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Civil Registration System
Colombia
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Colombia
Civil Registration System
National Civil Registration Agency
National Civil Registration Agency
National Level Agency
Does the law designate a national level agency responsible for civil registration?
Yes. National Civil Registry Office (Registraduría Nacional del Estado Civil, RNEC).
Recommended Practice based on International Guidelines
The law should clearly establish an agency with responsibility for managing the civil registration system. The structure of the civil registration system varies across countries. Some countreis have a centralized system (controlled at the central government level). Others have a decentralised system (controlled at the sub-national government level). Often, control of the system is shared between the national government and subnational governments. However, even in a fully decentralized system, there should be an agency at the national level to enforce minimum standards or to work cooperatively with decentralized jurisdictions and offices to ensure generally uniform practices and procedures.
The National Civil Registry Office (Registraduría Nacional del Estado Civil, RNEC) is the national authority responsible for civil registration, including birth and death registration. It is a constitutional body within the Electoral Organization (Organización Electoral) and is not under a ministry (it operates as an autonomous constitutional organ).
Powers and Responsibilities of National Civil Registration Agency
Does the law provide for a uniform process to complete civil registrations across the country?
Yes
Recommended Practice based on International Guidelines
To improve registration of vital events, legislation should provide for standardized and consistent processes for the notification of vital events throughout a country's jurisdiction.
Uniform civil registration procedures apply nationwide. Decree 1260 of 1970, establishes a single national framework for civil registration, while allowing different registration officers by location (e.g., municipal civil registrars or mayors where there is no notary, and consular officers abroad) (Decree 1260 of 1970, Art. 118). Uniform procedures are operationalized by the National Civil Registry Office (Registraduría Nacional del Estado Civil, RNEC) through its legal mandate to disseminate civil registration norms/procedures and training (Decree 1010 of 2000, Art. 5(5)) and, specifically, through the National Civil Registration Directorate (Dirección Nacional del Registro Civil), which must issue standardized civil registration “models” that all registration officers must adopt (Decree 1010 of 2000, Art. 40(14)) and ensure nationwide compliance with those rules and procedures (Decree 1010 of 2000, Art. 40(8)).
Does the law estabish the head of the national civil registration agency? If yes, does the law grant sufficient powers to that person to effectively and efficiently implement the system?
Yes. National Registrar of Civil Status (Registrador Nacional del Estado Civil). Powers established in the law
Recommended Practice based on International Guidelines
The head of the civil registration agency (often called the national registrar or registrar general) should be clearly set out in the law and should have sufficient power and authority to ensure that the civil registration system functions efficiently and effectively. These powers and responsibilities should include oversight and implementation of the civil registration system; participation in drafting of rules, regulations and instructions to promote uniform practice; delegation of registration responsibilities and powers to other officials; management and inspection of registration offices; conducting quality assurance monitoring and addressing areas of concern; assessing degree of coverage and establishing boundaries for local offices; hiring, management, and training of personnel; management of physical resources and technology; resolution of incidents and appeals; promoting the registration requirements to the public; receiving and compiling data; exchanging information with other agencies; and safekeeping records and archives.
Yes. The head of the National Civil Registry Office (Registraduría Nacional del Estado Civil, RNEC) is the National Registrar of Civil Status (Registrador Nacional del Estado Civil). Article 266 of the Political Constitution of Colombia assigns the National Registrar the function to direct and organize the civil registry and the identification of persons. In addition, Decree 1010 of 2000 sets out the Registrar’s powers and responsibilities, including setting policies and strategies for the civil registry, directing the agency, and carrying out system functions such as adopting civil registration policies, issuing copies, managing and safeguarding archives, disseminating procedures and providing training, and conducting inspection and oversight.
Does the law allow the national registrar to delegate powers and responsibilities?
Yes
Recommended Practice based on International Guidelines
The volume of work in most countries may require the head of the civil registration agency to delegate powers or functions to others. The law on civil registration should clearly define who may delegate authority, which duties may be delegated and to whom. It is important that the law identify the powers of delegation for the head of an agency, and clearly identify the persons to whom the head of civil registration agency can delegate powers and responsibilities. For example, the head of an agency might be authorized to delegate duties to the deputy head of the agency or to local registrars.
Yes. The National Registrar of Civil Status has express legal authority to delegate powers. Decree 1010 of 2000, Art. 22 authorizes the Registrar, by administrative act, to delegate budget execution, expenditure and payment planning, procurement/contracting, and other administrative, technical, or legal functions to officials at the directive or advisory levels. Art. 23 further provides that responsibility falls on the delegatee, while the Registrar may reassume delegated functions and review, amend, or revoke administrative acts issued by the delegatee. Finally, Art. 24 sets clear limits by listing non-delegable functions, including issuing general regulations (unless expressly authorized) and functions that the Registrar only holds because they were delegated to the Registrar by another authority (i.e., the Registrar generally cannot “re-delegate” powers that were delegated to them), as well as certain constitutionally or legally mandated functions that require personal exercise.
