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Indian birth registration abroad: Form I documents and steps

Quick answer

For a minor born outside India, the Indian parent uses MHA Form I to register the birth at an Indian consulate, with the child's birth certificate, both parents' passports, a marriage certificate, and the required declaration; complete the photo and separate signature fields, then follow the live portal’s document-upload stage.

Prepare Form I files Open official Form I portal

Reviewed 8 Oct 2026 against MHA — current Form I requirements · MHA citizenship FAQ · September 2019 edition still linked by the current portal · India requirements

In this guide
  1. Official screenshots and examples
  2. Questions

Visual guide · reviewed 9 Oct 2026

Official screenshots and examples

Current public Form I pages captured 8 October 2026. The requirements summary says 100 × 120 px / 20 KB; the blank photo and parent-signature fields say 50 KB JPG. Our child-photo export keeps the stricter 20 KB target. Check the live field before filing. No application was submitted to reach later document uploads.

  1. 1. Keep the child photo and parent signature separate

    The current blank application has separate JPG fields for the child photo and parent signature. Both fields show 50 KB. The requirements summary has a stricter child-photo limit; our export follows that summary.

    Public guidance / blank form · 8 Oct 2026.

    Full image Official source

  2. 2. Read the current evidence list

    The public list names the child’s birth certificate, both parents’ passports, relevant Indian citizenship certificate, marriage certificate and no-other-passport declaration. Its summary permits multi-page PDFs up to 1 MB. Read the actual document fields when your application reaches that stage.

    Public guidance / blank form · 8 Oct 2026.

    Full image Official source

Who this Form I route is for

This is the Indian citizenship birth-registration process for a minor child born outside India. The MHA describes an application to the Indian consulate in the country of birth, with a declaration that the child does not hold another country's passport. It is separate from an OCI application and from applying for the child's first Indian passport.

At least one parent's Indian citizenship at the child's birth matters, but a file-preparation site cannot decide a child's citizenship. Read the MHA eligibility text and ask the relevant Indian mission about mixed-nationality or unusual family circumstances before final submission.

Documents the MHA lists

The birth certificate is evidence of the child's birth; resizing a scan does not change the certificate itself. Keep the issued original and check what the mission asks you to present or send. The published list should be checked against the live Form I upload fields when you apply.

  • Child's birth certificate

    Prepare a readable PDF copy showing the child's details, date and issuing authority.

  • Both parents' passports

    The current public list requests a copy of both parents’ passports. Follow the grouping requested by your actual document-upload fields; keep both parents’ pages in a clear order.

  • Parents' marriage certificate

    The published Form I list asks for a copy. Ask the mission what to do if the certificate is unavailable or the family circumstances differ.

  • Indian citizenship certificate, if relevant

    Include it when a parent's Indian citizenship was acquired by registration or naturalisation.

  • No-other-passport declaration

    The MHA lists a declaration that the child does not hold another country's passport. Prepare a scan of the signed document; do not invent or digitally sign a declaration in a file converter.

Follow the current portal’s application stages

  • 1. Complete the form and add the child photo

    The blank application has separate child-photo and parent-signature JPG fields. Its fields say 50 KB; the public photo summary says 100 × 120 pixels / 20 KB. Our export retains the stricter summary target.

  • 2. Review names and dates, then submit

    Review every answer and declaration before final submission. Follow the live portal’s warnings about later changes and save the file number it issues.

  • 3. Upload the evidence PDFs

    Follow the live document-upload stage and its grouping of evidence. The public summary permits multi-page PDFs up to 1 MB; later upload fields were not reached in this public-page review.

  • 4. Print, sign and follow the mission

    Print the submitted application when the portal enables it. Follow the relevant Indian mission's current instructions for signatures, originals and appointment or delivery.

If the birth was more than one year ago

The usual period is within one year of birth. The MHA FAQ says a head of Indian mission may allow registration of a minor after one year in special circumstances. Contact the mission rather than assuming the case is automatically accepted or barred.

Questions

What is Form I for an Indian child born abroad?

It is the MHA application for registering the birth of a minor child born outside India under section 4(1) at an Indian consulate. It is not the child's passport application.

Do I upload the birth certificate before submitting Form I?

The current blank form includes photo and separate signature fields. Follow the live portal to its document-upload stage; this guide did not submit an application to inspect later private fields.

Should the parents' passports be one PDF or two?

The current public list asks for a copy of both parents’ passports. Use one PDF if your actual field groups them together, or separate PDFs if it requests separate items.

Can a birth over one year ago still be registered?

The MHA FAQ says a head of Indian mission may register a minor's birth after one year in special circumstances. The mission decides; contact it with the case details.

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