The Government of Kerala on February 19, 2026, issued the Kerala Nativity Card Bill, 2026.
The following has been stated:
• The Bill 2026 seeks to introduce a legally backed Nativity Card to certify that a person is a native of Kerala, replacing the existing nativity certificate system. A “native” is defined as a person born in Kerala (or having ancestral roots in Kerala) who has not acquired foreign citizenship; the card becomes invalid if foreign citizenship is later acquired.
• The Tahsildar is designated as the issuing authority at the village level, with provisions for application, verification, issuance, duplicate cards, corrections, and maintenance of a register. Appeals against orders of the Tahsildar lie before the Revenue Divisional Officer, with revision powers vested in the District Collector.
• The Bill also provides penalties for furnishing false information (up to three months’ imprisonment or fine up to ₹5,000 or both), empowers the Government to notify the purposes for which the Nativity Card shall be accepted as an authentic document, and authorizes rule-making powers for effective implementation of the Act.
[Notification no. - KLS/943/2026-Legin1]
