R 161504Z JUN 10
UNCLASSIFIED//
MARADMIN 334/10
MSGID/GENADMIN,USMTF,2007/CMC WASH DC JA//
SUBJ/INFO REGARDING INVALIDATION OF PUERTO RICAN BIRTH CERTIFICATES//
POC/MS. GWEN WILKERSON/-/UNIT:LEGAL ASSISTANCE BRANCH/- /TEL:703-614-1266//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1.  UNDER PUERTO RICO LAW 191, ON 1 JULY 2010 ALL CERTIFIED COPIES OF PUERTO RICAN BIRTH CERTIFICATES ISSUED BEFORE THAT DATE WILL BE INVALIDATED.  THE LAW ALSO PROHIBITS PRIVATE ENTITIES FROM RETAINING, STORING, OR HOLDING A CERTIFIED COPY OF A PUERTO RICAN BIRTH CERTIFICATE.  THIS DOES NOT PROHIBIT INDIVIDUALS (OR THEIR PARENTS, LEGAL REPRESENTATIVES, OR GUARDIANS) FROM POSSESSING CERTIFIED COPIES OF PUERTO RICAN BIRTH CERTIFICATES.
2.  IN THE PAST, MANY COMMON OFFICIAL AND UNOFFICIAL TRANSACTIONS IN PUERTO RICO REQUIRED THE SUBMISSION, RETENTION, AND STORAGE OF BIRTH CERTIFICATES. AS A RESULT, HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF CERTIFIED COPIES OF PUERTO RICAN BIRTH CERTIFICATES WERE STORED WITHOUT ADEQUATE PROTECTION, MAKING THEM EASY TARGETS FOR THEFT AND SALE ON THE BLACK MARKET FOR USE IN ILLEGALLY OBTAINING PASSPORTS, LICENSES, AND OTHER GOVERNMENT AND PRIVATE SECTOR DOCUMENTATION AND BENEFITS.  THESE CONTRABAND BIRTH CERTIFICATES POSE A RISK TO UNITED STATES NATIONAL SECURITY AND TO THE IDENTITIES OF THE INDIVIDUALS WHOSE NAMES APPEAR ON THE BIRTH CERTIFICATES.
3.  IMPACT ON MARINES BORN IN PUERTO RICO.  ALTHOUGH ALL CERTIFIED COPIES OF PUERTO RICAN BIRTH CERTIFICATES ISSUED BEFORE 1 JULY 2010 WILL BE INVALIDATED, THE CITIZENSHIP OF THE HOLDER IS NOT AFFECTED.
4.  ON 1 JULY 2010 THE PUERTO RICAN VITAL STATISTICS RECORDS OFFICE WILL BEGIN ISSUING NEW BIRTH CERTIFICATES INCORPORATING TECHNOLOGY THAT LIMITS THE POSSIBILITY OF DOCUMENT FORGERY.
5.  PROCESS FOR OBTAINING NEW CERTIFIED COPY OF PUERTO RICAN BIRTH CERTIFICATE.  THERE ARE TWO METHODS TO APPLY FOR A NEW CERTIFIED COPY OF A PUERTO RICAN BIRTH CERTIFICATE, BY MAIL OR ON-LINE.
A.  MAIL-IN APPLICATION.
(1) COMPLETE A BIRTH CERTIFICATE APPLICATION FORM FROM THE PUERTO RICO VITAL STATISTICS RECORD OFFICE ON OR AFTER 1 JULY 2010.  APPLICATION FORMS CAN BE OBTAINED ON THE PUERTO RICAN FEDERAL AFFAIRS ADMINISTRATION (PRFAA) WEBSITE AT HTTP:SLASHSLASHWWW.PRFAA.COM/BIRTHCERTIFICATES (CLICK ON MAIL-IN APPLICATION LINK).
(2) APPLICANTS RESIDING OUTSIDE OF PUERTO RICO SHOULD MAIL THE COMPLETED APPLICATION TO:  PUERTO RICO VITAL STATISTICS RECORD OFFICE (REGISTRO DEMOGRAFICO) P.O. BOX 11854 SAN JUAN, PR 00910
(3) INCLUDE A PHOTOCOPY OF A VALID GOVERNMENT ISSUED PHOTO IDENTIFICATION DOCUMENT. PASSPORTS AND DRIVERS LICENSES ARE APPROVED FORMS OF PHOTO IDENTIFICATION.  ALL OTHER FORMS OF IDENTIFICATION ARE SUBJECT TO APPROVAL.
(4) INCLUDE A FIVE DOLLAR MONEY ORDER PAYABLE TO THE SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY OF PUERTO RICO.
(5) INCLUDE A SELF-ADDRESSED ENVELOPE WITH PAID POSTAGE.
(6) IF USING A PREMIUM MAIL SERVICE (FEDEX, UPS, ETC.) USE THE FOLLOWING ADDRESS:
PUERTO RICO VITAL STATISTICS RECORD OFFICE (REGISTRO DEMOGRAFICO)
171 QUISQUEYA STREET
HATO REY, PR 00917
(7) MAIL-IN APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED PRIOR TO 1 JULY 2010.
B.  ON-LINE APPLICATION.  THE APPLICATION CAN BE COMPLETED ON-LINE BY CLICKING ON THE "APPLY ON-LINE NOW" BUTTON ON THE PRFAA WEBSITE.  APPLICANTS WILL BE ABLE TO UPLOAD THE NECESSARY IDENTIFICATION DOCUMENTS AND PAY FOR THE NEW CERTIFICATE VIA CREDIT CARD.  APPLICATIONS WILL BE PROCESSED IN THE ORDER RECEIVED AND NEW CERTIFICATES WILL BE SHIPPED STARTING ON 1 JUL 2010.
C.  TO AVOID AN UNNECESSARY RUSH OF APPLICATIONS, THE GOVERNMENT OF PUERTO RICO RECOMMENDS THAT ONLY PEOPLE WHO HAVE A SPECIFIC NEED REQUEST THEIR BIRTH CERTIFICATE. THOSE WHO WANT TO OBTAIN A COPY OF THE NEW BIRTH CERTIFICATES FOR THEIR RECORDS ARE ENCOURAGED TO DO SO AT A LATER DATE D.  ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CAN BE OBTAINED FROM THE PUERTO RICO VITAL STATISTICS RECORD OFFICE AT 787-767-9120 OR BY VISITING HTTP:SLASHSLASHWWW.PRFAA.COM/BIRTHCERTIFICATES.
6.  RELEASE AUTHORIZED BY MAJGEN V. A. ARY, SJA TO CMC.//