Data released by the Associação Nacional dos Registradores de Pessoas Naturais (Arpen-Brasil) shows that 1,666,882 children were registered with only the mother’s name over a ten-year period. According to the agency’s Transparency Portal panel known as “Pais ausentes,” these figures cover the timeframe between July 31, 2016, and July 31, 2026.
The registry data reveals a persistent average of 175 mil children born without a father’s name on their birth certificate each year over the last five years. Specifically, Arpen-Brasil recorded 175.005 such entries in 2021, 176,475 in 2022, and 184,071 in 2023. The trend continued with 170,100 registrations in 2024 and 174,122 in 2025. Furthermore, data shows that 102,986 children were registered without paternal identification up to July 28 of the current year.
Voluntary Paternity Recognition Trends in Brazil
In contrast to the volume of single-parent registrations, Arpen-Brasil reports that an increasing number of fathers are voluntarily visiting Civil Registry Offices to officially recognize their children. Between 2021 and July 2026, a total of 193,339 Brazilians had their paternity officially established through this mechanism. Annual figures climbed from 24,667 recognitions in 2021 to 32,647 in 2022, 25,329 in 2023, 35,495 in 2024, and a record 36,835 in 2025.
Projections from Arpen-Brasil indicate that 2026 is on track to set a new national record for voluntary paternity recognitions. With growth approaching 50% over the last five years, the country expects roughly 48,000 spontaneous recognitions this year. This projected total sits nearly 30% above the previous record set in 2025 and practically doubles the volume observed in 2021. Up to July 28 of this year, citizens completed 28,364 spontaneous recognitions, pointing to a continuation of the upward pace.
Did You Know? Civil Registry Offices launched an electronic platform this year allowing citizens to initiate voluntary paternity recognition procedures entirely online.
Procedures and Legal Effects of Paternity Recognition
The new electronic tool enables mothers to digitally indicate a putative father if a child currently holds only maternal establishment. Upon receiving this digital indication, the registry office forwards the case for legal measures while protecting the rights of all involved parties, according to institutional guidelines. The voluntary recognition procedure remains entirely free of charge and can take place at any Civil Registry Office across the country, regardless of where the original birth occurred.
“Facilitar o reconhecimento de paternidade é facilitar o acesso de milhares de brasileiros à própria identidade. Quanto mais simples for o acesso ao procedimento, maiores serão as oportunidades para que pais regularizem espontaneamente a filiação de seus filhos e garantam a eles todos os direitos decorrentes desse vínculo”, states Arpen-Brasil president Devanir Garcia.
Voluntary recognition grants the exact same legal effects as a declaration made during the initial birth registration. When a child is under 18 years of age, the process requires the mother’s agreement. For individuals over the age of 18, the adult child provides the necessary consent directly.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the “Pais ausentes” panel?
It is an online transparency panel provided by Arpen-Brasil that tracks birth registration data where only the mother’s name appears on the civil record.
Is there a fee to complete voluntary paternity recognition?
No, the procedure is completely free of charge and can be requested at any Civil Registry Office nationwide.
Can recognition be initiated online?
Yes, Civil Registry Offices introduced an electronic platform this year that allows individuals to start the voluntary paternity recognition procedure via the internet.
How will digital registry platforms change family law accessibility in the coming years?