NATIONAL REGISTRATION

CHAPTER 24:01
NATIONAL REGISTRATION

ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS

    SECTION

PART I
PRELIMINARY

    1.    Short title

    2.    Interpretation

PART II
NATIONAL REGISTRATION

    3.    Establishment of National Registration System

    4.    Appointment of Director and Deputy Director

    5.    Appointment of district registrars

    6.    Appointment of district registrars abroad

    7.    National register

    8.    Contents of national register

    9.    Registration

    10.    Registration requirement made through notice in the Gazette

    11.    Additional information

    12.    Processing a qualified application

    13.    Issue of identity card

    14.    Forms of identity card

    15.    Preservation of identity cards

    16.    Replacement of lost, damaged or destroyed identity cards

    17.    Identity card prima facie proof of contents of national register

    18.    Change in particulars relating to a registered person

    19.    Immaterial change

    20.    Material change

    21.    Updating photographs

PART III
REGISTRATION OF BIRTHS AND ADOPTED CHILDREN

    22.    Register of births to be kept in every district

    23.    Mode of registration of births

    24.    Duty to register births

    25.    Registration of birth after six weeks from birth

    26.    Exposed child

    27.    Change of name

    28.    Registration of an adopted child

PART IV
REGISTRATION OF MARRIAGES

    29.    Register of marriages to be kept in every district

    30.    Mode of registration of marriages

    31.    Duty to register marriages

    32.    Registration of marriage after three months from marriage

PART V
REGISTRATION OF DEATHS

    33.    Register of deaths to be kept in every district

    34.    Mode of registration of deaths

    35.    Duty to register death

    36.    Registration of deaths after six weeks from death

PART VI
RECORDS AND RETURNS OF BIRTHS, MARRIAGES AND DEATHS

    37.    Duties of Director in respect of births, etc.

    38.    Monthly and other returns

    39.    Indexes, searches and certified copies

PART VII
MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

    40.    Correction of errors in registers

    41.    Delivery of birth report, etc.

    42.    Offences and penalties

    43.    Forgery, false information and undue influence

    44.    Secrecy

    45.    Evidence

    46.    Immunity

    47.    Regulations

    48.    Repeal and savings

13 of 2010
G.N. 18/2015

    An Act to provide for the registration of persons and registration of births, marriages and deaths of persons and to provide for matters connected therewith and incidental thereto

PART I
PRELIMINARY

1.    Short title

    This Act may be cited as the National Registration Act.

2.    Interpretation

    In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires—

    “authorized person” means any person or class of persons prescribed by the Minister;

    “birth report” means a report of birth containing the prescribed particulars and made in the prescribed form;

    “death report” means a report of death containing the prescribed particulars and made in the prescribed form;

    “district register” means the register maintained by each district registrar;

    “Director” means the Director of National Registration appointed under section 4;

    “identity card” means an identity card issued in accordance with the provisions of this Act;

    “marriage report” means a report of marriage containing the prescribed particulars and made in the prescribed form;

    “national register” means the register maintained by the Director under section 7;

    “prescribed particulars” means—

    (a)    as to any birth, the sex, name, date and place of birth, the names, residence, occupations and nationality of the parents and such other particulars as the Minister may prescribe;

    (b)    as to any marriage, the names, nationality, conditions, occupations, ages, dwelling or place of abode of the bride groom and bride and such other particulars as the Minister may prescribe; and

    (c)    as to any death, the name, age, sex, place of residence, length of residence in Malawi, occupation and nationality of the deceased and the date, place and cause of death, and such other particulars as the Minister may prescribe;

    “registered person” means a person registered under section 7 and section 9;

    “specified area” means an area declared as such by the Director in accordance with section 10.

PART II
NATIONAL REGISTRATION

3.    Establishment of National Registration System

    (1) There shall be a National Registration System consisting of Population Register established under this Act.

    (2) The Population Register shall comprise the Births, Marriages and Deaths Registers recorded at the village, traditional authority, district and national levels.

4.    Appointment of Director and Deputy Director

    There shall be a Director and Deputy Director of National Registration appointed by the Minister.

5.    Appointment of district registrars

    (1) The Director may delegate any or all of his duties to be performed by a district registrar within the area of a district.

    (2) Every District Commissioner or Chief Executive, as the case may be, shall be the registrar for the District over…