Permanent Validity of Birth Certificates, Marriage Certificates and similar documents.

1. Q: Government offices usually require the submission of PSA documents (formerly NSO) that have been obtained within the last six months. What is the validity of PSA documents?

A: It is no longer allowed for government agencies to require that the PSA documents be obtained within the last six months. Republic Act No. 11909 now provides for the permanent validity of PSA documents.

2. Q: What is Republic Act No. 11909?

A: Republic Act No. 11909 is “AN ACT PROVIDING FOR THE PERMANENT VALIDITY OF THE CERTIFICATES OF LIVE BIRTH, DEATH, AND MARRIAGE ISSUED, SIGNED, CERTIFIED, OR AUTHENTICATED BY THE PHILIPPINE STATISTICS AUTHORITY (PSA) AND ITS PREDECESSOR, THE NATIONAL STATISTICS OFFICE (NSO), AND THE LOCAL CIVIL REGISTRIES, AND THE REPORTS OF BIRTH, DEATH, AND MARRIAGE REGISTERED AND ISSUED BY THE PHILIPPINE FOREIGN SERVICE POSTS”

3. Q: What documents are covered by Republic Act No. 11909?

A: The certificates of live birth, death, and marriage issued, signed, certified, or authenticated by the PSA (or NSO, local civil registries); Reports of birth, death, or marriage registered and issued by the Philippine Foreign Service Posts and transmitted to the PSA.

4. Q: Are there are conditions for the continuing permanent validity of the covered documents?

A: The only condition is that the document must still be readable.

5. Q: How will the government prevent fraud or know that the information in an old document is still valid and hasn’t been changed recently?

A: The law requires that within six months from its passing, a civil registry basis will be developed. The Civil Registry Database should provide a means for virtual viewing and verification of authenticity of the documents in question.

6. Q: What are the penalties for violation of R.A. 11909?

A: If a person requires a new copy of a birth certificate or other covered documents, even if one was already provided, such act is punishable by “imprisonment of one (1) month and one (1) day to six (6) months or a fine of not less than Five thousand pesos (P5,000.00) but not more than Ten thousand pesos (P10,000.00), or both, at the discretion of the court.”

7. Q: Who issued the Implementing Rules and Regulations?

A: As of the writing of this FAQ, there are still no Implementing Rules and Regulations. The law tasked the National Statistician, in coordination with the Secretaries of the Department of Foreign Affairs and the DICT, and the President of the Philippine Association of Civil Registrars, to promulgate the necessary