Registration

Registration refers to the formal recording of information about a person, object, or event in an official registry maintained by a government or organization. It creates a durable record that can be used to establish identity, status, rights, or obligations. Registration is typically a prerequisite for accessing services, exercising legal rights, or participating in civic processes.

Civil registration covers vital events such as births, deaths, marriages, and divorces, forming civil status documents. Other common forms include voter registration to determine eligibility to vote, vehicle and vehicle ownership registration, property and business registrations, professional and occupational registrations, and domain name or event registrations.

Registration systems aim to ensure accuracy, reliability, and continuity of records. They support governance, planning, entitlement to services, taxation, social protection, and statistical analysis. Registries are typically maintained by a public authority, with legal frameworks governing who must register, what data is collected, how records are updated, and how long they are kept.

Process and data protection: People may apply in person, online, or by mail, submitting documents to verify identity. Registries usually assign unique identifiers and require updates for life events. Privacy and security are central concerns; access to records is often restricted to authorized parties, and data sharing is regulated.

Challenges and trends: inclusion of marginalized groups, interoperability between registries, and digital transformation. Many countries have national registration strategies integrating multiple registers and leveraging digital identity frameworks.