Reports of Birth, Death, Divorce and Marriage

Where can I obtain a copy of a Bolivian birth, death, divorce or marriage report?

You can obtain a copy of these reports in the Corte Electoral Departmental in any of the main cities of Bolivia. This needs to be done personally or by a person holding a specific power of attorney for this purpose.

Where can I obtain a copy of a U.S. birth, death, divorce or marriage report?

The National Vital Statistics System is responsible for the Nation's official vital statistics. These vital statistics are provided through state-operated registration systems. The registration of births, deaths, marriages, divorces, and fetal deaths within the U.S. is a State function.

For information on how to obtain copies of vital events you can contact
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss.htm

Where can I obtain a copy of a Consular Report?

Consular Report of Birth Abroad
A Consular Report of Birth Abroad is a document issued by an American embassy or consulate reflecting the facts of a birth abroad of a child acquiring U.S. citizenship at birth through one or both parents. This record, also known as an FS-240, along with the Certification of Birth, DS-1350, are acceptable as proof of birth and U.S. citizenship for all legal purposes.

Report of the Death of an American Citizen
A Report of the Death of an American Citizen is a document issued by an American embassy or consulate reflecting the facts of a death abroad of an American citizen. The document is based upon the local death certificate.

Certificate of Witness to Marriage
A Certificate of Witness to Marriage is a document issued by an American embassy or consulate reflecting the facts of a marriage abroad in which at least one party is an American Citizen. A Consular Officer must have attended the ceremony. This accommodation was discontinued in 1987.

Instructions
Submit a signed, written request including all pertinent facts of the occasion along with requester's return address and telephone number. Only the subject, parent, or legal guardian may request a birth record. If the request is for an FS-240, the original FS-240 or a notarized affidavit attesting to its disposition must be included with the request. If a birth record is to be amended or corrected, appropriate certified documents supporting the request must be included.

The request must be notarized by a Consular Officer or Consular Agent.
The request must include a copy of a valid photo identification of the requester (driver's license, passport, etc.), even if the requester is not an American Citizen.

Where to Write
U.S. Department of State
Passport Services
Vital Records Section
1111 19th St., NW, Suite 510
Washington, D.C. 20524

Cost
$30.00 for one copy FS-240.
$30.00 for first copy and $20.00 for each additional copy for DS-1350, Report of Death, Certificate of Witness to Marriage.

Turnaround Time
Unlike passport agencies, which receive all of the documentation needed from the applicant, most consular vital records must be retrieved from off site repositories, including the National Archives. Since the time required to retrieve these records varies significantly based upon the type of record and date of occurrence, it is impossible to give a definite turnaround time. However, most cases can be completed between four and eight weeks.

Expedited Service
Overnight delivery can save about ten days processing time, but there is no way to reduce the retrieval time. Overnight return via Federal Express is available for an additional $10.00 or the requester may provide a pre-paid air bill for the carrier of choice.

Additional Information
The Vital Records Section can be reached at (202) 955-0307. A clerk or caseworker will be pleased to assist you.