Nso Birth Certificate: Valid For Church Weddings?

The National Statistics Office (NSO) in the Philippines is now known as the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) following a merger in 2013. The PSA has clarified that NSO birth certificates remain valid and do not expire. The only difference between the two certificates is the logo. This means that an NSO birth certificate can be used for a church wedding.

The NSO birth certificate is the same as the one issued by the Philippine Statistics Authority

The merger made the PSA the central authority for statistics in the Philippines, and all civil registry documents, including birth, marriage, and death certificates, are now issued by the PSA. The PSA has clarified that the NSO birth certificate has no expiration date and is still valid. The only difference between the two certificates is the logo.

The PSA has also confirmed that even if the security paper (SECPA) features are updated, the previously issued certificates with the "old SECPA" are still valid. The facts of birth on the old certificates remain the same and do not expire unless there are authorized annotations.

Republic Act 11909 further ensures the permanent validity of these certificates, stating that:

> [It 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.

Therefore, the NSO birth certificate is essentially the same as the one issued by the PSA, and it can be used for various purposes, including school requirements, passport issuance, visa applications, and benefits claims.

The NSO birth certificate has no expiration date and is valid for life

The National Statistics Office (NSO) birth certificate is a valid, permanent record of your identity and does not have an expiration date. It is acceptable for various official purposes, such as school enrolment, passport application or renewal, visa application, benefits claim, and government job applications.

In 2013, the National Statistics Office (NSO) merged with the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB), Bureau of Labor and Employment Statistics (BLES), and the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS) to become the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). The PSA is now the central statistical authority of the Philippines and issues all civil registry documents, including birth certificates.

The PSA has clarified that the NSO birth certificate has no expiration date and is still a valid document. The only difference between the NSO and PSA-issued birth certificates is the logo. The PSA has also confirmed that changes to the security paper (SECPA) of the birth certificate, such as colour and font, do not invalidate previously issued certificates. The facts of birth on the old SECPA remain the same and do not expire unless there have been authorised annotations.

Republic Act 11909, or the Permanent Validity of the Certificates of Live Birth, Death, and Marriage Act, further reinforces the lifelong validity of NSO birth certificates. This law prohibits government agencies and private companies from requiring newly issued birth certificates with the latest security paper or certification from within the past six months.

Therefore, you can continue to use your NSO birth certificate for official purposes, including church weddings, without worrying about its validity or expiration date. It is a lifelong valid record of your identity.

The NSO birth certificate is accepted for passport applications

The NSO birth certificate is the same as the one issued by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). The only difference between the two is the logo. Birth certificates are permanent records of individuals' identities and do not have an expiration date. The PSA has also confirmed that NSO-issued birth certificates have no expiration and are still valid documents.

NSO birth certificates are valid for life. The approval of Republic Act 11909 should make it clear that the NSO-issued birth certificate is still valid and does not expire, regardless of its issuance date.

The NSO birth certificate is accepted for school enrolment

The National Statistics Office (NSO) birth certificate is accepted for school enrolment. In fact, it is the same as the one issued by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). The only difference between the two certificates is the logo.

Most schools in the Philippines require first-time enrollees to submit a copy of a PSA birth certificate to serve as proof of identity and for documentation of school records. This usually takes place upon enrolment in pre-school, elementary, high school, and college.

If your child has only the old NSO birth certificate, you can still use it instead of the new one issued by the PSA. However, some schools are reportedly not accepting NSO-issued birth certificates, particularly in the Central Visayas Region. In response, the Department of Education (DepEd) Undersecretary Jesus Mateo issued Memorandum No. 0714, which states that in the absence of a PSA birth certificate, a birth certificate issued by the local registrar or a barangay certification containing the child's information will also be accepted. Similarly, the memorandum states that the submission of the birth certificate for enrolment purposes should only be done once during the duration of the child's basic education.

Therefore, the NSO birth certificate is accepted for school enrolment, although there may be some variation in requirements between schools.

The NSO birth certificate is accepted for government and non-government transactions

The National Statistics Office (NSO) birth certificate is accepted for government and non-government transactions. The NSO birth certificate is a valid document for life and has no expiration date. The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) has clarified that the NSO birth certificate is still valid and didn't expire regardless of its issuance date. The PSA is now the central statistical authority of the Philippines and all civil registry documents, including birth certificates, are issued by them. The only difference between the PSA and NSO-issued birth certificates is the logo.

NSO birth certificates are accepted as a requirement for new passport applications and renewals. The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has confirmed that they accept both PSA and NSO-issued birth certificates for passport applications.

NSO birth certificates are also accepted for school enrolment. While some schools reportedly do not accept NSO-issued birth certificates, the Department of Education (DepEd) has issued a memorandum stating that schools should accept a birth certificate issued by the local registrar or a barangay certification containing the learner's basic information in the absence of a PSA birth certificate.

The NSO birth certificate is also accepted for other government transactions, such as applying for a position in the government. The NSO provides authentication services for various important documents, such as birth certificates, marriage certificates, and death certificates, which are required for many government processes, including applying for a DFA passport.

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