How to register a birth in Singapore: LifeSG steps, the 42-day deadline and your baby's name

Here's how to register a birth in Singapore: you do it yourself, online, on the LifeSG app or website with Singpass. You have 42 days from the birth, and it costs S$18, ICA says. Once the birth is registered, you download a digital birth certificate from ICA within 90 days. Hospitals stopped registering births in person on 29 May 2022, KKH says, so one of you does it online.

How to register a birth in Singapore, step by step

1. Set up Singpass before the birth if you don't have it. LifeSG says a new Singpass password can take up to 5 working days to reach you by post.
2. Decide who applies. One parent starts the application and the other confirms the details. If only one of you is a citizen, PR or FIN holder, that parent logs in with Singpass and starts it.
3. Settle your baby's name, spelled exactly as you want it on the certificate. Chinese, Jawi or Tamil characters and a Hanyu Pinyin name are optional extras (the rules are below).
4. Have both parents' names, ID numbers, occupations, citizenship and marriage details ready. ICA asks for a marriage certificate only if it isn't already in your Singpass/MyInfo profile. For a hospital birth, your baby's sex, date, time and place of birth fill in on their own.
5. Open LifeSG and submit within 42 days of the birth. Check every parent detail before you pay, because ICA doesn't update parents' details on the certificate after registration.
6. Sign up for Baby Bonus and the free library membership in the same form if your child qualifies. You give a bank account for the cash gift and open a Child Development Account (CDA).
7. Pay the S$18 fee. ICA takes Visa, Mastercard, AMEX, internet banking direct debit and PayNow, and the fee is non-refundable.
8. Watch your LifeSG app Inbox. ICA usually registers the birth straight away, or within 3 working days if it needs to check something. You'll also get an SMS if you gave a local mobile number.
9. Download the digital birth certificate from ICA's e-Service within 90 days. Save the PDF on your own device, as ICA asks.
10. If your baby isn't a Singapore citizen, arrange a pass before day 42. ICA issues a Special Pass that lasts 42 days from the date of birth.

Which route fits your family

Your situation decides who applies, where, and by when.

ICA says every parent of a newborn in Singapore must register the birth, whatever their marital or immigration status. Only the biological parents can apply on LifeSG, and a marriage certificate is asked for only where it applies. If you're raising your baby on your own, our single parent benefits guide covers leave, Baby Bonus and housing.

Your baby's name: what ICA accepts

On top of your baby's main name, ICA lets you add an ethnic name in Chinese, Jawi or Tamil. It's optional, and the characters must be in a recognised dictionary.

A Hanyu Pinyin name is optional too, but it only goes in with matching Chinese characters. It shows in brackets, and ICA says it also appears on your child's passport. ICA's own example keeps a dialect surname in front: Isaac Tan (Chen Xiao Ming).

Your baby's race can follow either parent's race, or a mixed race if you're of different races. A Singapore citizen child can also have a double-barrelled race made up of both parents' races. Brothers and sisters under 21 with the same parents should share one race.

Want to change the name after registering? ICA lets a parent or legal guardian apply online before your child turns 1, once only, for a baby born in Singapore. You can add, remove or change any part of it: given name, surname, ethnic characters or patronymic name. You'll need both parents' NRICs and a consent letter from the other parent named on the certificate, or a court order. It costs S$33 plus S$18 for the new certificate, and ICA processes it within 3 working days.

Still choosing? Our baby names guide covers Chinese, Malay, Indian and Eurasian naming customs.

The digital birth certificate

ICA stopped issuing paper birth certificates on 29 May 2022, so you get a PDF. For a paper copy, LifeSG says you print the downloaded PDF.

Lost it within 90 days of registration? Download it again from ICA's e-Service. After 90 days, email ICA at ICA_Birth_RBD@ica.gov.sg.

For an official copy later, apply for a digital birth extract. ICA describes it as an official copy of the registered birth details, issued when the original is lost or damaged. A parent can apply, it costs S$40, and ICA's page says it takes up to 6 working days.

Travelling soon? See how to apply for a baby passport in Singapore.

Baby Bonus, CDA and the April 2027 change

The same LifeSG form lets you enrol your child in Baby Bonus if they qualify. Babies born before 1 April 2027 join the Baby Bonus Scheme this way and move to the SG Child Support Package in April 2027. For babies born on or after 1 April 2027, LifeSG says you enrol in the SG Child Support Package as part of birth registration.

The parent who submits becomes the CDA trustee and the Child Savings Account joint holder. You can change that after the accounts open, through your child's CDA banking app or portal.

For what your child gets and when, read our Baby Bonus and parenthood support guide. To run your own numbers, use the Baby Bonus calculator and the CDA calculator.

Home births, overseas births and non-citizen babies

Born at home or anywhere outside a hospital? ICA says you register at the ICA Services Centre instead of on LifeSG. First, email ICA_Birth_RBD@ica.gov.sg with proof of the birth, proof of prenatal checks, the prenatal appointment card or booklet, a pregnancy ultrasound scan, both parents' IDs and your marriage certificate if you have one. ICA emails back within 3 working days to tell you to come in.

Singapore doesn't register births that happen overseas. You register with the local authorities and get that country's birth certificate. A Singapore citizen parent then applies for the child's citizenship on ICA e-Service with Singpass, and ICA encourages doing it before the first birthday.

If your baby isn't a Singapore citizen at birth, you still register on LifeSG. ICA then issues a Special Pass for 42 days, and the expiry date is on the Advisory Note that comes with the certificate. Before it runs out, ICA says to get a travel document from your embassy or high commission and a valid pass. Our citizenship and passes guide covers both cases.

If something goes wrong

• Can't manage LifeSG: a ServiceSG Centre can help you register, set up Singpass, or download and save the certificate, ICA says.
• LifeSG is down for maintenance: you have 42 days, so ICA says to use it once it's back.
• You spotted a mistake after submitting: ICA's FAQ says to email ICA. Its AskGov answers give the birth registry address as ICA_Birth_RBD@ica.gov.sg.
• You're past day 42: ICA says not registering within 42 days can lead to a fine, jail or both under the Registration of Births and Deaths Act. ICA's pages list no late form or late fee, so email ICA_Birth_RBD@ica.gov.sg and follow its reply.
• A grandparent offers to do it: only parents can register on LifeSG. If neither of you can, email ICA.

Registration is one item on a longer list. Our after-birth admin checklist covers the rest. Still pregnant? Our 38 weeks pregnant guide covers what to sort before the birth, and our guide to apps for new parents in Singapore helps you set up your phone.

Frequently asked questions

What is the birth registration deadline in Singapore?

42 days from the date of birth, ICA says. After you register, you have 90 days to download the digital birth certificate. If you've passed day 42, email ICA at ICA_Birth_RBD@ica.gov.sg and follow its reply.

How does LifeSG birth registration work if my spouse is a foreigner?

The parent who is a citizen, PR or FIN holder logs in with Singpass and starts it. LifeSG may ask you to upload your spouse's passport biodata page and your marriage certificate. Anything not in English needs an official translation.

Is birth registration in Singapore open to unmarried parents?

Yes. ICA says every parent of a newborn in Singapore must register the birth, whatever their marital status. A marriage certificate is only asked for where it applies.

Can I get a physical copy of a digital birth certificate in Singapore?

ICA has issued digital birth certificates only since 29 May 2022. You can print the PDF for a paper copy. If the original is lost, a digital birth extract costs S$40 and gives you an official copy.

How do I register my baby's name in Chinese in Singapore?

Add the Chinese characters as the optional ethnic name when you register on LifeSG. They must be in a recognised dictionary. If you also add Hanyu Pinyin, it shows in brackets after the name and goes on the passport too.

Can a grandparent or helper register the birth for us?

No. ICA says only parents can use LifeSG to register a birth. If neither of you can, email ICA at ICA_Birth_RBD@ica.gov.sg or get help at a ServiceSG Centre.