Obtaining a Birth Certificate
Obtaining a Birth Certificate: When and Why You May Need It
Obtaining a birth certificate from Ukraine may be necessary if the original document has been lost or damaged, remains in Ukraine, or a newly issued certificate is required for submission to a Ukrainian or foreign authority. In such cases, a repeat birth certificate is issued on the basis of an existing birth registration record.
There are many situations in which a repeat birth certificate may be required. For example, it may be needed for citizenship applications, proof of family relationships, inheritance matters, marriage registration, or various social and administrative procedures. A newly issued certificate is also frequently required by Ukrainians living abroad who are preparing documents for submission to foreign authorities.
Older or Soviet-era birth certificates require particular attention. Even if the original document is still available, a foreign authority may request a current certificate issued by the competent Ukrainian authority. The first step is therefore to determine whether a repeat birth certificate can be issued and where the relevant birth registration record is held.
The procedure depends on several factors, including the year and place of birth registration, whether the record is available in the relevant register, who is applying for the certificate, and how the document will be obtained.
What Does Obtaining a Birth Certificate from Ukraine Involve?
Obtaining a birth certificate involves requesting a new document on the basis of an existing civil status record. The birth itself is not registered again: the competent authority verifies the relevant record and issues a repeat birth certificate.
For this reason, the commonly used phrase “replace a birth certificate” does not mean that the fact of birth itself is being re-established. If the birth was duly registered, the event has already been recorded in the civil status registration system or in records subsequently transferred to archival storage.
In practice, a repeat certificate may be needed for reasons other than loss of the original. A new copy may be requested if the old certificate is damaged, the text or official stamp has become difficult to read, the document has been left in another country, or a newly issued document is required for further official procedures.
What Is the Difference Between a Repeat Birth Certificate, the Original Certificate and an Extract?
A repeat birth certificate confirms the same registered fact of birth as the certificate issued previously. It is often informally referred to as a “duplicate birth certificate,” although the official procedure is the repeat issuance of a certificate.
An extract is a different type of document. It contains information from the State Register of Civil Status Acts of Citizens. Before requesting a document, it is therefore advisable to confirm exactly what the receiving authority requires: a repeat birth certificate or the relevant extract.
Who Can Obtain a Repeat Birth Certificate?
A repeat birth certificate is issued to persons who are legally entitled to receive it. The applicable procedure depends, among other factors, on whose birth record is concerned, the age of that person, and who is applying for the document.
Depending on the circumstances, the certificate may be obtained by the person whose birth was registered, their parents, adoptive parents, guardians or custodians, or, where permitted by law, a duly authorised representative.
If a representative is obtaining the document, simply providing a copy of the certificate holder’s passport is not sufficient. The representative’s authority must be confirmed in accordance with the requirements applicable to the particular method of application. In certain cases, civil status documents may be reissued to a third party on the basis of a duly certified power of attorney; separate provisions apply to representation by a lawyer.
Particular care should be taken when a power of attorney is executed abroad. The required form of the document, whether an apostille or another form of authentication is necessary, and whether a translation is required depend on the country where the power of attorney is issued and the international rules applicable between that country and Ukraine.
What Information and Documents Are Required?
To obtain a birth certificate, sufficient information must be provided to locate the relevant birth registration record and confirm the applicant’s right to receive the document. The exact set of documents depends on the circumstances and the method of application.
It is generally helpful to prepare the following information and documents in advance:
- the person’s surname, first name and patronymic as recorded at the time of birth registration, where a patronymic was included;
- date and place of birth and information about the parents;
- details of the applicant’s identity document;
- a copy of the old birth certificate, if available;
- information about any subsequent change of surname or first name;
- documents confirming family relationships or the representative’s authority, where required in the particular case.
The older the birth registration record and the less information the applicant has, the more important it is to provide accurate details. Even a photograph of an old certificate may be useful, as it may show the date and number of the civil status record, the name of the registration authority and other relevant information. However, not having a copy does not in itself mean that obtaining the document is impossible. The search is based on information about the registered event rather than solely on the number of the old certificate. Older records may require additional searches and communication with archival institutions.
What If You Do Not Have a Copy of the Old Birth Certificate?
If the certificate has been completely lost, the first step is to gather all available information about the birth record: the person’s full name, date and place of birth, details of the parents, and the approximate date when the birth was registered.
The absence of the old certificate does not necessarily prevent a repeat birth certificate from being issued. The key requirement is that the relevant birth registration record exists and can be identified.
How to Obtain a Birth Certificate in Ukraine
A repeat birth certificate in Ukraine can be obtained through the civil status registration authorities (DRACS), while eligible requests can also be submitted online. The most suitable method depends on who is applying and whether an additional search for the record is required.
For a typical request, the process is as follows:
- Determine which document is required — a repeat birth certificate or an extract.
- Prepare the personal details and documents confirming the right to obtain it.
- Choose the appropriate application method and submit the request.
- Once the application has been processed, receive the document using one of the available delivery or collection methods.
- If the certificate will be used abroad, separately check the requirements for an apostille, legalisation, translation and certification.
It is not advisable to order an apostille or translation before confirming the requirements of the authority to which the document will be submitted. Requirements vary between countries and procedures. Checking them in advance helps avoid unnecessary expenses and situations where the document has to be processed again because the wrong type of authentication or translation was obtained.
Obtaining a Certificate Through DRACS
Repeat certificates are issued by the Ukrainian civil status registration authorities. When an application is submitted, the details of the relevant civil status record and the applicant’s authority to obtain the document are verified.
If the record is old, contains discrepancies, or requires an additional search, the procedure may be more complex than obtaining a document based on current information readily available in the register.
Ordering a Repeat Birth Certificate Online
As of 2026, a repeat birth certificate can be ordered through the Diia portal in eligible cases. The applicant signs in, completes the online application, selects an available method of receiving the document and follows the steps specified by the service.
Repeat civil status certificates and extracts can be delivered by Ukrposhta either to a post office or by courier. Once the application has been processed, dispatch information becomes available in the user’s account and is also sent by email.
How to Obtain a Ukrainian Birth Certificate While Living Abroad
Travelling to Ukraine solely to obtain a repeat birth certificate is not always necessary. Ukrainians abroad can use available consular procedures for obtaining repeat civil status documents, while in appropriate cases the matter can also be handled through a representative in Ukraine.
The consular procedure has its own requirements regarding the application, the applicant’s documents and consular fees. These requirements may vary depending on the particular diplomatic mission or consular office, so the required documentation should be checked before applying.
Another option is to arrange for the birth certificate to be obtained through an authorised representative without travelling to Ukraine in person. This can be particularly convenient when the certificate needs to be prepared immediately for submission to a foreign authority — for example, by checking the applicable requirements, obtaining an apostille, arranging a translation and sending the completed documents to the client.
Can You Obtain a Birth Certificate Without Travelling to Ukraine?
Yes. In many cases, a Ukrainian birth certificate can be obtained without travelling to Ukraine in person. The appropriate procedure depends on the circumstances and on the documents available to confirm the authority of the applicant or their representative.
Regional Translation Center can assist with arranging the retrieval of a birth certificate in Ukraine, as well as with its subsequent processing and international delivery. To begin, the client can provide the available details of the birth registration record and, if available, a copy or photograph of the old certificate, together with the applicant’s identity documents. Once the circumstances have been reviewed, any additional documentation required for the procedure can be determined.
What If the Birth Registration Record Is Old or Archived?
If the birth was registered many years ago, the required information may be held not only in the current DRACS information systems but also in archival records. In such cases, the first step is to establish where the relevant record is currently stored.
This is particularly relevant to Soviet-era birth certificates, metric records and other historical documents. If the civil status registers have already been transferred to state archival storage, it may be necessary to contact the appropriate archive and obtain an archival document.
An archival search should not be confused with the standard repeat issuance of a birth certificate. The procedure and the document that can ultimately be obtained depend on the age of the record, the condition and availability of the archival holdings, and the information provided for the search.
What If the Record Number or Exact Registration Date Is Unknown?
Having the civil status record number is helpful, but its absence does not always make a search impossible. Other information should be provided to identify the record, including the person’s full name, place and approximate date of birth, and details of the parents.
The more accurate the information, the easier it is to determine where the relevant record should be searched for. If only an approximate year is known, or if the locality has since been renamed or its administrative jurisdiction has changed, these circumstances should also be taken into account during the search.
Do You Need an Apostille and Translation for a Birth Certificate Used Abroad?
An apostille and translation are not required in every case. The applicable requirements depend on the destination country, the purpose for which the certificate will be used, and the rules of the particular authority receiving the Ukrainian document.
It is therefore incorrect to assume that every Ukrainian birth certificate used abroad must automatically be apostilled. In certain cases, international agreements may affect the procedure for recognising documents. In other cases, an apostille is required, while some countries may apply a different authentication procedure.
There is also no single translation procedure that applies in every country. One authority may accept a translation completed and duly certified in Ukraine, while another may require a translation by a sworn or otherwise authorised translator in the destination country. The requirements of the final receiving authority should therefore be checked first.
In What Order Should the Document Be Processed?
A practical sequence is: obtain the document → check the requirements of the destination country and receiving authority → obtain an apostille or other authentication if required → arrange the translation and necessary certification → deliver the completed document.
The order matters. For example, if the apostille must be included in the material being translated, arranging the translation too early may mean that it has to be completed again. It is therefore advisable to determine the entire document-processing route before starting.
How Long Does It Take to Obtain a Birth Certificate?
There is no single processing time that applies to every case. The time required depends on the application method, the availability of the birth registration record, whether additional verification is necessary, and whether an archival search is required.
A standard repeat issuance where the relevant information is readily available to the civil status registration authority is different from searching for an old birth record. It would therefore be misleading to promise the same processing time for both situations.
If the document is being prepared for use abroad, additional time may also be required for subsequent processing. Apostille, translation, certification and international delivery are separate stages.
For this reason, it is more useful to estimate the entire document-processing timeline rather than an abstract timeframe for “obtaining a duplicate” — from locating the birth record through to receiving the completed document package in the destination country.
Birth Certificate Retrieval, Translation and International Delivery
If a birth certificate is required outside Ukraine, all stages can be arranged as one coordinated process. This makes it possible to take the requirements of the destination country into account before the document is obtained.
The process usually begins with the information already available. The client provides the person’s details, place and date of birth and, if available, a scan or photograph of the old certificate. Once the information has been reviewed, the appropriate procedure for obtaining the certificate and any additional documentation required can be determined.
After the certificate has been obtained, an apostille or other required authentication can be arranged, followed by professional translation, the appropriate certification and delivery of the completed document within Ukraine or abroad.
This approach is particularly convenient for people who permanently live in another country and cannot travel to Ukraine in person. Regional Translation Center can assist throughout the process, from reviewing the initial information to preparing and dispatching the completed document.
