Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council

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Births

• When does a birth have to be registered?
• Where can the birth be registered?
• Do i have to make an appointment?
• What if we can’t attend the correct office?
• Who can register the birth?
• What certificates will be issued?
• Can the birth be registered bi-lingually?

When does the birth have to be registered?

The birth must be registered within 42 days of the baby being born.

Where can the birth be registered?

The birth must be registered in the district where it took place.

Do i have to make an appointment?

Yes, in order to register a birth at the Neath Port Talbot Register Office, please contact 01639 760021 or 01639 760020 to arrange an appointment.

What if we can’t attend the correct office?

If it is not convenient for you to visit the Register Office for that district, you may go to any other office in England and Wales. In this circumstance, a birth declaration will be taken and sent to the Registration Office in the district where your baby was born.

Who can register the birth?

If the parents were married to each other at the time of the birth, either the mother or father can register the baby. However, if the parents were not married to each other at the time of the birth, the father’s details can only be entered into the register in the following circumstances:

• Where the mother and father attend together. For unmarried fathers to have equal responsibility for the child, both parents need to register together.
• Or where the father is unable to attend with the mother, it is possible for him to make a Statutory Declaration, confirming he is the father, which the mother produces to the registrar.
• Or where the mother is unable to attend with the father, she may make a Statutory Declaration confirming the name of the father, which the father produces to the registrar.
• Or where either parent has obtained a relevant court order this should be produced to the registrar

What certificates will be issued?

After the birth has been registered, the registrar will issue a short copy birth certificate which is free of charge. The certificates shows the baby’s details only.

A certificate is also available from the registrar which records the parents’ details and is a complete copy of the register entry. There is a charge for this certificate and the registrar will advise on the current fee.

Can the Birth be registered bi-lingually?

Yes, the birth may be registered in Welsh and English (but not Welsh only). It is advisable to telephone the Register Office beforehand on 01639 760021 / 01639 760022 to ascertain that a Welsh-speaking registrar will be available, as not all our registrars are Welsh-speaking. You must also be able to speak Welsh to register bi-lingually.