How to Register a Baby's Birth with the Registro Civil (TSE)

In Costa Rica, every birth must be registered with the Registro Civil (Civil Registry), which operates under the Tribunal Supremo de Elecciones (TSE) — this gives the person their first legal identity document and makes it possible to later get a cédula, passport, enroll them in school, etc.

**Most common case: birth in a hospital.** The procedure is called "Inscripción de nacimiento ocurrido en un hospital" and requires:

• Valid identity document of the person declaring (if the person born is already over 18 years old, they present themselves together with their parents; if they are a minor, the mother or father declares; if a third party declares, they need notarized authorization or a special power of attorney in a public deed).
• The **certification provided by the hospital itself**, with its seal — this is the key document proving that the birth occurred there.
• An email address or contact phone number for notifications.

**Processing time: 8 business days** from the time the Registro Civil receives the application. The procedure **is free of charge**. It is submitted at the central offices of the TSE (west side of Parque Nacional, San José) or at regional offices.

Note on the deadline to declare the birth: there is a legal deadline to register (counted from the date of birth), but available sources do not agree on the exact number of days — **confirm the current deadline directly with the Registro Civil** before assuming a figure, so you do not risk an unwittingly late registration.

**More complex case: home birth, never registered, and the person is already over 10 years old.** This is a different and significantly longer procedure (the TSE indicates a processing time of 132 business days), because it must be proven through other means that the birth actually occurred in Costa Rica and on the indicated date: statements from two family witnesses, detailed information on siblings and grandparents, a passport-sized photo, and — if necessary — a DNA or genetic marker test (free for minors) to verify the link to a Costa Rican parent. If this is your case, it is best to go directly to the Sección de Inscripciones of the Registro Civil to have them evaluate your specific situation, as the required documents vary depending on what can be obtained.

Contact: seccioninscripciones@tse.go.cr, phone 2287-5471.