Mass national documents campaign swamped

The Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration Safety and Security says the mass civic registration programme has so far received 17 182 applications across the country.

The outreach programme includes the registration of births (at any age), applications for duplicate birth certificates, applications for identity (ID) documents, and ID card duplicates.

The campaign started on 5 February and will run until July.

The programme aims to improve access to services for people in remote areas.

According to the ministry’s mass registration report, the Ohangwena region has received 2 649 applications, followed by the Omusati region with 1 653 applications, while the //Kharas region has received 504 applications for national documents so far.

The report revealed that the majority of Namibians are applying for birth certificates and ID cards, and no Namibian has registered for South West Africa ID cards in the Oshana, Oshikoto, Khomas, Kavango West, and Zambezi regions.

Ministry spokesperson Margaret Kalo says to apply for a birth certificate, one is required to bring along proof of birth from where a person was born, the person’s parents’ national documents, valid passports (if the parents are not Namibian), marriage certificates (if the parents are married), and declarations.

“The proof of birth can be obtainable from the hospital where the mother gave birth, or from a person who witnessed the birth where a child was delivered at home,” she says.

Kalo says first-time applicants for national documents may apply free of charge.

“Those who are coming to apply for duplicate birth certificates will be charged N$100. This fee increases to N$100 for every duplicate issued,” she says.