Parents and Bereaved Families Will Benefit from Streamlined Processes
SINGAPORE: From May 29, 2022, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) will issue digital birth and death certificates in place of physical copies, as part of ongoing digitalisation efforts aimed at improving service delivery and reducing administrative burdens.
Digital Birth Certificates For newborns, parents will register their child’s birth through the LifeSG app (formerly “Moments of Life”). This platform allows them to apply for government programmes such as Baby Bonus, and upon registration, parents will be notified to download the digital birth certificate via an ICA e-Service called “electronic Retrieval of Certificates and Instant Verification”. This move eliminates the need for parents to visit hospitals or ICA offices to collect physical certificates.
Digital Death Certificates For death registrations, the next-of-kin (NOK) will no longer need to register the death in person. After the death is certified by a registered medical practitioner, the NOK can receive the digital death certificate through the My Legacy portal, helping to ease the burden on bereaved families during difficult times.
Why the Shift to Digital? ICA explained that this initiative is part of the government’s commitment to enhancing service delivery. The shift to digital certificates ensures greater convenience for both parents and NOK, reducing unnecessary administrative steps. Digital certificates will be verifiable via a QR code, which is linked to the ICA system, ensuring security and preventing fraud.
Cora Chen, ICA’s Deputy Commissioner for Policy and Transformation, noted that this digitalisation initiative aligns with ICA’s vision of a “Services Centre Next Generation” where online transactions and digital documents will be the norm. There are also plans to create a secure, one-stop digital document repository, providing citizens with easy access to their official documents.
The digitalisation of these key registration processes is expected to streamline administrative tasks and support citizens’ convenience in managing vital documents.
