JCE implements free birth certificate regularization for seniors

The Central Electoral Board (JCE) of the Dominican Republic has approved an extraordinary and free protocol to regularize, digitize, or reconstruct birth records for citizens aged 60 and older. This measure specifically targets individuals who possess a national identity card (cédula) but lack a formal birth certificate in official archives, or whose records are deteriorated or missing.

This situation stems from historical identification practices used before 1992, when presenting a birth certificate was not a mandatory requirement for obtaining a cédula. The new procedure, based on Law 4-23, will utilize existing documentary and biometric data within the JCE systems to resolve these discrepancies.

JCE President Román Jáquez Liranzo emphasized that guaranteeing an accredited identity is essential for the full exercise of citizenship rights. The initiative aims to prevent obstacles for seniors during the current identity card renewal process, ensuring they do not face a “civil death” due to documentation gaps.