Dubai: Your child’s birth certificate is one of the most important documents that you are going to need at various stages in their life – whether it is the first school admission or applying for their residence visa and health insurance. But what can you do if you need to make any changes to their birth certificate?
May be your child’s name was changed at a later stage in their life, or perhaps there was a typographical error that you would like to correct?
In the UAE, the birth certificates are issued by the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MOHAP), and any changes that need to be made can be raised with the relevant health centre. Even if you are no longer living in the UAE, you can request for making changes to the birth certificate by following certain procedures.
In this guide, we look at how you can modify your child’s birth certificate and how the process can be slightly different if you are a former UAE expat.
Modification of birth certificate
You can apply for making changes to your child’s birth certificate by visiting a public health centre in the emirate that your child was born in.
Alternatively, you can also apply for it online, through the MOHAP website: mohap.gov.ae. Here are the steps you need to follow:
• Visit the website mohap.gov.ae and log in with the UAE Pass. If you are using the desktop version of the app, the logging in process will require you to authenticate yourself through the web authenticator code.
• Under ‘services’, select ‘individual services’ and then ‘Modification of birth certificate details’.
• Click on start service.
• You will be redirected to your dashboard, after which you should click on ‘Modification of birth certificate details’.
• Enter the Qaid number, which is the birth registration number. You will be able to find this on the top of birth certificate.
• Next, enter the mother’s or father’s date of birth, and click on search.
• The system will show you the file under these details. Click on ‘create’ under the file listing. Once the system refreshes, you will be able to click on the ‘edit’ button, after which you can submit a request to modify any of the details listed, including the parent’s name (in Arabic or English) their details like nationality or religion, or the baby’s details, like their name, date of birth or gender.
• You will also need to provide the documents supporting the request to change these details.
• Make the payment – you will then need to pay Dh65 or Dh130 (for English and Arabic). This cost includes the courier charges.
The birth certificate is delivered within two working days, according to MOHAP.
Documents required
If you are not applying online, and instead prefer to visit a health centre to make the request, make sure you are carrying the following documents with you:
• Original passports, Emirates ID and residence card in the case of expatriates, and copies thereof.
• Original marriage certificate, duly attested if the marriage was held outside the UAE.
• Original birth certificate (or a police statement if certificate has been lost).
• When requesting a name change, letters from the Consulate and from the relevant court must be submitted.
No longer living in the UAE – can I make changes to birth certificate?
A Gulf News reader wrote in asking how he can make changes to his daughter’s birth certificate. The reader no longer lives in the UAE and wanted to know the process he should follow.
He said: “My daughter’s family name was spelled incorrectly on the birth certificate issued from Al Qasimi Hospital in Sharjah. Additionally, there are multiple typos in the birth certificate. She is now pursuing higher education, and I am concerned that these documentation issues may create problems for her. Unfortunately, I am unable to travel to the UAE. Can these corrections be made by my friend, who is a UAE resident? Or can I do it online?”
According to MOHAP, if the applicant needs to apply for a birth certificate, then he or she needs to visit the public health centre in the emirate of birth.
In case the person is not in the country, then he or she must provide a Power of Attorney to someone in the country to apply on their behalf. Alternatively, they can also ask their embassy in the UAE to apply on their behalf.
Documents required
- Power of attorney letter
- Photocopy of the old birth certificate
How can I find a MOHAP health centre near me?
MOHAP and Emirates Health Services (EHS) operate several health centres in each emirate of the UAE. One of the ways in which you can find the health centre closest to you is by calling the MOHAP call centre on 800 111 11.
You can also find the public health centre locations online, on the following web page: https://www.ehs.gov.ae/en/services/health-care-facilities
