National documents registration campaign received over 17 000 applications so far

The Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration Safety and Security said the mass civic registration programme has so far received 17 182 applications across the country.

The outreach programme includes the registration of births (at any age), applications for duplicate birth certificates, applications for identity (ID) documents and ID card duplicates.

The ministry is currently running a countrywide campaign, which started on 5 February and will run until July.

The ministry has in total received 17 182 applications for birth certificates, Identity Documents (ID cards), and for the conversion of old South West African ID cards during the campaign.

The programme is made available to make it easy for people who are not able to reach where such services are offered in the country.

According to the mass registration report from the ministry, Ohangwena region received 2 649 applications, followed by Omusati region with 1 653 applications, while //Karas came last by attracting 504 applications for national documents.

It also revealed the majority of Namibians are applying for birth certificates and ID cards and no Namibian have registered for SWA ID cards in Oshana, Oshikoto, Khomas, Kavango West, and Zambezi.

PROCESSES

Ministry spokesperson Margaret Kalo said for birth certificate application, one is required to bring along proof of birth from where the child was born, parents’ national documents, valid passports (if parents are non-Namibians), marriage certificates (if parents are married), and declarations.

“The proof of birth can be obtainable from the hospital where the mother gave birth, or from a person who witnessed the birth in the case where the child being registered was delivered at home,” Kalo said.

According to her, first-time applicants for national documents such as ID cards, birth certificates are issued free of charge.

“Those who are coming to apply for duplicate birth certificates, would be charged a fee of N$100.This fee increases with N$100 for every duplicate issued,” she said.