CHAPTER 01:02
NATIONAL REGISTRATION

ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS

    SECTION

    1.    Short title

    2.    Interpretation

    3.    Appointment of Registrar and district registrars

    4.    Functions of registrars

    5.    Contents of register

    6.    Registration requirements

    7.    Additional information

    8.    Forgery, false information and undue influence

    9.    Issue of identity cards

    10.    Forms of identity cards

    11.    Preservation of identity cards

    12.    Duplicate of identity cards

    13.    Identity card prima facie proof of contents

    14.    Change in particulars relating to registered person

    15.    Immaterial change

    16.    Material change

    17.    Up-dating photograph

    17A.    Identity card of deceased persons

    18.    Miscellaneous offences

    19.    Punishments

    20.    Secrecy

    21.    Evidence

    22.    Immunity

    23.    Regulations

        Schedule

Act 26, 1986,
Act 23, 1987,
Act 9, 1993,
Act 17, 1993,
S.I. 36, 1997,
S.I. 26, 2004,
Act 11, 2017,
S.I. 124, 2017.

An Act to provide for the registration of citizens of Botswana and to provide for matters incidental thereto.

[11 of 2017, s. 2.]

[Date of Commencement: 31st December, 1986]

1.    Short title

    This Act may be cited as the National Registration Act.

2.    Interpretation

    In this Act unless the context otherwise requires—

    "authorised person" means any person or class of persons prescribed by the Minister by regulations;

    "district register" means the register maintained by each district registrar;

    "identity card" means an identity card issued in accordance with the provisions of this Act;

    "Minister" ...;

[11 of 2017, s. 3.]

    "national register" means the register maintained by the Registrar of National Registration under the provisions of section 4;

    "registrar" means the Registrar of National Registration appointed under section 3(1) or a district registrar appointed under section 3(2).

3.    Appointment of Registrar and district registrars

    (1) There shall be a Registrar of National Registration appointed by the Minister.

    (2) The Minister may appoint such district registrars as he deems necessary to assist the Registrar of National Registration in carrying out his duties under this Act.

    (3) The Registrar of National Registration may delegate any or all of his duties to be performed by a district registrar within the area of a particular district.

    (4) In addition to his powers under subsection (3), the Registrar may, for areas where there is no district Registrar, or where the pressure of work so requires, delegate such of his powers as he may specify, to such public officers as are available and whom he considers suitable to exercise such powers.

[17 of 1993, s. 2.]

4.    Functions of registrars

    The Registrar shall keep or cause to be kept a national register of all citizens of Botswana of the age of 16 years or over, and district registers of all such citizens living within the districts concerned, and to whom identity cards have been issued.

[17 of 1993, s. 3.]

5.    Contents of register

    The national register and each district register shall consist of the following particulars relating to each applicant—

[17 of 1993, s. 4.]

    (a)    the applicant's name;