|
Frequently
Asked Questions
How do I order a Birth or Death certificate outside of Washington State?
Visit
the National
Center for Health Statistics to access your state or territory
information or visit Vitalchek.com.
Foreign
or high-seas, or Panama Canal Zone birth and death certificates
(usbirthcertificate.net
is a fee-based on-line service that can help obtain records)
If you were born abroad, visit the
U.S.
State Department for information regarding replacing or amending a
Consular Report of Birth Abroad.
Can I get a credit card-size certificate?
No, credit card sized copies of birth
certificates are no longer available. Those copies did not provide all the
necessary information agencies require. For this reason, they became invalid documents by
federal law in 1989.
How
can I make changes or edits to my birth certificate?
There
is an
Affidavit for Correction form on the back of the certified certificate
along with instructions. The
completed form must be sent to the Center for Health Statistics in Olympia
for processing.
Court
Order Name Change: You must go to the County District Court (Cowlitz
County District Court) you reside in to file a petition for change of name.
How
do I establish legal paternity or add a father to the certificate?
For
information on how to establish paternity, visit the Washington State
Department of Social and Health Services webpage at:
http://www.dshs.wa.gov/dcs/. You
may pick up the Paternity Acknowledgement form at the local health
department office.
A Paternity Acknowledgement form must be filled out and
signed by the involved parties in front of a notary and filed (for a
$15 fee) with the Center for Health Statistics in Olympia to add the
father's name to the birth certificate. If either parent is not
available or refuses to sign then either parent, adult themselves, or
legal guardian must file a Petition for Superior Court Establishment of
Paternity and get a Court Order for a father to be listed.
How
do I get a certified copy of a Paternity Acknowledgement?
If a father is already listed on the birth
certificate, requests for the certified Paternity Acknowledgement copy must be
made through the Center for Health Statistics in Olympia. Visit
their website at: www.doh.wa.gov for
ordering or call 360-236-4300.
How do I get an Apostille for
my certificate?
Apostilles
are prepared by the Secretary of State. Each state does this for
documents originating by that state. For example, the Washington State Secretary of State Office in Olympia,
WA will do an apostille for a Washington birth certificate. Visit
Washington's Secretary of State website for additional information: www.secstate.wa.gov/apostilles.
How
do I get an adopted child's birth certificate?
If
born in Washington, we are able to issue a certified birth
certificate. We recommend bringing in certified court ordered documentation of the
adoption. Name changes that were not followed through to the state
office may not
reflect on the birth certificate.
If
born in another state, you must request the birth certificate from the original
birth state of the child.
What
do I need to travel to a foreign country?
For
US Citizens traveling to foreign country, visit the
US
Department of State, Foreign Entry Requirements.
Where can I get a copy of a Marriage
Certificate?
-
For recent marriage certificates from the last 4 months: contact the
county auditor
where the license was filed.
-
For certificates from January 1, 1968 to four months before the present:
order through the
Center for Health Statistics.
-
For certificates before January 1, 1968: contact the
county auditor
where the license was obtained.
Where can I get a copy of a Divorce Certificate?
-
For recent divorce certificates from the last four months: contact the
county clerk
where the event was filed.
-
For certificates from January 1, 1968 to four months before the present:
order through the
Center for Health Statistics.
-
For certificates before January 1, 1968: contact the
county clerk
where the event occurred.
Back
to Top
|
