TN 31 (08-05)

A. Introduction

The FBUs have limited information about the availability of records in some areas.

B. Process - General

1. Initial Review of Request

If the FBU knows there are no records in an area for the year in which a birth was purportedly registered, it normally does not visit the area. It prepares an RC or other report to this effect and returns the request to the requesting office.

Otherwise, it takes action as explained in GN 00307.676B.2. and GN 00307.676B.3. or GN 00307.676C.

2. Examination of State Records

The FBU compares the certification with the records in the State registry office.

1. Certification Correct (or Discrepancies Seem to Be Immaterial)

   FBU reports the results of this verification to the requesting office. FBU reports the results of this verification to the requesting office.

2. No State Archives Record or It Differs Materially From Certification

   An FBU representative personally examines the local record on which the document was based.

   EXCEPTION: The local record is not examined if the State Archives record is a carbon copy of the original registration (e.g., a registration, generally after 1982, on the multi-copy registration form) and has no alterations or additions. In these cases, it is assumed that the local record contains the same information as the State Archives record.

3. Examination of Local Records

a. Certification Correct (or Discrepancies Seem to Be Immaterial)

FBU reports the results of the investigation to the requesting office.

b. Certification Not Supported by the Local Civil Record

FBU representative:

• Gets, or makes, a certification of the source record, where one exists;

• Searches existing records for the 3-year period before and the 3-year period after the purported date of birth where no source record exists.

• Searches for a record under the other DB's where the requesting office has furnished other DB's used by the claimant.

• Searches for a baptismal record if there is no civil record and the requesting office has furnished information about the existence of a baptismal record.

• Attempts to obtain a certification of the church record of the claimant's birth if the requesting office has not furnished this data but the location of a church record for the claimant's place of birth is known.

  NOTE: If the FBU report does not show this was done, assume the church is either unknown, or that it was not open at the time of the FBU representative's visit.

• Questions the official who purportedly issued the certification about the erroneous certification if he is still in office.

  NOTE: If this was not done, assume the official is no longer in office.

• Contacts the claimant to obtain an explanation, over the claimant’s signature, of the irregularity and secures any additional evidence of age which the claimant may have — if the claimant who submitted a false birth certificate is residing in Mexico at an address which is know to the investigator.

• Sends an RC or other report describing the above action to the requesting office, together with the copy of the erroneous certification and any other documents obtained.

C. Process - Hard-To-Reach Areas

If the local civil registry is in an area which is hard to reach either because of the remoteness of the area or the expense and/or difficulties involved in reaching it, the FBU:

• Checks the records at the State Archives and takes action as explained in
  GN 00307.676B.2.a. if the certification is correct.

• Contacts the local civil registry (by phone or mail), if there is no record at the State Archives or that record differs materially from the certification, to ascertain what the local records show and why, if appropriate, those records differ with the one in the State Archives.

  NOTE: The FBU does not provide the registrar with all the information from the certificate. It identifies the book, page and entry number and asks what information is shown for that entry.

• Assumes there is no record at the local level, or that the local record agrees with that at the State Archives, if the local official fails to respond after a minimum of two FBU requests.

• Contacts the claimant and explains the results of the investigation if the claimant who submitted the false certification resides in Mexico at an address known to the FBU. Secures any other evidence of age he may have.

• Sends an RC or other report of these actions to the requesting office. Includes an extract of the State record if the State Archives record differs materially with that submitted.