NABC in Lieu of Birth Certificate in India

It is a human right to have a legal identity and a document that states your birth and lists various details associated with it. A birth certificate is generally a document t that is used for this purpose. However, in case an individual does not have a birth certificate because they were not registered when they were born, as mandated under the provisions of the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969, they may apply for a Non-Availability of Birth Certificate (NABC).

What is NABC?

NABC stands for ‘Non-Availability of Birth Certificate’, which is basically a document that is considered ‘as good as a birth certificate. This is an official statement indicating that the birth record of particular person is not available with the government. Section 17 of the Registration of Births and Death Act, 1969, provides for this provision, stating that the birth record of the specific individual is verified and not found in the register. This document serves as a legal certification of an unregistered birth.

• The draft serves as a proof that the birth record of the concerned individual has been searched for but could not be found, ort that details of the person for whom it has been searched for but could not be found, or that details of the person for whom it has been issued are not available in the government records due to various reasons.
• It is a legal document that certifies an unregistered birth and may be applied for in case the birth of an individual was not registered due to some reason like home birth or simply because the parents did not agree to adhere to registration regulations.

NABC Eligibility

The eligibility criteria for NABC may vary depending upon the state it is being applied for in India. Although there are different criteria for each state, some basic conditions are:

• The applicant should have been born in India.  Even if the applicant had renounced Indian Citizenship, he/she can still apply for an NABC.
• The applicant should not have any birth certificate issued to their name from any government agency in India.
• The applicant should be able to provide supporting documents demonstrating that the parents were residing in the relevant city. These documents   may include utility bills, any identification proof of parents containing the address of the city of birth, and so forth.

How to Apply for NABC?

Prior to  applying for an NABC before the concerned authorities, , the applicant must conduct a thorough search at the hospital concerned ;and at the municipality concerned to confirm that there is no available birth record or certificate of the applicant.

Once confirmed, the applicant may request the Health Officer or Registrar of Births & Deaths  for an NABC.

The registrar may give a printed application to the applicant to fill up as part of the issuing process. They can also print an affidavit on their letterhead for the same purpose as well.

After the applicant submits and the verification of the details provided are complete, the concerned authority may grant an NABC.

Documents Required for NABC

The applicant must submit the following documents when applying for an NABC:

• Aadhar Card of the applicant.
• Passport of the applicant.
• Voter ID Card of the applicant.
• High School Certificate.
• Proof of the applicant’s date of birth such as hospital report, vaccination card, nursing home receipt, etc.
• Aadhar Card, Voter ID Card, etc. of the applicant’s parents.

Issuing Charges for NABC

While the Government does not levy any charge to issue a birth certificate if it has been applied for within 21 days of the birth of an individual, issuing an NABC does carry some charges.

The charges may vary depending upon the standards of the state you are applying in. The applicant may choose to pay the charges:

• In the form of a draft or cash.
• Through debit or credit card.
• Through online payments (if applying online).

How to Apply for NABC Online?

An applicant can apply for their NABC online by accessing the website of the Municipal Corporation of the respective state government. Different states have their own websites for this purpose. However, there are certain areas where the online services may not be available or may not be very prompt. Therefore, depending on their availability, timelines & convenience, applicants should choose to apply either electronically or physically.

• Applicants can apply for NABC online by adhering to the following procedure:

Go to the official Municipal Corporation (MC) website of the state you are applying in (as different states have different websites).

Register on the website to avail of the services using Aadhar card or Voter ID card, etc.
Login to the website and download the form titled ‘Issuance of Delayed Birth Order.’ Save a copy of the form in your device.

Fill up the form with genuinely accurate and authentic details.

Upload scanned copies of the supporting documents (mentioned above).

After uploading the documents and the form, complete the payment through whichever mode is feasible for you. As the application is being made online, online payment can be made as well.

After successfully submitting the form, supporting documents and the processing fees, make sure to get the auto-generated receipt number issued against your application. It will help track the application status later.

Note: The procedure might vary from state to state.

Points to remember while drafting an Affidavit for NABC

• A stamp paper worth INR 20 or more must be used for the NABC affidavit.
• It must be drafted under the guidance of a Gazette officer.
• The signing affiants must be called the ‘deponent,’ who are basically the witnesses of the petitioner’s birth.
• Format of the date should be ‘MM/DD/YYYY.’ If you are unsure for some reason, spell out the name of the month followed by the date and year of birth. For example: February 15, 1995.
• Get the affidavit attested or notarized.

Conclusion

Although the process to obtaining an NABC is not tedious, it may take a few weeks to complete the entire process due to various verifications associated with it.

It may take anywhere from two weeks to a few months for your NABC to be delivered to you. Just make sure to register at the nearest Municipal Corporation, as they are the authority responsible for issuing birth certificates and NABCs.