A birth certificate is defined as an official copy of the birth registration held by the registry of births, deaths and marriages of the relevant state or territory. For birth or adoption that occurred in the country of Australia, the birth certificate for the same can be applied either via post, online or in-person at the respective service centre of the territory where the birth had originally taken place. It should be known that certificates are generally sent to the applicant via registered post because a birth certificate is unobtainable from a service centre.

To obtain a birth certificate, the following set of eligibility norms must be fulfilled: if you are the person or the parent of the person whose name is to be printed on the birth certificate, then three copies of valid identification must be provided; however, if you’re not the person or the parent of the person who’s name is to be printed on the birth certificate then a letter of authority must be provided along with three copies of identification of the person giving such permission along with three copies of your identification.

Additionally, the following set of documents will be required for obtaining a birth certificate: the details of the birth registration, the personal and contact details of the applicant, the personal identity documents, scanned copies of the required documents, company documents (in case applicable), proper evidence that permission has been provided for obtaining the birth certificate (in case applicable) and finally the requisite fees.

When it comes to the payment methods, you can pay via PayPal, BPAY or any credit/debit card when paying online. For phone transactions, you can utilise credit or debit cards issued by Visa, MasterCard or American Express. And for in-person payment options, you can pay via money order, credit or debit cards, cash or cheque.

Applying For a Birth Certificate Online

To apply for a birth certificate in Australia online, follow the below-mentioned steps.

  1. Firstly, head over to the respective website of the Australian territory where the birth of the child had originally taken place. The respective websites are provided as follows: New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory, Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia and Norfolk Island.
  2. Once you have landed on the website of the respective Australian territory, proceed to fill up the application form online. Provide information to the best of your knowledge.
  3. After filling up the form, provide scanned copies of your supporting/identification documents. Furthermore, you also have to decide the type and design of the birth certificate you wish to avail along with the number of copies as well.
  4. Provide your delivery address and proceed to pay the fees online. After successful payment, your application will be sent for processing/verification. After successful verification, your birth certificate will be sent to your address via registered post.

Applying For a Birth Certificate via Phone

When trying to apply for a birth certificate in Australia via phone, follow the subsequent suggestions.

  1. Proceed to first contact the official registry office of the territory where the birth had taken place. The Australian territorial phone numbers for the registry offices are provided as follows: 0061 2 6207 5111 (Australian Capital Territory),  0061 2 8894 1555 (New South Wales), 0061 8 8999 6119 (Northern Territory), 0061 7 33284811 (Queensland), 0061 131882 (South Australia), 0061 3 616 53457 (Tasmania), 0061 3 9613 5111 (Victoria), 0061 8 9264 1555 (Western Australia) and 00 67 23 23 691 (Norfolk Island).
  2. Place an order for your required birth certificate. Provide your identification documents as required along with the address at which you want the certificate to be delivered. Also, do not forget to pay for the same.
  3. After successful verification, your birth certificate will be delivered to your doorstep.

Applying For a Birth Certificate In-Person

In case you want to apply for a birth certificate in Australia via post or in person, follow the steps below.

  1. Start the process by heading to the registry office handling births, deaths and marriages of the respective Australian territory.
  2. Proceed to fill up the application form for obtaining a birth certificate. Submit the same by attaching the required documents for identification and also pay the requisite fees.
  3. After your application has been successfully processed and verified, the birth certificate will be sent to your address via registered post.

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Last Update: January 19, 2023