Sunday, August 4, 2013

DC Free Public Records Search

By Christopher Evans


Gathering vital documents in Washington DC requires you to follow certain procedures before access to District of Columbia public records is granted. There are policies put in place to ensure the integrity of the information contained in each of these files. To get a certified copy of a particular public document, the requester must meet the requirements necessary to acquire the reports. Just like in any of the fifty states, the District of Columbia treats birth certificates, death reports, marriage licenses, and divorce decrees with a great deal of consideration and attention. As mandated by the Freedom of Information Act, any member of the public has the right to acquire such documents, but to protect the well being of each citizen, proper procedures must be observed.

If you wish to acquire a copy of your birth certificate or a family member's death report, for instance, the Vital Records Division in Washington DC has the capacity to disseminate these kinds of documents to the general public. Under the authority of the District of Columbia's Department of Health, the Vital Records Division houses records of birth and death since August of 1874. Birth certificates only become open to the public 100 years after the listed date of birth, while 50 years is the allotted time for death certificates before they can be accessed by any individual. Only the next of kin can obtain copies of the documents at any given time.

To be eligible to acquire a certified copy of a birth or death certificate, you will need to fill out the correct request form and submit it at the appropriate office. The application form can be picked up in person at the Vital Records Division office. Or, you can download the form in PDF format at the official website of the District of Columbia Department of Health. In the homepage of the website, you will find the Vital Records portal, which will direct you to a page containing the download link, along with other important information regarding the current fees and the record acquisition process.

For marriage records and divorce decrees, the procedures and requirements involved may by slightly different, not to mention the source. For these public documents, the DC Superior Court is the ultimate entity that handles the storage, maintenance, and dissemination of all marital documentations in the District of Columbia. Requests are accepted at the district court offices, which is also where you will get the request forms to fill out. If you have no time to visit the office in person, you can also download the form in the DC Courts website. Additionally, if you and your partner are planning to get married, this is where you can obtain a marriage license as well.

There is, however, an alternative source of vital documents that is much more convenient and practical, especially for those performing background checks. If you are running a public records search online, there are several data retrieval websites that cater to your specific needs. All it requires is a one-time membership fee and you are free to do as many record searches as you want. With an extensive database of vital records, from Alabama to Wyoming, including the District of Columbia and the nation's territories from Guam to the Virgin Islands, you will never have to visit multiple websites or contact a variety of offices and entities to gather the information you need.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment