided by the civil status officer in the form from the previous step, typed at a typist’s office. (Burundi 17 Jan. 2020b).
- Once the birth certificate extract is typed, the applicant brings it back to the communal office or to Bujumbura city hall to have it signed by the civil status officer (Burundi n.d.; Burundi 17 Jan. 2020b).
Late requests for a birth certificate extract require the applicant to provide the birth certificate number, its volume number and the place of registration of the birth (Burundi n.d.; Burundi 7 Jan. 2020).
According to a UNICEF press release, in 2008, the President of Burundi, Pierre Nkurunziza, declared that [translation] “the issuance of birth certificates without charge, which had up until then cost 1,000 Burundian francs [approximately 0.70 dollar[s]], for all children aged 0 to 5” (UN 14 Mar. 2012, square brackets in original). The Isôko information portal stipulates, however, that a fine of at least 1,000 Burundian francs [approximately C$0.69] may be imposed for requests for birth certificate extracts in cases where births were never registered (Burundi n.d.).
3.4 Procedure for Births that Were Never Registered
According to the Isôko information portal, in cases where a birth was never registered, a birth certificate can be obtained by following these steps:
- The applicant writes a letter to the provincial governor’s office [translation] “requesting an exemption for a late birth registration which explains the reasons for the delay” (Burundi n.d.).
- The applicant waits for the analysis from the governor’s office. A fine of at least 1,000 Burundian francs may be imposed [translation] “if the reasons for the delay are not deemed valid” (Burundi n.d.).
- Once the exemption is obtained, the applicant goes to the communal office of the place of birth or to Bujumbura city hall to register the birth certificate and request the birth certificate extract (Burundi n.d.; Burundi 17 Jan. 2020b).
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request.
References
Burundi. 17 January 2020a. Embassy of Burundi in Canada. Correspondence from an official to the Research Directorate.
Burundi. 17 January 2020b. Embassy of Burundi in Canada. Telephone interview with an official.
Burundi. 7 January 2020. Embassy of Burundi in Canada. Interview with an official.
Burundi. 1993 (amended 1999). Code des personnes et de la famille. [Accessed 10 Jan. 2020]
Burundi. N.d. Ministère de la Fonction publique, du Travail et de l’Emploi, Isôko - Portail d’informations sur les procédures administratives. "Extrait d’acte de naissance." [Accessed 20 Dec. 2019]
France. 20 March 2013. Embassy of France in Bujumbura. "Les documents de l’état civil au Burundi." [Accessed 10 Jan. 2020]
United Nations (UN). 14 March 2012. United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). "Burundi : une campagne d’enregistrement tardif des naissances pour rétablir les enfants dans leurs droits." [Accessed 10 Jan. 2020]
United States (US). 13 March 2019. Department of State. "Rapport 2018 sur les droits de l’homme au Burundi." Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2018. [Accessed 10 Jan. 2020]
United States (US). 3 March 2017. Department of State. "Burundi." Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2016. [Accessed 10 Jan. 2020]
Additional Sources Consulted
Oral sources: Burundi – Embassy of Burundi in Brussels.
Internet sites, including: Bujumbura – Mairie; Burundi – Embassy of Burundi in Brussels, Embassy of Burundi in Canada, Gouvernement du Burundi; EU – Public Register of Authentic Travel and Identity Documents Online (PRADO); Freedom House; ICF – Demographic and Health Surveys Program; Ikiriho News; Iwacu; Keesing Technologies – Document Checker; Publications de presse burundaise; UN – Refworld, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, UNDP, World Health Organization.