What your birth certificate is actually used for and why you need it

Friday, 4 May 2018

Mothers Jess, left, and Stacy, have both been listed on their daughter Evie's birth certificate as 'mother', in a move that made history.

A lesbian couple made history this week when their daughter became the first person to have a birth certificate issued with the parents listed as 'mother' and 'mother'.

The Department of Internal Affairs at first refused to allow the change.

But Auckland lawyer Stewart Dalley stepped in to help the pair and now, the recording of parental titles on life event certificates, including births, marriages and deaths, has been expanded.

The couple are pleased with the change.

* Couple both called 'mother' on baby's birth certificate say language matters**

However, reaction to the story has made it clear many people aren't actually sure what a birth certificate is for.

The Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) registers and maintains the New Zealand birth, death, marriage, civil union and name change information, and issues certificates and printouts.

In short, a birth certificate is a record of the birth of a child.

DIA communications manager Steve Corbett says: 'A birth certificate is a traditional but still very relevant official record that many people treasure.'

Birth and death registrations were introduced by the Colonial Secretary's Office in 1848, he said.

'In 1985, registrations changed from being recorded in large registers to the individual A4 'loose-leaf' form that we recognise today.'

Every birth in the country must be registered by law.

It's free to register and you can order a birth certificate through SmartStart, a website that provides information and support to help people access the right services for them and their baby.

The cost for a certificate starts at $33.

Anyone can apply for a copy of their birth certificate and can do it easily online, through the DIA website, even if it has been lost or damaged.

You can get a standard or decorated copy - and there's even a special limited issue All Blacks design.

Interestingly, you can order a birth certificate for anyone in the country.

All you need to know is their first and last names and their date of birth.

That's because birth, death, marriage, civil union and name change records are a public register.

But you can also see who's accessed your records since 2009 - or block access if your safety is at risk.

There are some circumstances in which they can't be accessed. They include pre-adoptive birth certificates and pre-sex reassignment birth certificates.

A birth certificate can help to prove and protect your identity - although on its own it is not proof of identity because it doesn't link to the holder via a photo, for example.

You don't need one to apply for a passport, but one is required in order to apply for New Zealand citizenship.

Birth certificates are an essential tool for genealogists and others interested in research and tracing family history, according to Corbett.