Section 9: Copies of entries and certificates

9. Copies of entries and certificates (1) Subject to subsection (4), any person may, on payment of the appropriate fee specified in the Schedule, obtain a certificate in respect of an entry or copy of an entry relating to the registration of— (a) his birth, the birth of his spouse or any of his ascendants or descendants; (b) his marriage, any previous marriage of his spouse or the marriage of his ascendants or descendants; (c) any death. (2) No certificate or copy of an entry shall be delivered except upon satisfactory proof of the identity of the applicant. (3) An application for a certificate may be made to an officer at— (a) the Central Civil Status Office; or (b) any office where the entry is registered. C24 – 8 (1) [Issue 6] Civil Status Act (4) An officer shall deliver, free of charge, the first certificate in respect of an entry, on application made in that behalf by— (a) any person making a declaration of birth or death; or (b) any spouse to a marriage celebrated under this Act. (5) Where a certificate of an entry or a copy of the entry relating to a registration of death is delivered, the cause of death shall not be stated except on production of an order from a Judge in Chambers. (6) Where any entry is amended under Part VI, any certificate relating to that entry shall reproduce the entry as amended with an indication that the entry is amended. (7) Where any marriage is dissolved or cancelled, any certificate relating to such marriage shall reproduce the entry with an indication that the marriage is dissolved or cancelled. continued on page C24 – 9 [Issue 6] C24 – 8 (2) Revised Laws of Mauritius (8) Where any change of name has been authorised under Part VII, any certificate of an entry where such change of name has been inscribed under section 59, shall reproduce the new name with an indication that the change of name has been authorised. (8A) An application for a copy of an entry shall be made to an officer at the Central Civil Status Office or at such other office as the Registrar of Civil Status may determine. (9) Where any copy of an entry relating to any birth, death or marriage is required for the purpose of any official enquiry, such copy may be delivered, free of charge, by the Registrar of Civil Status. (10) Where in a case other than one provided for under subsection (9), any person requires any copy of an entry relating to any birth, death or marriage for production in any Court in a case where the status of any party or the signature of any party or witness is in issue, such copy shall be delivered to that person on production of an Order from the Judge in Chambers and on payment of the fee specified in the Schedule. (11) Where a certificate or a copy of an entry is required by a consulate or an embassy for its official purposes, the Registrar of Civil Status may deliver the certificate or the copy of an entry free of charge to the consulate or embassy, as the case may be. (12) (a) Every certificate of birth, marriage or death shall be in English and French. (b) Where an entry is in the English language, an officer shall deliver a certificate with a faithful translation into French of that entry with an indication that the French version is a translated version of the entry. [S. 9 amended by Act 9 of 1984; Act 25 of 1985; Act 25 of 1990; Act 8 of 1997; s. 6 of Act 40 of 2001 w.e.f. 1 September 2003; s. 7 of Act 22 of 2004.]