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Get Birth Certificates in Senegal – Dakar and Thies
In Senegal, birth registration is administered by civil registry offices (Centres d’Etat Civil) at the commune level, under the Ministry of the Interior. All births must be declared within 45 days. The official birth certificate (Acte de Naissance) is issued in French and is essential for obtaining a national identity card (CNI) and a Senegalese passport. Senegal has made significant progress in civil registration, achieving over 85% birth registration coverage.
Required Documents
- Birth declaration from the hospital, maternity center, or health post.
- National identity cards of both parents.
- Marriage certificate of parents (if applicable).
- Two adult witnesses with valid IDs if no hospital declaration is available.
How to Get a Birth Certificate in Senegal
Standard Registration Process
- Obtain the birth declaration from the hospital or maternité.
- Visit the Centre d’Etat Civil of the commune where the birth occurred within 45 days.
- Submit all required documents to the civil registrar.
- The registrar records the birth and issues the Acte de Naissance — the first copy is free.
- Certified extracts (extraits d’acte de naissance) are issued for a nominal fee at the commune office.
In Dakar (Capital)
Dakar is divided into 19 communes, each with a Centre d’Etat Civil. The Ville de Dakar coordinates civil registration across the capital region. The Hôpital Principal de Dakar, Hôpital Aristide Le Dantec, and Centre Hospitalier Abass Ndao are the principal hospitals providing birth declarations. The Dakar Préfecture handles complex registration cases and late declaration court orders.
In Thiès
Thiès — Senegal’s second-largest city — processes birth registrations at the Mairie de Thiès and commune-level civil registry offices across the Thiès region. The Hôpital Régional de Thiès is the primary hospital for birth declarations in the region.
Late Registration
Births declared after 45 days require a jugement supplétif from the local tribunal. Senegal’s government has been actively digitizing civil registration, and some communes now offer online birth certificate requests via Senegal’s e-government portal.
Tips
- Register within 45 days — late declarations require a court order from the tribunal d’instance.
- Hospital registrations in Dakar are the fastest route — declarations are issued on the same day as delivery at major hospitals.
- Senegal’s e-government portal (servicepublic.gouv.sn) allows online requests for birth extracts in select communes — check availability in your commune.
- Get multiple certified extracts — required for school, CNI, passport, and employment applications throughout life.
- Senegalese abroad can register births at Senegalese embassies and consulates within 3 months of birth.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the registration deadline in Senegal?
45 days from the date of birth. After this, a court order (jugement supplétif) is required.
Can I get a birth certificate online in Senegal?
Select communes participate in Senegal’s e-government system at servicepublic.gouv.sn, allowing online requests for birth certificate extracts. Coverage is expanding.
How much does a birth certificate cost in Senegal?
The first Acte de Naissance is issued free within 45 days. Certified extracts cost a nominal fee. Late registration tribunal fees vary.
What if I live in a rural area in Senegal?
Village chiefs and health post workers can provide declarations that are accepted at the commune civil registry office. Mobile registration campaigns also operate in rural Senegal.
Can I register a birth in Senegal if only one parent is Senegalese?
Yes. A child born in Senegal to at least one Senegalese parent is entitled to Senegalese nationality and an Acte de Naissance, regardless of the other parent’s nationality.