Turning 60 and becoming a senior Filipino citizen offers you a lot of benefits. This includes discounts on food, medicines, entertainment, and tax incentives. But before you can enjoy all of these, you need to present valid proof of age.
To apply for a senior citizen ID, you need to show a document that proves your age, like a PSA birth certificate. However, there are circumstances in which your birth certificate can’t be found in PSA records. This is where a Certificate of No Record comes in.
What is a Certificate of No Record?
A Certificate of No Record, also known as Negative Certification, is an official document issued by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) proving that no record of your birth certificate is found in their civil registry database.
This is because it wasn’t been registered at the Local Civil Registry Office (LCRO). For instance, you were born before the 1940s when birth registrations were less consistent, or you were born in a remote province or home-birth setup.
A Certificate of No Record may be applied for other civil events such as marriage and death.
Why a Certificate of No Record is Needed for Senior Citizen Benefits?
On availing a government-mandated Senior Citizen Benefit, one of the requirements is that you must be able to prove your age. This is commonly done by presenting a PSA Birth Certificate. However, it might not have been registered in some circumstances, or your birth record doesn’t exist.
This is where a Certificate of No Record comes into place. This document validates that you’ve attempted to obtain a PSA Birth Certificate, but records can’t be found. It allows the Local Government Unit (LGU) or the Office of the Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA) to guide you in submitting alternative proof such as baptismal certificates, school records, or the most common one is filing late registration.
Filing of Late Registration of PSA Birth Certificate
Step 1: Request for a PSA Birth Certificate
If your record doesn’t exist upon your request of your PSA Birth certificate on any PSA branch or offices, a Certificate of No Record is issued.
Step 2: Filing Late Registration
After receiving your Certificate of No Record, you need to file for a Late Registration of Birth at your LCRO. Aside from the CNR, other requirements may be needed depending on your LCR. Prepare a photocopy of each document. Once registered, your LCRO will endorse your birth record to the PSA for encoding and issuance.
You may ask the LCRO for the timeline so you will be informed when you can request a PSA copy of your birth certificate.
Step 3: Obtain a Senior Citizen ID
To fully avail the benefits, you must apply and obtain a Senior Citizen ID. Visit the OSCA at your LGU and submit the necessary requirements, such as your PSA birth certificate or baptismal certificate, valid government-issued ID, and proof of residency.
The OSCA will review your application and issue a Senior Citizen ID if you qualify.
Sound Overwhelming? It doesn’t have to be!
Getting a Certificate of No Record, and going through late registration, can be time-consuming. If you need help in requesting documents from PSA or processing late registration through a representative, FileDocsPhil is here to assist you.
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