May 13, 2016: The Registrar General’s Department of the Ministry of the Attorney General and Legal Affairs recently hosted a familiarisation session on the new polymer birth, marriage and death certificates for the diplomatic corps.
Some twenty representatives from the various Embassies and High Commissions accredited to Trinidad and Tobago were introduced to the multiple security features on the upgraded certificates at the session, which took place on Monday May 9, 2016 at the Ministry’s offices at Cabildo Chambers in Port of Spain. Citizens of Trinidad and Tobago visiting these diplomatic missions may be required to present these certificates when applying for visas or conducting other transactions.
Speaking at the session, Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, the Honourable Faris Al-Rawi, welcomed the opportunity to share information with the Ministry’s international stakeholders and he indicated that the upgraded security in the new certificate is integral to international anti-crime and anti-terrorist strategies as fraudulent birth records can be used by criminals to assume new identities.
The Registrar General, Ms. Karen Bridgewater, explained that the new certificates, printed on more durable polymer material, contain the same information as the previously issued electronic certificates. The representatives from the diplomatic corps were advised that the security features on the new certificate make these documents not only difficult to forge but also tamper-evident.
The Registrar General also advised that the previously issued electronic certificates continue to remain valid until further notice and added that stories in the public domain about an imminent, sharp increase in their cost are false and unfounded. The cost of a certificate remains at TT twenty-five dollars ($25.00).
