Once you’ve emerged from the newborn bubble of bliss there’s a bit of paperwork to get sorted. Registering your baby’s birth is one of the most important things you need to do and for many new parents, it’s now a case of logging on rather than putting pen to paper.
A growing number of states in Australia are switching to online registrations, which means creating your new family member’s legal identity is super easy.
Here’s a breakdown of how to register your newborn online in each state.
New South Wales
NSW has just switched to online baby registrations, just make sure you have these things sorted:
- Agree on a baby name.
- Take a photo or scan three forms of ID for both parents.
- Work out if you want a birth certificate (this isn’t free).
- Register online.
Queensland
Using an electronic signature you’re able to register baby’s birth online if you’re a Queenslander – you just need to verify your identity using two of these:
- Australian driver license
- Medicare card
- Australian passport
- Australian visa (foreign passport)
- ImmiCard
- Australian citizenship certificate
- Australian birth certificate
- Australian marriage certificate
- Australian change of name certificate
South Australia
You can register bub’s birth online in South Australia as long as you can provide all of these details:
- date and place of your child’s birth
- how much your baby weighed at birth
- doctor or midwife
- birth mother
- father or co-parent
- the parents’ marriage (if appropriate)
- previous children
Once the registration is filled out, it will be emailed back to you to sign.
Victoria
In Victoria, you’ll have to fill in a birth registration statement when your bub is born – this will be given to you at the hospital or by your midwife. It has to be signed by a witness at the same time it’s signed by the parents. Then it has to be submitted to Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages Victoria by mail or in person.
This has to be done within 60 days of the baby’s birth.
Tasmania
Tasmanians have to fill out a Birth Registration Statement which will be given to you at the hospital or by your midwife. It has to be lodged with the Birth Registration Statement with the Registry Office within 60 days of the baby’s birth.
ACT
If bub is born in the ACT, you’ll need to fill out a birth registration statement within six months of the birth. The statement is usually given to you at the hospital.
Northern Territory
You’ll be given a birth registration statement and a reply-paid envelope by the hospital or health centre where the baby is born. To fill it out you’ll need to have the following details:
- the baby’s name
- sex of the baby
- whether the baby is a multiple birth
- date and place of birth
- parents’ details and previous children details
- a postal address
- your signature – this must be witnessed by a person over 18 years old
Western Australia
Your hospital or midwife will give you with a Birth Registration Form, which both parents have to complete and sign and post to the Registry.
While you’re organising paperwork, make sure you read our guide to government entitlements in pregnancy.
