Questionnaire regarding the overall organization
I. Historical Development
1) When was the registration service established in your country?
2) Which authorities were empowered before this date and what is the evidential value of documents drawn up by them?
3) Can you cite the major texts marking the development of civil status in your country?
4) Can you cite the major judgments that have marked the development of civil status in your country?
II. Characteristics of the System
1) Is the registration service secular ou religious in your country?
2) If secular:
a) Do any acts of religious authorities have any effect on civil status and, if so, which?
b) Must an act drawn up by a national religious authority be transcribed or registered by a civil authority and what are the consequences of a failure to transcribe or register?
3) Which of your national authorities are authorised to register events?
4) Which authorities hold and keep the registers?
5) Is there a national authority responsible for civil status in your country?
6) Can you give details of who performs the duties of a civil registrar? Are they elected officials? Are they people who have passed an administrative competition or examination? Is this a profession as such in your country?
7) In which language(s) are documents drawn up?
8) What are the different categories of documents and registers used in your country?
9) What is the role of computer technology?
a) Are civil status registers drawn up or reproduced by computer?
b) Can information available in electronic form be consulted by third parties?
c) Can interested parties and/or third parties obtain copies of or extracts from civil status records via the Internet?
10) Would you like to expand on your answers in order to mention an essential element not covered by the previous questions?
III. Consular Registration
1) Do your laws prohibit foreign diplomatic agents or consular officers from exercising, in your territory, the functions of a registrar with regard to their nationals?
2) Do your laws give your diplomatic agents or consular officers the right to exercise abroad the functions of a registrar with regard to your nationals?
3) Is there a central service for consular records?
4) Would you like to expand on your answers in order to mention an essential element not covered by the previous questions?