How Birth Certificate Apostille in Bihar Works
Birth certificate apostille in Bihar begins with a record kept under the Directorate of Economics and Statistics, which serves as the office of the Chief Registrar of Births and Deaths for the state. District Magistrates act as District Registrars, and the certificate itself is signed by a local registrar. INFINITYGRO takes that original through the Delhi route to the MEA.
By the INFINITYGRO documentation teamUpdated Facts checked against MEA and HCCH
Birth certificate apostille sample
Who signs a birth certificate in Bihar, and can it be apostilled for my child's visa? A local registrar of births and deaths signs it, working under the District Magistrate as District Registrar. Birth certificate apostille in Bihar is done by verifying that registrar's signature through a notary and SDM in Delhi, or through the Bihar Home department, before the MEA adds its apostille. The original certificate is needed, not a copy.
The registration chain in Bihar
In many states the health department runs birth registration. Bihar is different. The state government notified the Director of the Directorate of Economics and Statistics as Chief Registrar under Section 4 of the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969.
Below the Chief Registrar, each District Magistrate is the District Registrar. The District Statistical Officer serves as Additional District Registrar. Divisional Deputy Directors of Statistics, Block Development Officers and local registrars complete the chain.
The name and seal of the local registrar on your certificate is what gets verified before the apostille.
Key facts
| Chief Registrar office | Directorate of Economics and Statistics, Planning and Development Department, Bihar |
|---|---|
| Chief Registrar | Director, Directorate of Economics and Statistics (notified under Section 4 of the RBD Act) |
| District Registrar | District Magistrate |
| Additional District Registrar | District Statistical Officer |
| Local level | Registrars and deputy registrars, with Block Development Officers in the chain |
| State route authority | Joint / Deputy Secretary Home (Special), Patna |
| National system | Civil Registration System, crsorgi.gov.in |
| MEA fee | Rs 50 per document |
Check these points on a Bihar certificate
- The child's name is printed, not left blank
- Parents' names match their passports
- The registrar's signature and seal are clear
- The document is not laminated
- The registration number and date of registration are visible
Many Bihar certificates carry Hindi text. If yours is fully or partly in Hindi, a certified English translation may be needed abroad. We can arrange it through our translation service.
Routes for birth certificate apostille in Bihar
Delhi route. A notary in Delhi verifies the certificate, the SDM in Delhi countersigns, and the MEA adds the apostille through its authorised outsourced centre. This is the route most Bihar families use because nothing has to be submitted in Patna.
State route. The Bihar Home department in Patna (Joint or Deputy Secretary, Home Special) authenticates the document, and it then goes to the MEA. Use this only if the receiving office asks for state-level attestation.
The MEA checks the authenticating officer's signature. It does not judge the content of the record. See how the MEA apostille works.
Late registration and adding a name
The Act asks for a birth to be reported within 21 days. When this is missed, later registration is still possible with permission at each stage, and after one year an order from an authorised magistrate is needed. Since the 2023 amendment, that order can come from the District Magistrate, the SDM or an Executive Magistrate authorised by the DM.
A child's name can be added after registration through the registrar who holds the record. Ask for a fresh certificate showing the name once it is entered. A certificate without a name is a common reason for a rejected visa file.
Old handwritten extracts
Older Bihar certificates were often handwritten or typed on paper forms. The MEA can still apostille them when the signature is verifiable. A foreign school or consulate may still prefer a computerised copy, though.
If the receiving office asks for one, request a fresh extract from the registrar who holds the register. Birth registers are permanent records, so the original entry should still be available.
Hospital births and home births
For a birth in a hospital, the hospital is the informant and reports the event to the local registrar. The family then collects the certificate from that registration unit. For a home birth, the head of the household or a family member reports it to the registrar for the village or ward.
Home births in rural Bihar are more likely to have been registered late or without the child's name. If that is your case, sort the record out with the registrar before you send the certificate for apostille. Fixing it afterwards means a new certificate and a new apostille.
Keep a copy of any permission letter or magistrate order connected with the entry. Some consulates ask to see it.
Families in Patna
Patna has a large number of registration units because of its hospitals and urban wards. Births in hospitals are reported to the registrar for that area, and the certificate is issued from the registration unit that holds the entry.
Patna clients courier the original to our office in New Ashok Nagar, Delhi. We return the apostilled document by Blue Dart or a similar tracked courier. There is no home pickup.
Clients in other Bihar districts follow the same courier process.
What the apostilled certificate is used for
Parents in Bihar usually need it for a child's passport or dependant visa, school admission overseas, a residence permit, or citizenship by descent. It also comes up in OCI-related matters abroad.
Countries in the Hague system accept it, including the UK, USA, Canada, Australia, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Bahrain. An apostille from India is not valid for China or Germany. The UAE, Qatar and Kuwait need embassy legalization; see our UAE attestation charges.
What to send us from Bihar
Put the original certificate in a stiff envelope so it does not fold in transit. Add a passport copy of the child or of a parent, and write down the country where the certificate will be used. That tells us whether the apostille is enough or whether embassy legalization is needed.
Message us on WhatsApp at +91 85955 58517 before you courier, or use our contact page. We confirm the route and the address for the parcel.
Real birth certificate apostille samples
Click any sample to enlarge. Personal details are masked.
Bihar birth certificate apostille FAQs
Is the Chief Registrar in Bihar part of the health department?
No. Bihar notified the Director of the Directorate of Economics and Statistics, under the Planning and Development Department, as Chief Registrar of Births and Deaths.
How much does birth certificate apostille in Bihar cost through you?
Our all-inclusive Delhi route price is Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,500 per document. This covers the notary, SDM, the Rs 50 MEA fee and our service. Courier is extra.
Do I need to visit Patna Secretariat?
Not for the Delhi route. You only courier the original to us in Delhi.
The spelling of my child's name differs from the passport. What now?
Names must match the passport. Usually an affidavit is needed, or the registrar corrects the entry and issues a new certificate.
Will each child's certificate need a separate apostille?
Yes. Every document gets its own apostille.
Other documents from Bihar
- Marriage Certificate apostille
- Birth Certificate apostille
- Degree Certificate apostille
- Diploma Certificate apostille
- PCC apostille
Birth Certificate apostille in other states
Getting a Bihar birth certificate ready for abroad?
WhatsApp a photo of the document and the destination country. We reply with the route, the timeline and one total price.