So I got the form to change it, but do I even need it? Can I just send in the court order? Should I fill out the form and send a court order along with it?
The form clearly states that it is for corrections only and a court order is for completely changing it so I am left very confused. I have found no help from legal sites.
Anything helpful to you in here?
https://www.susans.org/wiki/Changing_sex_on_birth_certificates_in_the_US
Hugs, Devlyn
You can always call vital statistics department and find out. That's what I did when I had to change my Alaskan one. But then when I changed my name in NC, they sent a copy of it to my birth state automatically, so there wasn't much involved other than going online to fill out a little form to prove I am me and needed it changed and pay by card. The girl at their office said they already had the notification of name change, so I didn't have to send them that.
Thank you both.
Devlyn, that answers my question exactly. Thank you for that.
Thanks belong to the Wiki Staff for putting the information in one spot for us!
Hugs, Devlyn
For all California changes the guide from the transgender law center is the best
http://transgenderlawcenter.org/issues/id/id-please (http://transgenderlawcenter.org/issues/id/id-please)
If you do a court order name AND gender change at the same time, a new birth certificate will automatically be created. If you do them separate, then you have to apply for it. Both cases are very well documented in the link above.
Hiya Mr. Wolf.
For what it's worth, I'd like to suggest that you bring a measure of patients to the process. Things may have changed at the vital statistics office in Sacramento since I changed my birth certificate in 1999, but I can tell you that I found that office to be under staffed, disorganized, and unresponsive.
Even though I did everything right with forms and court orders and payments, my paperwork kept getting lost, misfiled, misdirected and generally passed around. The whole process took 2 years and I had to file twice because my first request was lost. (Eventually the paperwork for my first filing was returned to me for insufficient payment because the fee had increased in the year-and-a-half between when the request was lost and then later found.)
If your experience is anything like mine was, the best I can recommend is to keep detailed notes of what you mailed, when you mailed it, dates and times that you called, who you talked to, what was said, etc. I found that it helped mitigate the frustration factor in subsequent calls when I could name names and drop dates with details about what I was told.
It could be that the vital statistics office in Sacramento was just beginning to figure out how to support the needs of transsexuals in 1999, and perhaps they have systems and processes in place today that streamline the effort. But if your process is anything like mine was, do be patient. Eventually they get it right, and when you get that corrected birth certificate in the mail, well, then it's all worth it.
Best of luck!
Miharu
Quote from: jessical on April 02, 2015, 12:50:58 PM
For all California changes the guide from the transgender law center is the best
http://transgenderlawcenter.org/issues/id/id-please (http://transgenderlawcenter.org/issues/id/id-please)
If you do a court order name AND gender change at the same time, a new birth certificate will automatically be created. If you do them separate, then you have to apply for it. Both cases are very well documented in the link above.
You might want to add a note that the link is a pdf file. As one of the site's prolific phone posters, I can tell you that not all devices can read pdf files. The Wiki here is plain text and accessible to everyone no matter what they're using.
Hugs, Devlyn
I'm going to be doing this in a few weeks (California out of state birth certificate change). Does anyone happen to know if I have to send the original physician's affidavit? The directions don't explicitly say, but they do say that they won't send it back so I am wondering if a photocopy will suffice.
Quote from: DrummerGirl on April 02, 2015, 01:38:00 PM
I'm going to be doing this in a few weeks (California out of state birth certificate change). Does anyone happen to know if I have to send the original physician's affidavit? The directions don't explicitly say, but they do say that they won't send it back so I am wondering if a photocopy will suffice.
For me in 1999, all that was required was a court ordered name/gender change. I did not send anything from the doctor's office; the court order was sufficient. (A letter from the doctor was, however, required in order to obtain the court order.)
Requirements may be different today.
My understand is you need to send an original physician's affidavit. But this assumes that you have not done the combined name and gender change first.
Below is the checklist from the transgender law center document, for updating your birth certificate.
"Gender Marker Change Only or Name and Gender Marker Change
-Complete an original VS-24
-A physician's affidavit stating you have had appropriate clinical treatment
-Notarized sworn statement (if requesting gender marker change only)
-Certified copy of your court-ordered name change (if requesting name
change)
-Mail documents along with payment
-Copy of original California birth certificate (if you have it)"
Quote from: jessical on April 02, 2015, 02:55:48 PM
My understand is you need to send an original physician's affidavit. But this assumes that you have not done the combined name and gender change first.
Thank you for this. I wasn't sure because the other documents were explicit in stating originals or certified copies, while there is no indication that the doctor's letter needs to be original. The only reason I ask is that that the doctor's office only gave me one original and it looks like I may need to send an original for the birth certificate and another for my passport. Or maybe I'm misunderstanding how others go about this process. I'll see about getting another original from my doctor's office, but I was trying to avoid it because I hate dealing with the office manager there. :)
Quote from: DrummerGirl on April 02, 2015, 03:14:21 PM
Thank you for this. I wasn't sure because the other documents were explicit in stating originals or certified copies, while there is no indication that the doctor's letter needs to be original. The only reason I ask is that that the doctor's office only gave me one original and it looks like I may need to send an original for the birth certificate and another for my passport. Or maybe I'm misunderstanding how others go about this process. I'll see about getting another original from my doctor's office, but I was trying to avoid it because I hate dealing with the office manager there. :)
I have already used three original letters. Ask for a few a once.