Has your boorai’s birth been registered? Does your boorai have a birth certificate.
You will need to provide a birth certificate when you:
- Enrol your boorai in kinder and school.
- Access benefits like Centrelink and Medicare.
Your growing boorai may need their birth certificate when they apply for a:
- Bank account
- Driver's licence
- Passport
- Tax file number.
How do I register a birth?
It's never too late to register a birth.
Registering a birth is free. You can register online. It takes about 30 minutes.
The hospital doesn’t do this for you.
Who needs to register the birth?
Usually, both parents need to register a birth.
It’s sometimes possible for one parent to register.
It’s also sometimes possible for a carer to register a birth, depending on the care arrangement (see below).
If you need help, please contact us.
Learn more about registering a birth.
Information for carers who want to register a birth
Kinship care arrangement
On this page a ‘kinship care arrangement’ means care that:
- Has been arranged and agreed within a family, and
- Is not involved with the child protection program or subject to a child protection order. These orders include:
- guardianship order
- administration order
- Children's Court interim accommodation or protection order.
An example is when the parent informally agrees for a child to live with grandparents.
To register the child’s birth, the carer should:
- Attach evidence of their carer relationship to the child. For example, this might be:
- An identity card from an agency like Medicare or Centrelink.
The card must show both the carer’s and child’s names. This tells us that the carer has a legal right to register the birth, instead of the child’s parents.
OR - Letter of support from an organisation involved in the child’s care. For example, an Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation (ACCO) or the Victorian Aboriginal Child and Community Agency (VACCA).
The letter must outline:- The time the organisation has known the carer
- The length of time the care arrangement is in place for; and
- The organisation’s support for the carer to register the child’s birth.
- An identity card from an agency like Medicare or Centrelink.
If in doubt, please email us(opens in a new window).
Court or tribunal appointed administrators and guardians
To register the child’s birth, the carer should:
- Attach evidence of their carer relationship to the child, such as a court order. This tells us that they have a legal right to register the birth.
Child protection orders and other child protection arrangements
In these instances, only the following organisations may apply to register a birth:
- Department of Families, Fairness and Housing (DFFH)
- Aboriginal Child Care Organisations (ACCOs) delivering the Aboriginal Children in Aboriginal Care (ACAC) program.
Learn more about Aboriginal Children in Aboriginal Care.
Registering a birth later in life
Sometimes, a birth needs to be registered at a later stage of life. If this is the case, contact us for support from our team.
Who can get a birth certificate?
Either parent can access their child’s birth certificate.
It’s sometimes possible for a carer to get a child’s birth certificate. This depends on the care arrangement (see below).
Information for carers who want to get a child’s birth certificate
Kinship care arrangements
On this page a ‘kinship care arrangement’ means care that:
- Has been arranged and agreed within a family, and
- Is not subject to a guardianship or administration order, or Children's Court interim accommodation or protection order (child protection orders).
An example is when the parent informally agrees for a child to live with grandparents.
To get the child’s birth certificate, the carer should:
- Attach evidence of their carer relationship to the child. For example, this might be:
- An identity card from an agency like Medicare or Centrelink.
The card must show both the carer’s and child’s names. This tells us that the carer has a legal right to the certificate.
OR - Letter of support from an organisation involved in the child’s care. For example, an Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation (ACCO) or the Victorian Aboriginal Child and Community Agency (VACCA).
The letter must outline:- The time the organisation has known the carer
- The length of time the care arrangement is in place for; and
- The organisation’s support for the carer to access the child’s certificate.
- An identity card from an agency like Medicare or Centrelink.
If in doubt, please email us(opens in a new window).
Learn more about applying for birth certificates or information on someone’s behalf.
Court or tribunal appointed administrators, guardians and permanent carers
To get the child’s birth certificate, the carer should:
- Attach evidence of their carer relationship to the child, such as a court order. This tells us that they have a legal right to the certificate.
Learn more about applying for birth certificates or information on someone’s behalf.
Child protection orders and other child protection arrangements
In these instance, only the following agencies may apply for a birth certificate:
- Department of Families, Fairness and Housing (DFFH)
- Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations delivering the Aboriginal Children in Aboriginal Care (ACAC) program.
Aboriginal commemorative birth certificate
BDM also offers an Aboriginal commemorative birth certificate. It combines artwork by three of Victoria's well-known Aboriginal artists:
- Vicki Couzens
- Lee Durroch
- Treahna Hamm.
Each artist depicts an element of birth in a way that recognises and celebrates Victoria's Aboriginal heritage.
You can apply for the Aboriginal commemorative birth certificate at the same time as a legal birth certificate.
You can’t use the Aboriginal commemorative birth certificate as:
- Legal proof of identity, or
- Confirmation of Aboriginality.
To prove your identity, you will need your legal birth certificate.
BDM does not provide Confirmation of Aboriginality. If you need one, contact your relevant:
They are responsible for providing Confirmation of Aboriginality.
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