President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih ratified the Birth and Death Registration Bill (Law No. 23/2022) on Sunday.

This bill was passed by the Parliament at the 43rd sitting of its third session this year, held on Monday, November 28, 2022.

The law specifies guidelines and policies governing the registration of births, the formal declaration of deaths, and the issuing of national identification cards, both at home and aboard . It also prescribes penalties for the breach of law.

According to the Law, registration of births and deaths of Maldivian citizens abroad will require the submission of birth or death certificates issued by a government agency of the respective country.

Upon ratification, the Birth and Death Registration Act was published in the Government Gazette and is now in effect. The Law repeals the Birth Registration and Death Registration Act (Act No. 7/92) and Annex 1 of the General Regulations Act (Act No. 6/2008).