Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain – The Information & eGovernment Authority (iGA) announced that birth and death certificate issuance services will continue to be provided at the premises of the Ministry of Health’s Public Health Directorate in Manama until the end of August, while work continues on shifting the Births and Death Registration Unit to the iGA’s Isa Town headquarters. The move is in line with Article 12 of Law No. 7 of 2019, which regulates births and deaths registration, and which requires that the unit be transferred from being under the authority of the Ministry to that of the iGA.
The logistics of transporting the electronic systems and corresponds received by courts and other government institutions are currently underway, during which the iGA will work from the Directorate’s Manama premises to ensure a seamless continuation of the service. The old certificates has already replaced with new copies with the logo and stamp of the iGA.
Personal attendance by relatives is required in case in case of four certain cases. For births, (attendance is required for the issuance of birth certificate of individuals born prior to 1994), also for (certificate printing requests for citizens born abroad). Attendance is also needed for (certificate printing requests for citizens or residents who passed away within Bahrain or abroad). And finally, personal attendance is needed for (death or birth certificate issuances in cases where they are requested by Bahraini court orders or rulings).
In all cases, iGA must be notified in writing by relevant official entities in order for births and deaths to be registered in its databases. All hospitals in Bahrain report births and issue personal numbers allowing parents to complete the birth certificate and ID card issuance procedures via the National Portal, bahrain.bh.
iGA previously announced that it must be notified of all deaths of citizens and residents in the Kingdom within 72 hours of the time of death and within 60 days if the death occurred abroad. With births, iGA must be notified within a period not exceeding 15 days from the date of birth of children born within the Kingdom, and 60 days for those born abroad, as per Law No. 7 of 2019.