Birth and Death Certificates to be Issued Digitally from 29 May, Replacing Physical Copies

Starting from 29 May 2022, birth and death certificates will be issued digitally as physical copies are phased out. 

According to a press release by Singapore’s Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA), this is part of the Government’s efforts to streamline and digitalise services to serve citizens better.

Additionally, to prevent fraud and ensure the authenticity of the digital documents, the birth and death certificates will feature a QR code linked to an ICA system that can be used to verify their authenticity against ICA’s database.

Registration of Births

Parents will no longer be required to physically register and collect their child’s birth certificates from hospitals or the ICA building. This process will be fully digitalised and done via the LifeSG application. 

Following the registration on LifeSG, parents will be notified to download the digital birth certificate of their child via an ICA e-Service known as the “electronic Retrieval of Certificates and Instant Verification”, which can be accessed on the ICA website or via the MyICA Mobile application. With this, in-person registration services for birth will cease at the hospitals and the ICA Building.

Parents who are unsure how to register their child’s birth through LifeSG may approach hospital staff. If further assistance is required, they may contact the ICA.

Registration of Deaths

The death registration process will also be simplified – only requiring a registered medical practitioner to certify the death for a digital death certificate to be issued. Currently, deaths have to be registered at hospitals, neighbourhood police posts or centres, or the ICA building after a Certificate of the Cause of Death (CCOD) is issued by medical practitioners. 

Bereaved family members and next-of-kins can download the digital death certificates from the My Legacy portal within 30 days of receiving the digital death certificate number from the medical practitioner or hospital staff. 

Next-of-kin may approach staff at hospitals (if their loved one passed on in the hospital), general practitioners, nursing homes and hospices for assistance on how to download the digital death certificate.

A Streamlined Digital Process to Better Serve Singaporeans

“The digitalisation of the birth and death registration processes is part of the Government’s continuous efforts to integrate and improve the delivery of services,” said the ICA.

“Parents of newborns and next-of-kin of the deceased will be able to conveniently download and store the digital certificates on their personal mobile devices and laptops.”

For those who face difficulties going online to access these digital services, they can call a 24-hour hotline at 6589 8707. It is a temporarily dedicated hotline to assist citizens with their queries relating to the new birth and death registration processes. They may also visit the ICA Building and the network of ServiceSG Centres located across Singapore for assistance.