How do I apply for a birth certificate?

The birth certificate is an official legal document that contains all the information about a person’s identity. It is required for many procedures. You need it, for example, to obtain a marriage certificate, a divorce certificate or an official ID. What are the origins of this document? What are the different application methods?

The origins of creating the birth certificate

The history of the birth certificate dates back to the 16th century, it all started in August 1539 when François I signed the Decree of Villers-Cotterêts. Starting this year, Catholic priests will be responsible for writing the birth certificate in the baptismal register their parishes. These registers make it possible to know the age of each person. To better preserve these documents, the Saint Germain Decree of 1667 strengthened measures. This decree, issued by Louis XIV, required church records to be kept in duplicate.

The aim was to avoid register losses. One copy therefore remained in the parish and the second copy was deposited with the Bailiwick. So if one is destroyed, the other can remain. 1789, the deputies drew up the birth registers and deprived the Catholic Church of maintaining civil status. In addition, the decree of the Legislative Assembly of September 20, 1792 brought about a major change. The registers are entrusted to the mayors. The latter should therefore be responsible for the registration of marriages, deaths and births in special registers.

The different ways to apply for a birth certificate

And as part of an administrative procedureif you need to apply for a birth certificate, note that there are several options.

Application for birth certificate on site

This method consists of go to the town hall your birth municipality for the creation of your birth certificate. On site you will have to provide the information according to the type of document you wish to request. In order to receive an extract without parentage, you only need to provide the surname and first name as well as the date and place of birth of the person concerned.

However, to request a copy of a birth certificate with parentage, you must provide:

• Name and first name,
• Birth date,
• Place of birth,
• Parents’ first and last names.

If you are the data subject, all you have to do is show your ID. If it is someone else, you must submit another document, e.g. enclose a family register as proof.

Apply by mail

To apply for a birth certificate, you can send a letter to City Hall. In your letter, you must specify your request and mention the important information of the data subject. This is the same information as above, but here you need to add the applicant’s postal address. It is also important to enclose a stamped addressed envelope with your application.

Get your document online

The quickest way is to get a birth certificate apply online. Just go to the official government portal and fill out a form. In the latter you indicate your identity, your place of residence, your postal address and your e-mail address. You must also provide all the information on your birth certificate.

Also to be faster You can be accompanied by professionals administrative procedure. All you have to do is consult a specialized platform to fill out a simpler and faster form. In a few minutes you enter your details and the professionals will take care of the rest to send you your birth certificate as soon as possible.

Case of a foreign birth certificate

There are several ways to obtain your foreign birth certificate. For example, you can contact the embassy or consulate of your country of origin. You also have the option of contacting the relevant authorities in your country of birth. If you are a foreign-born French, you can do that Contact the central registry office of Nantes to get your document.

How long does it take to issue a birth certificate?

The time it takes to obtain a birth certificate varies by method used for the request. If you apply on site, you will receive your document immediately, but you will have to travel, which can incur costs. If you apply by post or online, the document may take a few days to be processed.

Although the time required for receipt depends on the pending files and the delivery time of the post office, but Online applications are more reliable and faster. For foreign-born French, it can take up to 30 days to receive the document.

The different types of birth certificates

It is possible to request 4 different types of birth certificates. You can request them full copy a birth certificate. This type contains all information about the owner of the document. It also includes the identities of the parents and the marginal notes. It is also possible to request a birth certificate with parentage. This is a partial copy of the document. It only contains information about the person concerned and their origin.

Besides, you can get one too Excerpt from the birth certificate without parentage. This type only contains information about the data subject. Finally, there is a multilingual birth certificate extract. It is a partial or complete copy that is officially translated into a foreign language.

Mentions found on a birth certificate

In addition to the necessary information, there is also a birth certificate side notes. These notes make it possible to trace the changes made to the birth certificate. They include the date, place and type of an event. A marginal mention also displays the signature as well as the quality of the officer who updated it. It cannot be deleted, but it can be changed.

In addition, in various situations it may be necessary to add a marginal statement. In the event of a Pacs marriage or dissolution, the civil registry office automatically enters a marginal note on the birth certificate. Other situations where mentioning occurs automatically include:

• recognition of a child,
• the death,
• Gender transformation…

However, in the case of legal separation or divorce, the marginal note is not automatic. It is registered at the request of the data subject or their lawyer.