New Puerto Rico Birth Certificate Law
By Roberto Ramirez and Ululy Martinez
In December of 2009, Puerto Rico’s legislature enacted a law that invalidated all certified copies of birth certificates issued prior to July 1, 2010. Puerto Ricans with certified birth certificates issues prior to July 1, 2010 will have to apply for a new Puerto Rico birth certificate.
The Puerto Rican Government and The U.S. State Department have publicly stated that there is a major problem with Puerto Rico-issued birth certificates being used to unlawfully obtain U.S. passports, Social Security benefits, and other federal services. The U.S. State Department reported that 40 percent of the 8,000 passport fraud cases, it has studied, in the United States are related to stolen Puerto Rican birth certificates.
People have called into question the rationale for the new birth certificate law. What period of time did the passport fraud study cover? The 8,000 passport fraud cases studied were out of a total of how many passport fraud cases? What was the research methodology used to identify the 8,000 passport fraud cases studied? These questions have not been answered by the State Department or the Puerto Rican government.
To add to the confusion, there has been little effort by the U.S. or Puerto Rican governments to educate the people born in Puerto Rico and living on the mainland about the new law. More than a third of the 4.1 million people of Puerto Rican descent living in the 50 states must arrange to get new birth certificates. About 47 percent of people of Puerto Rican descent in Florida, or 377,000 people, and 29 percent, or 318,000, in New York – states with the largest Puerto Rican populations – were born on the island. Puerto Ricans are learning about the law from each other, news reports and community groups. Unfortunately, the information is not always accurate.
There are several non-government websites that claim they can help you with the birth certificate application process. Do not give your personal information to anyone but a government agency. These may be scams to steal your identity!
For information on the new rules and how to apply for a new birth certificate visit:
Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration: http://www.prfaa.com/birthcertificates
Puerto Rico Department of Health: http://www.salud.gov.pr
For general information visit:
U.S State Department: http://www.state.gov/
Homeland Security Department: http://www.dhs.gov
Here you will find the birth certificate application, law, and a question and answer document made available by the Puerto Rico Federal Affairs administration.
In December of 2009, Puerto Rico’s legislature enacted a law that invalidated all certified copies of birth certificates issued prior to July 1, 2010. Puerto Ricans with certified birth certificates issues prior to July 1, 2010 will have to apply for a new Puerto Rico birth certificate.
The Puerto Rican Government and The U.S. State Department have publicly stated that there is a major problem with Puerto Rico-issued birth certificates being used to unlawfully obtain U.S. passports, Social Security benefits, and other federal services. The U.S. State Department reported that 40 percent of the 8,000 passport fraud cases, it has studied, in the United States are related to stolen Puerto Rican birth certificates.
People have called into question the rationale for the new birth certificate law. What period of time did the passport fraud study cover? The 8,000 passport fraud cases studied were out of a total of how many passport fraud cases? What was the research methodology used to identify the 8,000 passport fraud cases studied? These questions have not been answered by the State Department or the Puerto Rican government.
To add to the confusion, there has been little effort by the U.S. or Puerto Rican governments to educate the people born in Puerto Rico and living on the mainland about the new law. More than a third of the 4.1 million people of Puerto Rican descent living in the 50 states must arrange to get new birth certificates. About 47 percent of people of Puerto Rican descent in Florida, or 377,000 people, and 29 percent, or 318,000, in New York – states with the largest Puerto Rican populations – were born on the island. Puerto Ricans are learning about the law from each other, news reports and community groups. Unfortunately, the information is not always accurate.
There are several non-government websites that claim they can help you with the birth certificate application process. Do not give your personal information to anyone but a government agency. These may be scams to steal your identity!
For information on the new rules and how to apply for a new birth certificate visit:
Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration: http://www.prfaa.com/birthcertificates
Puerto Rico Department of Health: http://www.salud.gov.pr
For general information visit:
U.S State Department: http://www.state.gov/
Homeland Security Department: http://www.dhs.gov
Here you will find the birth certificate application, law, and a question and answer document made available by the Puerto Rico Federal Affairs administration.
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