Registering a Birth

Have you become a father or mother? Then you must have your child’s birth officially registered with the municipality. This is called a birth registration.

What does this product or service mean?

What should you pay attention to?

You must register the birth in the municipality where your child was born. If your child was born on Bonaire, you must register the birth with the Civil Affairs Department of the Public Entity of Bonaire.

When a birth is registered, the civil registrar issues an official document: a birth certificate.

The birth certificate is written proof that a person was born.
If the parents are married, the child automatically has a father and a mother.
If the parents are not married, the child has only a mother under the law.
To have the father officially listed as a parent, he must acknowledge the child. You can find more information about this under the “Acknowledgment of a Child” section.

When can you apply for this?

The following people may or must register the birth:

May: the child’s mother.
Must: the child’s father.

If the father is not present or cannot come, the birth may also be registered by:

someone who was present at the birth, or
the director or an authorized representative of the hospital where the child was born.

Always bring original documents to the Civil Registry Office; do not bring copies only.

How do you apply for this?

Here’s how to register a birth:

1. Go to the Civil Registry Office.

You do not need to make an appointment. From Monday through Thursday, you can drop in between 8:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m.

2. Bring the following:

Valid identification for the person registering the birth.
The birth certificate from the hospital.
If applicable: a marriage certificate or family register.

The birth certificate will be issued immediately while you wait.

Who can you contact?

Civil Affairs
Adress: Kaya Neerlandia 40
Telephone: (+599) 715 5330
Email: info@bonairegov.com

Opening hours
Monday through Thursday: 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Friday: Closed

How long does it take?

You must report the birth within 5 business days.

What does it cost?

Reporting the birth of your child is free.

A copy or extract of the birth certificate costs $11,20.
A certificate of registration costs $4,75.

What do we do with your personal data?

When you submit a request or report, the Public Entity of Bonaire needs your personal data. The Public Entity of Bonaire handles your data with care.

The BES Personal Data Protection Act specifies how the Public Entity of Bonaire must do this.

The most important rules are:

The Public Entity of Bonaire only requests data necessary to process your request or report.
They record and process your data securely, confidentially, and with care.
Your data will only be used for the application or report, or for something directly related to it.
Your data will not be retained longer than necessary for the application or report.
Other organizations will only receive your data if required by law.
You may ask how your data is being used and what happens to it.