NSO: HOW TO OBTAIN COPIES/CERTIFICATIONS OF BIRTH, MARRIAGE & DEATH from Statistics Office (Updated Mar 2007)

HOW TO REQUEST FOR COPIES/CERTIFICATIONS FROM NSO

* Type of certifications obtainable from the Office of the Civil Registrar General (OCRG)

Various certifications can be obtained from the OCRG. These include, among others, certifications for:
1. Birth
2. Death
3. Marriage
4. Adoption
5. Legitimation
6. Dissolution of Marriage
7. Record of No Marriage

* How to obtain certifications

1. In Person:
Applications made in person or by a representative will be received at the East Avenue office located at:

National Statistics Office
East Avenue (in front of SSS)
Quezon City

Documents* applied at the East Avenue office will be released at the EDSA office located at:

National Statistics Office
EDSA corner Times St.
West Triangle, Quezon City 1104

Vicinity map for the application and releasing areas: http://www.census.gov.ph/data/civilreg/crd_transfer.html

*NOTE: Results of authentication requests are issued at the East Avenue office.

2. By Postal Service System
Please address all communications to:
The Civil Registrar General
National Statistics Office
P.O. Box 779, Manila
Philippines

3. You may request for your documents through: NSO Helpline : (63) 2 7371111

4. Online Application
Visit the e-Census website at http://www.e-census.com.ph.

NOTE: If the request is done through conventional postal service system or through e-mail, the certification shall be sent to the requesting party through conventional postal service system.

* Information to be provided

1. Birth
The interested party shall provide the following information to facilitate verification and issuance of certification.
1. Birth Complete name of the child (first, middle, last)
2. Complete name of the father
3. Complete maiden name of the mother
4. Date of birth (month, day, year)
5. Place of birth (city/municipality, province)
6. Whether or not registered late.
If registered late, please state the year when it was registered.
7. Complete name and address of the requesting party
8. Relationship to the child
9. Number of copies needed
10. Purpose of the certification

NOTE: ISSUANCE OF CERTIFICATION OF BIRTH IS SUBJECT TO THE CONFIDENTIALITY CLAUSE OF ARTICLE 7 OF THE CHILD AND YOUTH WELFARE CODE WHICH PROVIDES:

Art. 7. Non-disclosure of birth records. – The records of a person’s birth shall be kept strictly confidential and no information relating thereto shall be issued except on the request of any of the following:
1. The person himself, or any person authorized by him;
2. His spouse, his parent or parents, his direct descendants, or the guardian or institution legally incharge of him, if he is a minor;
3. The court or proper public official whenever absolutely necessary in administrative, judicial or other official proceedings to determine the identity of the child’s parents or other circumstances surrounding his birth; and
4. In case of the person’s death, the nearest of kin.
Any person violating the prohibition shall suffer the penalty of imprisonment of at least two months or a fine in an amount not exceeding five hundred pesos, or both, in the discretion of the court.

2. Death
1. Complete name of the deceased person
2. Date of death
3. Place of death
4. Complete name and address of the requesting party
5. Number of copies needed
6. For what purpose the certification shall be used

3. Marriage
1. Complete name of the husband
2. Complete name of the wife
3. Date of marriage
4. Place of marriage
5. Complete name and address of the requesting party
6. Number of copies needed
7. Purpose for the certification

4. Adoption
o Information about the child prior to adoption:
1. Complete name of the child
2. Complete name of the father
3. Complete maiden name of the mother
4. Date of birth
5. Place of birth

o Information after adoption:
1. Amended name of the child
2. Complete name of the adopting father, his occupation, religion and age at the time of adoption
3. Complete name of the adopting mother, her occupation, religion, and age at the time of adoption
4. Date when adoption decree was issued
5. Date when adoption decree became final and executory
6. Name of the court and the judge that issued the decree
7. Complete name and address of the requesting party
8. Number of copies needed
9. Purpose for the certification

NOTE: THE ISSUANCE OF CERTIFICATION ON ADOPTION IS SUBJECT TO THE CONFIDENTIALITY CLAUSE OF SECTION 15 OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8552 WHICH PROVIDES:

"Section 15. Confidential Nature of Proceedings and Records. – All hearings in adoption cases shall be confidential and shall not be open to the public. All records, books, and papers relating to the adoption cases in the files of the court, the Department (of Social Welfare and Development), or any other agency or institution participating in the adoption proceedings shall be kept strictly confidential.

If the court finds that the disclosure of the information to a third person is necessary for purposes connected with or arising out of the adoption and will be for the best interest of the adoptee, the court may merit the necessary information to be released, restricting the purposes for which it may be used."

5. Legitimation
1. Complete name of the child
2. Complete name of the father
3. Complete name of the mother
4. Date of birth
5. Place of birth
6. Date of marriage of parents
7. Place of marriage of parents
8. Date when the affidavit of legitimation was executed
9. Date when the affidavit of legitimation was registered
10. Complete name and address of the requesting party
11. Number of copies needed
12. Purpose for the certification

6. Dissolution of Marriage
1. Complete name of the husband
2. Complete maiden name of the wife
3. Date of marriage
4. Place of marriage
5. Name of the court and the judge that issued the decree dissolving the marriage or declaring marriage void
6. Address of the court
7. Date when the decision was issued
8. Date when the decision became final and executory
9. Date when the decision was recorded in the civil register
10. Complete name and address of the requesting party
11. Purpose for the certification

7. No Record of Marriage
1. Complete name of the person
2. Complete name of the father
3. Complete maiden name of the mother
4. Date of birth
5. Place of birth
6. Complete name and address of the requesting party
7. Number or copies needed
8. Purpose for the certification

8. Others
For certifications other than those described in this page, please specify the nature or contents of the certification.

* Payment Details
o Refer to the posted fees for the payment details of applications received at the East Avenue Office. The amount is to be paid to the collecting officers.
o The fee for applications received from the post and whose results will be delivered via postal mail to any part of the Philippines is PhP 50.00 per copy. The amount is to be remitted by means of check or postal money order payable to the NATIONAL STATISTICS OFFICE.
o Refer to http://www.e-census.com.ph for the payment details of documents requested through the e-Census and to be delivered to a local address.
o All requests for documents that will be delivered to an address outside of the Philippines, whether applied through the postal service or the e-Census, are charged US$15 per copy. The total amount for the request should be remitted by means of telegraphic transfer. The amount already covers the mailing charges.

Refer to http://www.census.gov.ph/data/civilreg/ocrgrevfees.html for specific the fee per request. For more information, send mail to: L.Hufana@mail.census.gov.ph.

* Processing Period
o Processing period normally takes about 14 working days.
o Requests made through conventional postal service system are processed upon the receipt of payment. Since delivery of the document(s) is by conventional mail, the documents may reach the recipient several days after the processing period.
o For the requests made on-line through the e-census, refer to http://www.e-census.com.ph for the delivery details.
o However, for the Certificate of No Marriage Record, the minimum processing period is approximately 20 working days counted from the date of receipt of the application. The period could be longer if the surname of the subject person is common such as Aquino, Ferrer, Cruz, De Guzman, and others.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

Legitimation by Subsequent Marriage

1. Secure the following documents from the City/Municipal Civil Registrar’s Office (C/MCR) where the birth of the child was recorded:
1. Affidavit of paternity/acknowledge-ment (Certified Photocopy/Xerox Copy)
2. Joint affidavit of legitimation
3. Certification of registration of legal instrument
4. Certified true copy of birth certificate with remarks/annotation based on the legitimation by subsequent marriage.
2. Verify the original birth certificate at the National Statistics Office (NSO). If negative result, secure it from C/MCR Office where the child was originally registered. (Certified Photocopy).
3. Verify the marriage contract of parents at NSO. If negative result, secure it from C/MCR Office where the marriage was solemnized. (certified true copy)

Adoption

1. Register court decree of adoption at the City/Municipal Civil Registrar’s (C/MCR) Office where the Court is functioning. Secure certified true copy of the adoption decree.
2. Secure certification of registration of the decree from the C/MCR Office stated in no. 1.
3. Secure certification of finality from the court which rendered the decision.
4. Secure certified true copy of the Amended Birth Certificate from the C/MCR Office where birth is registered.
5. Verify the original birth certificate from NSO file. If NSO does not have the copy of the birth certificate, the original birth certificate must be endorsed (officially transmitted) to NSO by the C/MCR where birth is registered.
6. Fill up application form for amended birth certificate.

Annulment of Marriage

1. Register court decree of annulment in the City/Municipal Civil Registrar’s (C/MCR) Office where the court is functioning. Secure certified true copy of the court decree from same office.
2. Secure certification of registration of the court decree from C/MCR Office stated in no. 1.
3. Secure certification of finality from the court which rendered the decree.
4. Secure certified true copy of the marriage contract from C/MCR Office where marriage is registered with remarks/annotations based on the Court Decree of Annulment.
5. Verify the marriage contract from NSO file. If NSO has no file, your marriage contract has to be endorsed (officially transmitted) to NSO by the C/MCR Office where marriage was registered.

MORE INFO

* User Fees Collected
* Locations of Civil Registry Services
* Applying for correction of entries
1. Cases covered by RA 9048 (Primer for Republic Act 9048)
2. Cases not covered by RA 9048
* SC rules in favor of OCRG-issued civil registry document (.pdf file)

VISIT LINKS FOR MORE & UPDATED INFO

FAQs http://www.census.gov.ph/data/civilreg/civprocfaq.html
For more questions on Civil Registration, check out http://www.census.gov.ph/data/civilreg/index.html.