Name of the Organization : State of Rhode Island Department of Health
Type of Facility : How To Get Birth Certificate
State : Rhode Island
Country : United States of America
Website : https://health.ri.gov/
Birth Application Form : https://www.statusin.org/uploads/24113-Birthform.docx
How To Get Birth Certificate :
How To Get a Copy of Vital Records :
** You can apply for a certified copy of a birth, death, marriage, or civil union record in person or by mail.
Related : Rhode Island Department of Health Obtain Death Certificate : www.statusin.org/24115.html
To do so :
** Fill out an application form birth death marriage/civil union.
** Mail the form to the address listed on the form or bring it to the appropriate office.
** If you were born in Rhode Island and are 25 years or older as of July 1, 2012,
** you can apply for a non-certified copy of a pre-adoption birth record by mail now and in person starting July 2, 2012
Where To Go :
** City and town clerk offices have records for all the births, deaths, marriages, and civil unions that occur in those cities and towns.
** All 39 cities and towns can also provide copies of most birth certificates for anyone born in the state on or after January 1, 1960.
** The State Office of Vital Records can supply electronic copies for any vital record in the state, with proper directions.
** Birth and marriage records 100 years or older and death records 50 years or older are considered public records and may be obtained from the city or town hall where the event happened or through the Rhode Island State Archives.
Access To Records :
** Vital records are confidential.
** Only individuals who have what is called a “direct and tangible interest” in the records can access them.
** A relative with access to your records who has a government picture identification may request your record.
Identification :
** To access services at the State Office of Vital Records (e.g. to request a certified copy of a record, to correct or update a record, etc.),
** you must present valid picture identification issued by a governmental organization.
This includes :
** Driver’s License
** Passport
** Military Identification
** Certificate of Naturalization
** Alien Registration Card
** You must present an original form of identification if requesting services in person.
** If requesting by mail, a readable copy of identification is required and will not be returned to you.
** If you submit an application or request without identification, it will not be processed and it will be returned to you.
** If you do not have government-issued picture identification, you may submit two other documents containing the name and current address of the applicant
** (i.e. utility bill, bank statement, car registration, copy of income tax return, etc.).
Fees :
** The State Office of Vital Records accepts cash, check, or money order if the request for records is made in person.
** The Office only accepts check or money order if the request is made by mail (do not send cash).
** If requesting the certificate from the State Office, make the check or money order payable to “General Treasurer, State of Rhode Island.”
** The State Office is not able to accept debit/credit card payments. If obtaining a record from a city or town clerk, payments should be made to the local office.
Certified copies :
** The fee for a certified copy of a vital record (from state or local registrars) is $20.
** Additional copies of the same record issued at the same time are $15.00 each.
** Per Rhode Island General Law, the fee provides for a search of two consecutive calendar years under one name and for issuance of a certified copy of a birth, fetal death, death, marriage, or civil union record.
** If the record is not found, you will be charged for the service. However, in most cases, you will receive a certified letter stating that the record was not located.
** There is an additional $2 for each year searched beyond the two-year period.
Other services provided by the State Office :
** Corrections to birth, death, marriage, and/or civil union records within one year of the event – Free
** Corrections to records after one year – $10.
** Expedited service fee (additional fee for priority handling of requests for certified copies by mail) – $7
** Adoption, legitimation, or paternity processing fee – $15.
** Delayed birth, death, marriage, or civil union processing fee – $20.
Note :
** Any record filed after one year is deemed “delayed” and marked with a stamp in the header of the record.
** Documented evidence must be submitted and accepted to the State Office to create a delayed certificate.)
Turnaround Time :
** It will take six to eight weeks to process your request and mail your certified copy to you.
** If your request is urgent and you are requesting a record from the State Office of Vital Records, you can request rush service for an additional $7.
** Please write RUSH on your envelope . Rush requests will be processed within five business days after receipt of request.
** These times may vary depending upon the volume of requests received by the office.
** Please note that if you are applying for a non-certified copy of a pre-adoption birth record before July 2012, the record cannot be released to you until July 2012.
Applying Without A Form :
You may receive a certified copy of a record in the mail without using an application form, but you must provide the following information :
** the name on the birth, death, marriage, or civil union record,
** the date and city/town where the event occurred,
** your relationship to the person named on the record,
** why you need the record,
** for births only, the name of the father and the mother’s maiden name,
** your signature and printed name, and
** your mailing address and home phone number, in case we need to contact you.