Birth Certificate/PSA

Hello: Thank you for your message. I understand how stressful this can be, especially when you are processing documents for work abroad and time is critical. Presuming this concerns a birth certificate issued in the Philippines, here is the general guidance. If the error is that your parents' middle name appears only as a middle initial instead of the full middle name, this is usually considered a clerical or typographical error. Under Republic Act No. 9048, as amended by Republic Act No. 10172, clerical errors in the civil registry may be corrected administratively without going to court. Here is the process in general terms: a) You need to file a Petition for Correction of Clerical Error under RA 9048 before the Local Civil Registrar of the city or municipality where your birth was registered. If you are currently residing elsewhere, you may also file it with the Local Civil Registrar of your present residence, but it will still be endorsed to your place of birth. b) You will submit the following: your PSA birth certificate copy, your parents' PSA birth certificates or marriage certificate to show the correct middle name, your valid IDs, and other supporting documents such as school records, baptismal certificate, and government IDs where the full middle name is consistently reflected. c) You will fill out a verified petition form, which must be notarized, and pay the required filing fees. As to the cost, the usual government filing fee for clerical error correction is around Php 1,000 to Php 3,000 depending on the Local Civil Registrar. There are also publication costs, usually around Php 1,000 to Php 3,000 more, because the petition must be published once a week for two consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation. Total government expenses may range around Php 3,000 to Php 8,000. This excludes professional fees if you hire a lawyer. As to timeline, even if you want to rush it, administrative correction typically takes around 2 to 4 months because of the publication and evaluation process. Some local civil registrars are faster, but it still depends on their workload and PSA processing time. Since you mentioned you want to avoid going back and forth to City Hall, I suggest: a) Call the Local Civil Registrar first and ask for a checklist of requirements and exact fees. b) Prepare complete supporting documents before filing. c) Ask if they allow authorization through a Special Power of Attorney so someone else can follow up on your behalf. We at Recososa Law Firm handle correction of entries and civil registry petitions. I am the Owner and Managing Partner of Recososa Law Firm, and we have offices in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. We can assist you from preparation up to follow up with the Civil Registrar and PSA. We can schedule an initial consultation via Google Meet or Zoom, or physical consultation at our office. Sincerely, ATTY. JOFRE B. RECOSOSA, Owner/Managing Partner, Recososa Law Firm.