Pennsylvania Birth Records
A birth record is made for a person even before they were born, but certainly, it would only be completed after the said person whom the birth records refer to had been born. Birth records establish the name and the name of the parents of the child, and over the years, as the child grow, he or she would need his birth records in a number of processes and procedures, hence, the reason why Pennsylvania Birth Records are so important. Note that this is because birth records are the best way to establish the identity of a person. Sure, a person could come before anyone and claim that he or she is this person, but unless he or she is well known, then his or her claim would not be believed unless he or she could present a birth record.
Birth records are vital records, which means that they are only available to a certain number of people as identified by a specific exclusive list because to make them available to others could result to someone committing a crime. Remember that this is because these records could establish something, thus, a skilled person could theoretically take a certified copy of a birth record and turn it into something else in a crime known as identity theft.
In the state of Pennsylvania, the primary state authority that is tasked with collecting and keeping birth records is the Department of Health, Division of Vital Records. As part of their mandate, this division is also the one that is tasked with issuing copies of birth records to those who would request for the same. Note that the department only has copies of records going back to the year 1906, and that if the birth record being sought after was issued before that year, the searcher should best try the local court house or the issuing authority in the county where the birth occurred. Alternatively, the searcher could search at the state archives.
A request for a birth record or any vital record for that matter, at the division of vital records starts with the searcher first downloading the relevant application form and filling up the same. Note that the form must be notarized and that there must be a copy of any government issued identification card of the requester attached to the application form. The next step would be to make a personal check or money order payable to vital records to correspond to the required fee. The required fee for birth records is twenty dollars for every copy of a birth record. Once the application requirements are all complete, all that is left is to send the same to the division for processing.
Another method of searching for vital records would be to search for them online using online databases. Most of these online databases are unaffiliated with the government, but they do present the same data as the government offices and division, albeit they present their information and data using a faster and more efficient method. Some of these websites also do not charge anything for the use of their database, and because they could be conducted from the home of the searcher, there is no need to fall in line before the searcher could find the information that he or she is looking for.
Pennsylvania Birth Certificate
Given below is the procedure to follow when requesting for vital records at the state level
- Head over to the Department of Health, Vital Records Division
- Obtain a request form for a birth record and fill up the same as accurately as possible.
- Submit the form together with a copy of your government issued identification card, front and back, with your signature visible.
- The clerk would direct you to the cashier after taking your completed application form.
- At the cashier, pay your required fee before returning to the clerk to present the proof of payment.
- Wait for two to three hours before the record is issued to you.
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