SUPPLEMENTAL REGISTRATIONS Linda Rodriguez, Program Specialist Training Coordinator

AGENDA AMENDING BIRTH RECORDS LEGAL NAME CHANGES AMENDING DEATH RECORDS DISINTERMENT PERMITS ADOPTIONS PATERNITY QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION

Once a birth or death certificate has been officially filed, it may only be corrected by presenting satisfactory evidence that a mistake was made on the original record at the time it was completed. [ HSC § ] The amendment form becomes an addendum to the original record. A copy of the completed amendment form will be forwarded to the local registration official in the district where the birth or death occurred. GENERAL INFORMATION

AMENDING BIRTH RECORDS

The Application to Amend Certificate of Birth The Application to Amend Certificate of Birth may be used to correct an item left blank or to correct errors made during the completion of the original birth certificate. The affidavit portion of the amendment form should be completed by the hospital birth registrar or an older immediate family member in the presence of a notary public. If the birth certificate of a minor is being amended, both parents must sign the amendment form in the presence of a notary public.

Most Corrected Items on a Birth Certificate 1.The Registrants Name 2.The Registrants Date of Birth 3.Parents Names 4.Mother or Fathers Date of Birth 5.The Mother or Fathers Place of Birth

Types of Acceptable Documents All documents MUST show the correct name of the registrant, correct date of birth, the name and address of the issuing organization/business, and the date of original entry. Documentation Must be certified. No photocopies will be accepted. Baptismal Record Census Record Military Service Record – DD214 Birth Certificate of a Child or Parent Birth Certificate of an Older Sibling Elementary School Record Physicians Office Record Social Security Numident Marriage License of Parents Certified Copy of a Court Order Hospital Record

F2MN C1FN Alpha Character Codes for Birth Amendments BIRTH AMENDMENT These letters are called alpha descriptions and they correspond to the field that is being corrected on the birth certificate. Each field has a unique alpha description. ORIGINAL INFORMATIONCORRECT INFORMATION GEORGYGEORGE HENRIHENRY Childs First Name Fathers Middle Name VS171

LEGAL NAME CHANGE AMENDMENTS You MUST have a court order to change the last name, except when a paternity is being filed. A certified copy of the court order, bearing the seal and signature of the clerk of the court should be submitted with a cover letter giving the original birth information of the registrant. An application is not needed, however the applicant must provide enough information to locate the original birth certificate.

AMENDMENT FEES Birth Amendment………………………………..$15.00 Legal Name Change…………………..……………….…$15.00 Certified Copy of the Amended Record.....$22.00 Total to Amend and Issue One Copy……..$37.00

DEATH AMENDMENTS

APPLICATION TO AMEND CERTIFICATE OF DEATH The Application to Amend Certificate of Death may be used to correct items left blank or errors made during the completion of the original record. Most items can be corrected by the original informant, or the funeral director, by signing the amendment form in the presence of a notary public and submitting the form with fee to our office. Medical information may only be corrected by the medical certifier by filing a medical amendment.

ITEMS MOST COMMONLY CORRECTED ON A DEATH CERTIFICATE 1.The Registrants Name 2.The Registrants Age, Date or Place of Birth 3. Social Security Number 4. The Mother or Fathers Name 5. Marital Status a) Only the original informant can correct the marital status. b) A court finding is needed if the informant is not available to correct the marital status.

TYPES OF ACCEPTABLE DOCUMENTS All documents MUST show the correct name of the registrant, correct information being requested to change, the name and address of the issuing organization/business, and the date of original entry. Documentation Must be certified. No photocopies will be accepted. Registrants Birth Certificate Mothers Birth Certificate Fathers Birth Certificate Marriage License of the Parents Court Finding (Court Order)

F2MN D1FN Alpha Character Codes for Death Amendments DEATH AMENDMENT These letters are called alpha descriptions and they correspond to the field that is being corrected on the death certificate. Each field has a unique alpha description. ORIGINAL INFORMATIONCORRECT INFORMATION ANDYANDREW JOHNYJOHNNY Deceaseds First Name Fathers Middle Name VS173

DISINTERMENT PERMITS Disinterment Permits are issued by BVS to authorize disinterring, transporting, and reinterring a body within the State of Texas. A Disinterment Permit is not required if a body is to be disinterred and reinterred in the same cemetery. The Application for a Disinterment Permit(VS-271) must be signed by a licensed funeral director or embalmer and submitted with the 3 part Consent Form.(VS-271.1) The Consent Form consists of the signatures of the cemetery owner, the plot owner, and the closest living next of kin of the deceased for the disinterment. Since cremation is considered a final disposition, a disinterment permit is not required to remove or transport cremains.

FEES FOR AMENDING DEATH AMENDMENTS Amending a Death Record…………………………………………………$15.00 One Certified Copy of the Amended Record……………………………………………....…$20.00 (Each Additional Copy Ordered at the Same Time)....$3.00 Total Fee to Amend and Issue One Copy……………$35.00 Disinterment Permit…………………………………..$25.00

Certificate of Adoption May be used to: file an adoption which has gone through the Texas courts. file an adoption for a child who was born in another country and adopted in a Texas court. The Certificate of Adoption is now available on our website. Cost: $25.00

REGISTERING FOREIGN ADOPTIONS Examples of a petition and order are on our website: VS – Validation Petition VS – Validation Order Texas Vital Statistics does not accept court orders from any country other than the United States. For this reason, Texas residents who adopt children from other countries must have their adoptions validated through a Texas court.

Application for a New Birth Certificate Based on Parentage May be used to: add the biological fathers name and information. remove the father or mothers name and information with a court order. substitute the Intended Parents in a gestational agreement. Cost: $25.00

DOCUMENTS USED TO FILE A NEW BIRTH CERTIFICATE BASED ON PARENTAGE CERTIFIED COPY OF A COURT ORDER ESTABLISHING PATERNITY FILED ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF PATERNITY MARRIAGE LICENSE OF BIOLOGICAL PARENTS If the mother was not married at the time of the childs birth No father currently listed on the birth certificate One of the following documents must be presented with the Application for a New Birth Certificate Based on Parentage

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