People will have to pay for RDTL Birth Certificates in the future

According to a new law, the National Directorate for Registry and Notary (DNSRN) will charge for issuing identification documents such as birth certificates, identification cards as well as death certificates. 

“We now have laws permitting officers to charge people requesting identification documents. It was enacted on 1 January but due to lack of tariff regulations, we are currently only charging for passports,” said the Dili District Civil Registry Director, Victor da Costa Neto (07/08) from his office in Dili.

The actual levy has not yet been set as they are still to establish the cost for the production of these documents.
Available data shows around 800 certificates are issued monthly. DNSRN has already attended to 8,965 people.
Member of Parliament (MP) Josefa Alvares Soares agreed people should pay so they also contribute towards national development, instead of “always depending on the Government to foot the bill,” said the MP.

“Of course everyone should have to pay. Every nation around the world charges for these services and this a source revenue for the Government which will go towards national development,” said MP Soares.