A child was born outside the hospital: what documents are needed to obtain a birth certificate
In Ukraine, every child has the right to state registration of birth and to receive a birth certificate. This also applies to cases when the baby was born outside a medical facility.
As explained by the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine, during martial law there is a special procedure for confirming the fact of a child's birth, established by the order of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine No. 407 dated March 4, 2022 "On ensuring the registration of a newborn child under martial law conditions."
The first step in obtaining a birth certificate is to get a document that confirms the fact of birth. In each case of the birth of a live child, medical workers issue a Medical Birth Certificate in the form No. 103/o.
If it is impossible to issue this document, medical workers issue a certificate of arbitrary form. During martial law, such a certificate also confirms the fact of the child's birth and is equated to the Medical Birth Certificate.
Who can issue a birth document
A Medical Birth Certificate or certificate can be issued by medical workers of healthcare institutions or individual entrepreneurs licensed for medical practice.
The document can be issued in cases when medical workers:
- provided assistance during childbirth;
- conducted the first examination of the newborn;
- performed the first examination of the mother after childbirth, especially if the birth took place outside the hospital.
What to do if medical workers were not present during childbirth
If medical workers were not present at the birth of the child, a doctor can issue a Medical Birth Certificate after examining the woman and the child.
For this, it is necessary to:
- confirm the fact of the woman's pregnancy;
- have relevant medical records or information in the electronic health system.
The document can be issued by doctors specializing in:
- "Obstetrics and Gynecology";
- "Neonatology";
- "Pediatrics";
- "Therapy";
- "General Practice - Family Medicine".
After receiving the document confirming the birth, parents can apply for the state registration of the child's birth and the issuance of a birth certificate.
As previously reported by the Judicial and Legal Newspaper, the Supreme Court, in a panel of judges of the First Judicial Chamber of the Cassation Civil Court, on July 13, 2026, in case No. 686/12632/25 considered a dispute regarding the change of surname of two minor children without the father's consent and upheld the decisions of lower courts refusing the claim.
The ruling is important for the practice of resolving family disputes, as the Supreme Court clarified that the child's desire to change the surname, the absence of consent from one parent, and even references to mockery because of the surname should be assessed only through the prism of the best interests of the child.
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