Application for Search of Birth Records and/ or a Certified Copy of a Birth Entry

Before Applying
Applying
After Applying

Before Applying

Application for Search of Birth Records and/ or a Certified Copy of a Birth Entry

Important Notice

The purposes of establishing birth registration records in Hong Kong under the Births and Deaths Registration Ordinance (Cap.174, Laws of Hong Kong) are:

to enable the Registrar of Births and Deaths to keep all birth registration records in Hong Kong in order to fulfill his statutory obligations under the Births and Deaths Registration Ordinance and related subsidiary legislation; and
to verify the identity, age, family relationship, etc. of the person concerned legitimately, or for other lawful purposes prescribed, authorised or permitted by law.

In processing an applicant’s request, the Registrar shall take into account the supplementary information, including the purpose(s) and intended use of the search result and requested records, and all supporting documents, if any, provided by the applicant.

Introduction

If any person wishes to obtain a certified copy of a birth entry (or commonly known as birth certificate), he/she can apply for a search of birth records and / or a certified copy of a birth entry.

In support of an application for a certified copy of a birth entry, the applicant is required to produce the original or photocopy of the certified copy of a birth entry previously issued or the result of previous search of birth records. If the applicant cannot produce such kind of documents or the birth registration number on the documents cannot be read, a search of birth records will be required in the first instance.

Type of Search

Particular Search

A search for any given entry in relation to an identified person (i.e. the person’s exact name and date of birth (if available) can be provided for the search). The search conducted will not exceed a period of five years.
Unless otherwise specified by the applicant, the search will be conducted on the year of birth as provided (e.g. 1990). In case no matched record is found against the year of birth provided, the search will be conducted on two years preceding and two years following the year of birth provided, with a period of five years in total (by the above example, i.e. 1988-1992).

General Search

A search for any entry other than ‘Particular Search’, for example, in relation to a person whose personal information cannot be specified (i.e. the person’s exact name and/or exact date of birth cannot be provided for the search).

Applying

Application for Search of Birth Records and/ or a Certified Copy of a Birth Entry

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How and Where to Apply

Application for a search of birth records and a certified copy of a birth entry can be made in person, by post or online.

In Person

If the application is made in person, the applicant can go to one of the following registries:

The Births and Deaths General Register Office
Kowloon Births Registry
Sha Tin District Births Registry
Tseung Kwan O Births Registry
Tuen Mun District Births Registry

Addresses and office hours of Births Registries

By Post

If the application is made by post, the applicant should send the application to :

The Births and Deaths General Register Office
3/F, Low Block
Queensway Government Offices
66 Queensway
Hong Kong

Application form for a search of birth record [Form BDR40]

Application form for a certified copy of a birth entry [Form BDR87]

Underpaid mail items will not be accepted by the Immigration Department. For proper delivery of your mail items, please ensure your mail items bear sufficient postage with return address before posting. (Details)

Online

Applicant who is the registered subject (i.e. the person whose birth is recorded in the register), relevant person (i.e. the parent / legal guardian of the registered subject under the age of 18) or person with written consent from the registered subject/relevant person can also make online application by clicking on the hyperlink under “Related Topics”.

Supporting Documents

For application submitted in person, the applicant is required to produce his/her Hong Kong identity card or valid travel document. For online application, applicant is required to produce his / her Hong Kong identity card or valid travel document when he / she collects the result / certified copies. For postal application, applicant is required to produce copy of his/her Hong Kong identity card or valid travel document. If the applicant has written consent of the registered subject / relevant person, copy of Hong Kong identity card or valid travel document of the registered subject/relevant person is also required.

If the applicant applies for a certified copy of a birth entry, he/she will be required to produce the original or photocopy of the certified copy of the birth entry or the result of a previous search of birth records. Otherwise, a search of birth records will be required in the first instance.

For applicant who is not the registered subject, relevant person or person with written consent from the registered subject/relevant person, he/she is required to provide supplementary information, including his/her relationship with the registered subject, purpose(s) and the intended use of the search result and requested records, and all supporting documents, if any, to support his / her request. Depending on the nature of the case, further information may be required.

Processing Time

Applying in Person

It takes about 10 minutes to process an in-person application at the counter. If the requested birth record has been converted into a computer record, a search result and/or a certified copy of the birth entry will be issued within 10 minutes. Otherwise, the processing time required is as follows (working days denote Monday to Friday excluding General Holidays):

7 working days for a search of birth records
7 working days for issue of a certified copy of a birth entry (if a search of birth records is not involved)
10 working days for a search of birth records and an issue of a certified copy of a birth entry

For a General Search of birth records, there is no pledged processing time. The applicant will be notified separately when the result is ready.

Online Applications

It takes 10 to 20 minutes to process an online application. The applicant will be notified when to collect the search result and the certified copy of a birth entry at his/her selected registry.

Remarks: These standards may not be achievable during certain daily peak hours or peak periods or in complicated cases.

Fee

Search of Birth Records

HK$140 for Particular Search
HK$680 for General Search

Certified Copy of a Birth Entry

Local Applications: HK$140 per copy
Overseas Applications: HK$275 per copy plus an additional amount equivalent to the airmail postage at the normal rate

Payment Methods

In person

By cash, EPS, Octopus, FPS, Mainland China’s Licensed Digital Wallets (Alipay, WeChat Pay and UnionPay App only) , or by crossed cheque or cashier's order (payable to "The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region") in Hong Kong currency.

By post

By crossed cheque or cashier’s order (for local applications) or bank draft (for overseas applications) in Hong Kong dollars payable to "The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region". Post-dated cheques will not be accepted. All applications submitted by post can also be paid via online¹. Please do not send in cash.

Online

For search of birth records, the fee should be paid online; for a certified copy of a birth entry, the application fee should be paid at the time of collection in the selected registry.

¹ If applicant opts to pay via online, he/she has to use the same payment method to settle all payments of the application. We will contact the applicant for the payment arrangement after receiving the application.

After Applying

Application for Search of Birth Records and/ or a Certified Copy of a Birth Entry

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Collection of Search Result/Certified Copy of a Birth Entry

Applying in Person

If the application is made in person, the applicant should collect the search result and/or the certified copy of the entry concerned at the Births Registry where he/she made the application.

The uncollected search result and/or the certified copy of the entry concerned will be cancelled six months after the date of application.

Applying By Post

If the application is made by post, the search result and/or the certified copy of the entry concerned will be sent to the applicant by post.

Applying Online

If the application is made online, the applicant is required to collect in person the search result and/or the certified copy of the entry concerned at his/her selected registry.

The applicant is reminded to print or save the acknowledgement receipt, or write down the application reference and selected registry for collection. The applicant will be required to produce the printout or provide the application reference number upon collection at his/her selected registry.

The uncollected search result and/or the certified copy of the entry concerned will be cancelled six months after the date of application.

If you are the person with written consent from the registered subject/relevant person, you must bring the original written consent and copy of Hong Kong identity card or valid travel document of the registered subject/relevant person when you collect the search result and/or certified copy; otherwise, the search result and/or certified copy will not be issued to you.