Step-by-step guide to getting a PSA birth certificate

Parents, here's a guide on how to get a PSA birth certificate.

What can you read in this article?

• What is a PSA birth Certificate?
• How to get PSA birth certificate
• When can I get a PSA birth certificate for my newborn?

One, if not the most important document you or your child will have is his birth certificate. It's the primary requirement for almost every application in the country - bank accounts, school records, passports. Any legitimate and official transaction that you will encounter will always request a birth certificate.

And not just a regular birth certificate, it has to be a PSA birth certificate. What's the big deal about that?

What is PSA Birth certificate?

A Birth Certificate is mandated by law to keep a vital record that establishes the birth of a child from details of his or her name, sex, time, date, and place of a person's birth through their mother's name and (usually) father's name.

The word "birth certificate" can refer to either the original document or a certified true copy of or representation of the original record of the birth document.

Here in the Philippines, it's the Philippine Statistics Authority or PSA (formerly National Statistics Office or NSO) that is in charge of issuing and releasing important documents like birth and marriage certificates.

That's why for legal matters, a birth certificate from the city's civil registrar won't do. It has to be a certified true copy of a child's birth certificate from PSA.

How to get PSA birth certificate online

However, due to the ongoing pandemic, going out of our homes to request for documents can be quite tricky.

Fortunately, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) recently signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with Pilipinas Teleserv Inc. for the expansion of its online services on civil registration for the public in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Through the online platform transaction called PSAHelpline.ph, Filipinos may request, pay, and have their PSA-issued documents and certifications delivered to their doorstep.

Launched on December 2020, the online services offer the copy issuance of the Certificate of Live Birth (COLB), Certificate of Marriage (COM), Certificate of Death (COD) and Certificate of No Marriage Record (CENOMAR) which are pivotal in our lives.

You can get your birth certificate in 3 easy steps:

Here's an easy step-by-step guide on how to get a PSA birth certificate online via PSASerbilis:

Step 1: Go to PSA Serbilis website and click on the icon "Click here to request now."

You will be directed to the page showing the terms and conditions. Click "I Accept" if you agree to the terms.

You will be asked to enter the following information online:

1.  Name
2. Delivery address (with zip code)
3. Telephone number
4. Valid email address
5. Required information for birth certificate requests

Step 2: Pay through accredited payment channels.

Via Over-the-Counter Payment Channels

• Bayad Center outlets
• Any BDO branch in the Philippines
• BDO ATM (for BDO account holders only)
• Any UnionBank branch in the Philippines
• UnionBank ATM (for UnionBank account holders only)
• BDO Remit subsidiary offices and remittance partners abroad
• Foreign correspondent banks

Via Online Payment Channels

• Credit card (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, or JCB)
• BDO Online Banking
• UnionBank Online Banking

How much is PSA birth certificate

Here are the PSA online fees for every request made through PSA Serbilis:

Take note that these PSA Serbilis fees include processing and delivery services plus government taxes.

If you choose to pay online, you will receive a payment confirmation message from PSA Serbilis.

READ MORE: 

Spotted a mistake in your baby's birth certificate? 4 steps to correct this

Step-by-step guide to getting a PSA birth certificate

Late registration of birth certificate: 4 steps you need to follow

Step 3: Wait for the delivery of your PSA birth certificate

The last step is to just wait for your document to be delivered to your address. It usually takes 3-4 days for addresses within Metro Manila and 7-8 days for provincial areas.

You can check the status of your request on the PSA Serbilis homepage. Enter either the Batch Request Number or Request Reference Number.

For other inquiries regarding the status of your request, you may email them here.

How to get PSA birth certificate walk-in

While online payment transactions are an easy job to do, there are some people who are not tech-savvy and prefer to go the traditional route. How to get PSA birth certificate walk-in?

If you're one of those people, here are the instructions on how to get a PSA birth certificate walk-in application:

1. Visit the nearest Census Serbilis Center in your area for a complete list of PSA or NSO Serbilis branches in the Philippines.
2. Get the white birth certificate application form and your queue number from the Information Marshall.
3. Fill out the application form with the following information:
   • Complete name of the birth certificate owner
   • A complete name of the father
   • Complete maiden name of the mother
   • Date of birth (Month, Day, Year)
   • Place of Birth (City/Municipality, Province)
   • Complete name and address of the requester/requesting party
   • The number of copies needed
   • Purpose of the request.
4. Proceed to the Screener’s Desk to have your application form checked for accuracy, consistency, and legibility. Once approved, the screener will stamp your application form with “Okay for Payment.”
5. Go to the Cashier to pay the fee of Php 230. You will then be issued an Official Receipt with a stamp containing the date and time of release.
6. Proceed to the Releasing Area to receive the requested birth certificate.

How old is your child before she can get a Birth Certificate? 

The journey of becoming a parent is truly a remarkable experience, but the responsibilities should follow after you give birth and one of those is getting a birth certificate for your baby. 

According to the Philippine Statistic Authority, "The child shall be registered immediately after birth and shall have the right from birth to a name and the right to acquire a nationality."

The birth of a child shall be registered within 30 days from the time of birth at the Local Civil Registry Office of the city or municipality where the birth occurred.

Here are the steps for registering your child's birth:

1. Choose a name for the baby (make sure your spelling is correct).

2. Prepare the requirements in advance. For married couples, you need to prepare the following:

• Certified True Copy of Marriage Contract/Certificate.
• Photocopies of your valid IDs.
• SSS, PhilHealth, and health insurance/HMO claim forms

For unmarried couples, you have to submit the following:

• Affidavit of Admission of Paternity (at the back of the child’s Certificate of Live Birth) filled out and signed by the father or a Private Handwritten Instrument, an official document that is handwritten and signed by the father to prove that he recognizes the paternity of the child during his lifetime
• Affidavit to Use the Surname of the Father filled out and signed by the father (the blank form of which will be provided by the hospital)Fill out the Certificate of Live birth (COLB) form

3. Get a personal Certificate of Live birth (COLB) form

4. Obtain a copy of your child's birth certificate

After receiving the baby’s documents from the local civil registrar, the Philippine Statistics Authority or PSA (formerly NSO) will start encoding the data.

It usually takes two to four months before you get your child's birth certificate.