How to Download Your Birth, Marriage, or Death Certificate Online via the New e-BMD Portal

Standing in long, exhausting queues at your local Divisional Secretariat just to get a certified copy of a birth, marriage, or death certificate is officially a thing of the past.

As part of Sri Lanka’s national digital transformation program, the Registrar General’s Department has fully integrated its e-BMD (Electronic Birth, Marriage, and Death) portal. With over 36 million scanned historical records hosted on secure national servers, citizens can now request officially verified copies from the comfort of their homes.

Here is the ultimate step-by-step guide on how to navigate the portal, make your digital payment, and receive your documents without stepping outside.

📌 Available Documents

The portal allows you to request certified official copies of three primary civil documents:

Certified copies of Birth Certificates
Certified copies of Marriage Certificates
Certified copies of Death Certificates

Step-by-Step Guide: Applying via the Local Online Portal

The system is highly accessible and operates completely in Sinhala, Tamil, and English. The entire request-to-delivery lifecycle takes approximately 5 working days.

1.Visit the Official Portal:online.ebmd.rgd.gov.lk.

Go to the official website at online.ebmd.rgd.gov.lk. Select your preferred language on the landing page to begin.

2.Fill in the Certificate Details:Traceability.

Select the certificate type. Enter the accurate matching details: full name, date of the event, the exact Divisional Secretariat (DS) where it was originally registered, and the certificate serial number (if you have an old copy).

3.Wait for Verification & the Payment Link:Within 2 Days.

Once submitted, an official reviews the database to confirm your document is indexed. Within 2 working days, the system will send an automated SMS text and an email containing a secure GovPay payment link.

4.Complete the Online Payment:Visa / MasterCard.

Click the link sent to your phone or email. You can complete the transaction securely using any local or international credit/debit card (Visa or MasterCard) or integrated LankaQR systems.

5.Choose Your Delivery Mode:Final Delivery.

When paying, select your preferred way to receive the physical document:

Registered Post: Delivered straight to your home address via Sri Lanka Post.
Counter Collection: Pick it up directly from the Registrar Division of your nearest Divisional Secretariat.

🌍 Living Abroad? How the Overseas e-BMD System Works

The government has also linked the e-BMD database directly to major Sri Lankan Foreign Missions and Embassies worldwide (including Dubai, London, Melbourne, Toronto, Tokyo, Doha, and Kuwait).

If you are an expat living overseas, the process has a couple of important rule variations:

Online Check, Offline Collection: You still use the exact same portal (online.ebmd.rgd.gov.lk) to submit your request and verify if your certificate is in the digital database.
No Digital Payments for Expats: Unlike local applicants, you cannot pay online. Once you receive a confirmation email stating that your certificate is ready, you must physically visit your local Sri Lankan Embassy or Consulate to make the payment over the counter.
Physical Only: To prevent identity theft, certificates are strictly issued as physical, stamped documents at the mission office; they cannot be emailed or sent digitally under any circumstances.

💡 What if your certificate isn't found in the database? Don't panic. If the system cannot find an automated match because it's a very old record, your request is automatically routed to the original Divisional Secretariat where the event took place. The local officers will manually pull the archived book copy, scan it into the system, and issue your link, ensuring no one is left behind.

Need Assistance? Official Helpdesk

If your payment link is delayed or you face structural errors when typing your name, you can reach out directly to the technical team at the Head Office: