Born in Puerto Rico?

Born in Puerto Rico? You Will Need a New Birth Certificate!

By Megan L. Sprecher, Esq.

Staff Attorney, The Legal Aid Society of Cleveland



In December 2009, the Puerto Rican government decided that new, more secure birth certificates are needed because of the high amount of fraud and identity theft. All Puerto Rican birth certificates will become invalid or void on July 1, 2010. Puerto Rico will begin issuing the new birth certificates on July 1, 2010.



It is important to have a valid birth certificate. You will need a valid birth certificate in many situations, including:



§ Registering for school;

§ Applying for public benefits;

§ Applying for a U.S. passport;

§ Applying for a drivers license or state ID; and

§ Any situation where you need to prove your U.S. citizenship.



For instance, a family tries to enroll their 5-year-old son in kindergarten for the 2010/2011 school year. It is necessary to show the child's birth certificate in order to register him. The son was born in Puerto Rico, but the family did not know that his birth certificate became invalid on July 1, 2010. The school district will not accept the invalid birth certificate and the child's school enrollment is delayed while the family waits for his new birth certificate to arrive from Puerto Rico.



Or, a senior citizen applies for food stamps for the first time. One of the requirements to qualify is proof of U.S. citizenship. The senior citizen’s application will be denied if he/she presents an old Puerto Rican birth certificate as proof of citizenship after July 1, 2010.



How do I apply for a new birth ...