The registration will take between 15 to 30 minutes. The registrar will record details onto the national database for birth registrations and print the birth register page or the declaration form when the birth has occurred in another district. Based on the information given by a legally qualified informant(s). Where a declaration is made, the register entry must accord precisely with the declaration when completed in the registering district.
It is very important that the information is accurate as the register is a historical legal record. If any corrections are required, there is a formal procedure to follow which is time consuming and currently costs up to £100. The onus is on the informant (parent) to provide evidence in the case of a correction being made.
To avoid this, informants will be asked to:
- BRING documents to the appointment which confirm important details for their own reference
- CHECK the draft and register entry very carefully before signing the register/declaration
- TELL the registrar before signing the register/declaration if something is incorrect.
If you discover an error after the register/declaration has been signed, you should refer to:
GOV.UK - Correct birth registration (external website)
This provides information on to how to correct an error and for confirmation of the fee which will apply.