TN 32 (07-06)

A. Background

The availability of a civil birth record for an individual born in Jordan (including the Israeli-held sectors) depends on the area in which the individual was born.

• West Jordan (formerly Arab-held Palestine)

Records are available for births after 1919, except for those in what was Arab-Jerusalem where they are available since June 1948.

• East Jordan (formerly Trans-Jordan)

The registration of births began in 1927 but records are incomplete because many individuals were not registered.

B. Policy

1. Civil Records

SSA accepts civil records at face value if the document shows a recordation date after the establishment of the civil records (as shown in GN 00307.587A).

SSA assumes the year of registration is the year of recordation, absent information to the contrary, if the:

1. Birth occurred after 1967;

2. Birth certificate was issued by the Israeli authorities in an Israeli-held sector; and

3. Recordation date is not shown.

SSA does not use certifications of records purportedly recorded before the establishment of the civil records as evidence of age unless verified by the Federal Benefits Unit or a Foreign Service Post, if authorized by the Regional Federal Benefits Officer.

2. Religious Records

SSA evaluates religious records under GN 00307.105A.2.d. and GN 00307.110 only if the document itself shows that it was issued by a Roman Catholic Church (RCC) or that the baptism was performed in accordance with the Roman or Latin rites. SSA does not use the claimant's statement to establish it was issued by an RCC.

If the religious certificate does not show that it is a Roman Catholic record, SSA accepts it at face value only if it:

1. shows clearly when (month, day and year) the age or DB was entered in the source record; and

2. either:

   • was issued at least 5 full years before the claimant first filed for benefits, or

   • agrees materially with all other DB information in file (including allegations on other applications and the numident) and at least one of the pieces of evidence in file was recorded at least 5 full years before the claimant first filed for benefits.

C. Procedure

If the claimant was born in Jordan and does not have a civil birth certificate, ask him or her to get one. Do NOT ask the claimant to get a religious record. If the claimant submits a religious or civil birth certificate, evaluate it as explained in GN 00307.587B.