A birth certificate is issued when a child is registered with the State. It contains the details of the child and is required as proof of identity.
If you have lost your birth certificate or require another copy, you can apply to your nearest Home Affairs office. Or if you are outside the country, you can apply at a South African mission or consulate.
You can apply for an abridged certificate or a full certificate.
You need to complete form BI-154 in black ink and submit it.
An abridged birth certificate can be made available the same day.
It takes approximately six to eight weeks to process an application for a full birth certificate.