Wednesday, January 9, 2008

NORTH DAKOTA: New North Dakota Birth Certificate Law Now in Effect, January 8, 2008

WEST FARGO PIONEER
Jaunary 8, 2008


New North Dakota birth certificate law now in effect

As of January 1, 2008, individuals requesting a birth certificate will need to show proof of identity. The new requirement is based on changes to the state’s Century Code passed by the 2007 North Dakota Legislative Assembly. The purpose of the changes is to prevent fraud and identity theft.

According to the new law, a certified copy of a birth certificate can only be issued to the individual named on the birth certificate, a parent named on the birth certificate, or the individual’s authorized representative, such as a legal guardian or an adoption agency. Certified copies may also be released by the order of a court of law. Previously, if an individual’s parents were married at the time of his or her birth, anyone could request a copy.

“The 2007 Legislative Assembly recognizes the importance of protecting the personal information of North Dakota citizens,” Darin Meschke, state registrar for the North Dakota Department of Health, said. “These restrictions will help to safeguard the information on birth certificates, thereby helping to prevent fraud and identity theft.”

When requesting a certified copy of a birth certificate, individuals can establish proof of identity by submitting one of the following:

A driver’s license or photo ID issued by a state government.

A tribal ID card issued by the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

A military ID card issued by the federal government.

A passport or visa issued by the federal government.

People requesting birth certificates in person from the Department of Health’s Division of Vital Records will be asked to show proof of identity. People requesting birth certificates by mail, fax or online will be asked to send or fax photocopies of the IDs.

More information about obtaining birth certificates is available on the Department of Health’s Web site at www.ndhelath.gov or by calling .


Link to article

2 comments:

Gershom Kaligawa said...

what happens if someone is not adopted, but changes their name anyways and still wants their OBC?

Anonymous said...

Presumably they would have a court document that traces them from their Original Name to their current name. Just like a marriage certificate would.