ORIGINAL BIRTH CERTIFICATE

When a child is born the Texas Vital Statistics issues an original birth certificate. This birth certificate includes the name of the child, the gender, the time of birth, the place the child was born, and the name of the birth parents.  The purpose of this document is to establish the birth of a living person.  The birth certificate is an important document as it is needed to identify the relationship of one to his or her parents, to obtain a social security number, and obtain a passport.

After the baby is born the birth mom will be given a Mother’s Worksheet for Child’s Birth Certificate. This worksheet will include the baby’s name, mother’s full name and maiden name, mother’s social security number, address and occupation, and information regarding the child’s father.

After the information has been processed a certified copy of the child’s birth certificate can be obtained from the local registrar’s office in the county or city where the child was born or from the Texas Vital Statistics office via mail or online.

If the birth mom selected the option on the worksheet to apply for a social security number the birth information will be forwarded to the Social Security Administration once the Texas Vital Statistic office receives the information from the hospital.  Once processed the social security card will be mailed to the birth mother’s address.

           AMENDED BIRTH CERTIFICATE

After a child’s adoption is finalized the district court or the attorney for the parents completes a Certificate of Adoption form and mails that form to the Texas Vital Statistics office.  This form includes the child’s’ new name (if there was name change requested), adoptive parent’s names, the place of birth for the child and adoptive parents, adoptive parents social security number and the information of the attorney who completed the adoption. The Texas Vital Statistics office uses the information provided on the Certificate of Adoption form to create the child’s new amended birth certificate showing the newly adopted child’s  information.

The amended birth certificate will change the child’s new name, the name of the adoptive parents, the adoptive mother’s maiden name, and the address.  The amended birth certificate does not change the place where the child was born and the time of birth.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO GET AN AMENDED BIRTH CERTIFICATE?

The question I get asked repeatedly is “How long does it take for me to get the new Texas birth certificate of my adopted child?.”  As an adoptive parent, I understand the excitement of seeing your name listed as “parents” on your child’s amended birth certificate.  The average time in Texas to get the Certificate of Adoption form processed and an amended birth certificate completed and mailed to the adoptive parents is 22 weeks.

IS THERE A WAY TO EXPEDITE THE PROCESS?

Absolutely. As your Texas Adoption Lawyer, we are excited that we are now able to expedite the process for our clients and have their new amended birth certificate available to them within 1 month.