The government yesterday launched new e-services for applications for marriage and birth registrations, where couples can make appointments for marriage ceremonies and complete all other marriage-related administrative formalities, and parents can complete birth registrations and all other birth-related matters such as applying to obtain their baby’s ID card, via the Macao One Account app throughout the whole process, no longer having to visit in person various public entities involved in the respective procedures.
The government made the announcement during a press conference yesterday held at a Legal Affairs Bureau (DSAJ) office in Nape.
The press conference was attended by officials from the respective public entities related to marriage and birth registrations, as well as a senior representative from the private Kiang Wu Hospital.
The newly launched “marriage integrated public service” and “birth integrated public service” can get off the ground thanks to personal data sharing and connection between the various related public entities as well as with the private Kiang Wu Hospital, statutorily enabled by the newly amended civil registration law which took effect on July 1 this year.
The new integrated services run on the Macao One Account app are carried out by the Public Administration and Civil Service Bureau (SAFP) – the public entity tasked with carrying out the government’s e-service campaign, in collaboration with the Legal Affairs Bureau (DSAJ), Identification Services Bureau (DSI), Social Security Fund (FSS), Health Bureau (SSM), and the private Kiang Wu Hospital, SAFP Director Ng Wai Han noted during yesterday’s press conference.
The government’s Civil Affairs Registry is an agency run under the Legal Affairs Bureau.
The government’s granting of marriage allowances and birth allowances to eligible newlyweds and eligible parents who have given birth is carried out by the Social Security Fund.
The public Conde de São Januário Hospital Centre is run by the Health Bureau.
The newly amended civil registration law, which took effect on July 1, allows a notary private to act as a marriage officiant for couples at a location of their choice, as long as the couple’s appointment to be married has been confirmed, in addition to holding their official marriage ceremony at a Civil Affairs Registry-run facility, as previously.
For either of the two options, couples can now make appointments for their marriage registration formalities on the Macao One Account app, according to the press conference.
After a couple officially get married, their marriage status will then be updated by the Macao One Account.
After getting married, a couple eligible for a marriage allowance can then file an application on their Macao One Account, without having to make a separate application to the Social Security Fund.
Thanks to yesterday’s launch of the birth integrated public service, new parents can now handle all their birth-related formalities simply via their Macao One Account, such as birth registration, application to obtain their baby’s ID card, updating their baby’s information on their Health Bureau’s health-service card, and birth allowance application.
Ng noted that previously couples needed to visit different public entities in person to submit various documents for completing their marriage registration and all other related matters, as well as for new parents completing their baby’s birth registration and all other related matters. She said that the launch of the two integrated public services on the Macao One Account now enables them to complete all these procedures online throughout the whole process.
Yesterday’s press conference also included a session where two government staff members, simulating an occasion of them being a couple, showed reporters how to use the new marriage integrated and birth integrated public services on the Macao One Account.
Two civil servants show reporters how to use the new marriage integrated public service on the Macao One Account during yesterday’s press conference. – Photo: Tony Wong
Social Security Fund (FSS) Vice President Un Hoi Cheng (from left to right), Civil Affairs Registrar Wong Iok Mui, Legal Affairs Bureau (DSAJ) Deputy Director Lou Soi Cheong, Public Administration and Civil Service Bureau (SAFP) Director Ng Wai Han (speaking), Identification Services Bureau (DSI) Deputy Director Lo Pin Heng, Health Bureau (SSM) Deputy Director Kuok Cheong U, and Kiang Wu Hospital Deputy Director Lai Kai Seng address yesterday’s press conference at a DSAJ office in Nape. Kuok heads the public Conde de São Januário Hospital Centre. – Photo: Tony Wong
