TN 31 (08-05)

A. Background

1. General

The Mexican Government requires all State and local registry officials to use uniform fill-in-the-blanks, multi-copy certification forms. Such forms must also be used for the registration of vital statistics events. The copies of the registration forms are marked for distribution to various government offices. The instructions on the use of these forms were effective January 1, 1982, but some State and local registry officials began using the forms before that date.

2. Fill-in-the-Blanks Forms

The initial (pre-1982) version of the birth certification form contained an error; it did not provide a space for the specific date on which the birth was recorded. Although not required to do so, some registrars showed the recordation date when issuing a certificate on this form. The form has been revised to provide a specific entry for the recordation date.

Before 1982, some States (e.g., Nuevo Leon) adopted a fill-in-the-blanks type certification containing a space for the year of the register from which the information was extracted but not for the specific recordation date.

3. Baja California

Since there was no space for the recordation date on some versions of the fill-in-the-blanks form which the civil registries in Tijuana and Mexicali began using in about 1977, it was shown in the lower left-hand corner of the form below the “Observaciones” block.

If the “Observaciones” block contains the seal of the Registro Civil in either of these cities, the date stamped on the form is issuance of the certificate. The date on the line below this box is the date of recordation (e.g., “MEXICALI, B.C. A7 DE Julio DE 1978” means the birth was recorded at the local civil registry in Mexicali on July 7, 1978).

4. Old Civil Birth Certificates

Before the adoption of uniform fill-in-the-blanks forms, most registrars used a narrative format to record events. This was copied for subsequent certifications.

Generally, these certifications contained a preprinted fill-in portion showing the block number and page of the entry in the birth register. The narrative entry in the birth register was copied below this. At, or near, the beginning of the copy of the certification would be a sentence or two somewhat as follows:

In (name of city or town), on (month, day and year), before me (name and title), appeared (name of informant) of (place of residence) and presented a baby girl/boy born alive (date and time and place of birth) .....”

B. Policy

1. General

SSA does not make any assumption about the date on which a civil birth record was established except as explained in GN 00307.675B.2.a.

2. Fill-in-the-Blanks Forms

a. Certificate Has Blank for Register Year Only

SSA assumes, absent information to the contrary, that the year of the register shown on a document is the year in which the birth was recorded.

SSA accepts such birth certificates issued by the State Archives (e.g., Director del Registro Civil Legislizaciones in Nuevo Leon) at face value, except as provided in GN 00307.673B.

SSA evaluates such certificates issued by local civil registrars per GN 00307.671 and GN 00307.673.

b. Certificate Does Not Contain a Register Year or Recordation Date

SSA does not assume a recordation date.

3. Baja California

SSA does not assume a recordation date if one is not specifically shown, or the form does not contain the information shown in GN 00307.675A.3.

4. Old Civil Birth Certificates

The registration date is the date on which the informant is shown to have appeared before the civil registrar.

5. Religious Records

A religious record may be submitted which does not meet the criteria in GN 00307.105A.2.d. but has wording similar to that in GN 00307.675A.4. , such as:

“Today on (date) the sacrament of baptism was administered to a baby girl/boy who was born on (date) and who was given the name (name) . Book (number). Section (number). ”

SSA assumes the record was established at the time of baptism if the certificate:

1. Is signed by the officiating priest; and

2. Is free of alterations or additions; and

3. Appears to be as old as purported; and

4. Bears the stamp/seal of the church involved.

NOTE: Except in very rare cases, the requirement in GN 00307.675B.5.a. limits this assumption to documents issued at or near the date of baptism.