Obtain a Copy of Your Birth Certificate in New Mexico

A birth certificate is a government record of a person's birth, and can be used to establish a person's age and citizenship. You may have lost your original birth certificate, or you might want an extra copy. Each state has its own process for ordering a certified copy of a birth certificate. You can order your birth certificate from the state in which you were born. In New Mexico, birth certificates are available from the state's Vital Records Office.

Steps

Ordering a Copy of a Birth Certificate Online

  1. Go to VitalChek.com. VitalChek is an independent company partnered with the New Mexico Department of Health for the purpose of providing access to records.[1] You can also order other types of government records from different states through VitalChek.
  2. Click "Start Your Order." This link will take you to VitalChek's online order form.
  3. Follow the menu prompt. You will be required to type answers and select options from drop-down menus. As you proceed through each page, the prompt will ask:
    • "Whose birth certificate are you ordering?"
    • "What state was [name] born in?"
    • "What city was [name] born in?"
    • "What is [name's] date of birth?"
    • "What will you be using this certificate for?"
    • Mother's full maiden name
    • Father's full name
  4. Pay the fee. You will be asked to enter your credit card information. Of the three methods available for ordering your birth certificate, ordering online is the most expensive. Ordering by mail or in person costs $10.00, but VitalChek charges $26.00 plus shipping for online orders.[1][2] The total fees include:
    • A $10.00 copy fee to the New Mexico Department of Health
    • A $16.00 processing fee to VitalChek
    • Shipping charges
    • An optional fee of $10.00 for each additional copy of your birth certificate

Ordering a Copy of a Birth Certificate By Mail

  1. Write your birth certificate request. Download, fill out, and print this form in English or in Spanish; or write a letter with the following information:
    • Birth name of the person named on the certificate
    • Date of birth of the named person
    • City of birth (include the county, if known) of the named person
    • Mother of the named person's full maiden name
    • Father of the named person's full name
    • Relationship of the person requesting the certificate to the named person
    • Purpose for which the certificate is requested
    • Your name and signature
    • Your mailing address (if your mailing address is a P.O. box, include a physical street address as well)[1]
  2. Include a $10.00 payment. Make out a check or money order payable to "New Mexico Vital Records."
    • The office will not accept cash by mail.[1]
  3. Mail your request with your check or money order. Address the envelope to:
    • New Mexico Vital Records, P.O. Box 26110, Santa Fe, NM 87502[1]
    • Your request should be processed in three to four weeks[3]

Obtaining a Copy of a Birth Certificate in Person

  1. Go to the Santa Fe or Albuquerque State Office. A clerk will assist you at the service counter Monday through Friday. Note that each office has different hours of operation.
    • Santa Fe State Office
      • 1105 South Francis Drive, Santa Fe, NM 87505
      • Telephone: (505) 827-0121
      • Hours: 8:30am to 4:00pm
    • Albuquerque Stanford Public Health Office
      • 2400 Wellesley Drive NE, Albuquerque, NM 87106
      • Telephone: (505) 841-4185
      • Hours: 9:00am to 11:50am, and 1:00pm to 3:50pm[1]
  2. Complete the application form. Blank application forms are available at the office, or you can print and fill out your application form in advance.
  3. Present a government-issued photo identification. Access to birth certificates is limited to the person named on the certificate, immediate family members of that person, and other persons with a legal interest in the birth certificate. The clerk will need to verify your identify and your right to access the certificate before producing a copy for you.[1]
  4. Pay the fee. The charge is $10.00 per certificate.[1]

Tips

  • A certified birth certificate is usually required when you obtain a passport, enter school, obtain licenses, enter a sports league, qualify for a pension and Social Security, claim life insurance, settle an estate, obtain a work permit, or enter military service. It can also be used to prove citizenship or trace family history.[4]
  • You can verify the current fees by calling the New Mexico Vital Records Office at (866) 534-0051.[5]

Warnings

  • A birth certificate is a restricted-access document. It may only be issued to immediate family members or to others with a genuine legal interest.[1]
  • An "immediate family member" is a mother, father, sibling, child, grandchild, current spouse, or grandparent. Father and paternal grandparent are only considered to be immediate family members if the father is listed on the birth record.[6]
  • Non-immediate family will be required to provide proof of a legal interest in the birth certificate.[6]

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 http://nmhealth.org/about/erd/bvrhs/vrp/birth/
  2. ↑ https://www.vitalchek.com/order_main.aspx?eventtype=birth#
  3. ↑ https://donaanacounty.org/clerk/certificate_es
  4. ↑ this form in English
  5. ↑ http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/w2w/new_mexico.htm
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 http://nmhealth.org/publication/view/form/607/
Retrieved from "https://kipkis.com/index.php?title=Obtain_a_Copy_of_Your_Birth_Certificate_in_New_Mexico&oldid=306041"