Rush To Get New Puerto Rico Birth Certificate

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Puerto Rican-born cit­i­zens liv­ing in the United States will now have to request a new copy of their birth certificates.

The country’s Gov. Luis For­tuño signed a law mak­ing all old birth cer­tifi­cates processed prior to Decem­ber 2009 not valid in any fed­eral agency.

A tran­si­tion period will be in effect until July 1. The new law is an effort to reduce all fraud cases reported by U.S. Immi­gra­tion and Cus­toms Enforce­ment in the past year.

Accord­ing to the gov­ern­men­tal agency, a Puerto Rican birth cer­tifi­cate runs for about $5,000 to $10,000 on the black market.

Puerto Ricans born on the island receive an Amer­i­can Social Secu­rity num­ber and are eli­gi­ble for a United States pass­port from birth.

For more infor­ma­tion, call (787) 767-9120 ext. 2402 or visit their Web site.

Link to Puerto rico site Birth Certificate page. Information about the law that was created regarding the New birth certificates.

Link to get a new certificate application to apply by mail.