How to Get Birth Certificate in PSA - Walk In

While it seems more convenient to request for a copy of your birth certificate online (and safer too due to COVID-19), it may not be the best option if you need to secure a copy the soonest time possible. Hence, going to an actual Philippine Statistics Office (PSA) branch in person is the ideal way. This guide shares how to get a birth certificate in PSA - walk in. 

PSA Offices in the Philippines

First, find out which branch you can go visit. 

There are the official branches per region based on PSA official website's directory. See https://psa.gov.ph/directory

Field Offices per region are listed on the left menu of their website. Just be a little patient. It can be slow at times, specially during high Internet traffic hours. 

PSA Serbilis Centers

Apart from the main branches, there are also satellite offices, or the Census Serbilis Centers. Visit https://psa.gov.ph/serbilis-map for the list. 

Zoom in on the map to find one that's close to your location. You'll notice how the map looks like the Philippine group of islands at one point. Just click on a location pin to see more details such as the center's address and phone numbers. See sample below for details:

PSA Office Near Me 

Another way to find an office is to simply use a search engine (in this case, Google) and type in "psa office near me" or "psa serbilis centers near me," then click on Maps so the search results will only map information.

PSA Offices versus Serbilis Centers

Note that the official offices are not the same as the Serbilis Centers. We can consider the latter as satellite branches so some services may not be available there. 

Some Serbilis branches are located within malls, so the waiting area is conveniently air-conditioned. Most official branches on the other hand, have waiting areas outside the office. So the weather can be against you. But you can at least roam around and come back later when it's almost your turn based on the assigned queue number. 

PSA Hours of Operation

Once you’ve selected an office, next, know what hours they open. In most cases, we can assume they start at business hours, 8:00 AM. Those located inside malls, on the other hand, may open during mall hours. Better confirm before you go. 

We went to a mall-based Serbilis Center. We actually arrived right before the mall opened. But there were already about 20 something number of people waiting in a designated area outside the actual office. Sadly, that waiting area was in the event center which is located at the ground floor while the PSA office was in the fourth floor. 😜So it may help to arrive earlier than the expected opening time to be served first. 

COVID-19 Limitations

But due to the ongoing pandemic, PSA will not be able to accommodate everyone who walks in within the hours of operation. 

There is a specific number of individuals they can serve per day or they can impose a cutoff time. So be sure to come early as it’s a first come, first served basis. 

Right before lunch hour, as we were inching closer to the front, I saw several people approach the information desk. One by one they were turned away and we're told to come early and try again the following day. There was even one guy who tried to ask for consideration because he came all the way from the south (outside Metro Manila, possibly Cavite). But no, he was turned down too. I believe there were some who were given priority numbers which they can use the for next day though. 

I’m not sure about senior citizens but believe I saw several elderly individuals (there was even one who looks like 65+ years old from the way she looks), entertained at the office when we were finally upstairs. I assume they weren’t required to wait in line like we did. 

Fill out the form. 

At the branch we went to, the forms were distributed on the waiting area. Since time is crucial, the guard on duty advised us to head over the seats right away and answer the forms while seated. Forms include the certificate request as well as COVID-19 contact tracing. 

The waiting time isn't part of the process but better be prepared for it so you don't get bored. We were seated in the waiting area for more than three hours! A book to read or a fully charged cellphone may help keep you busy. There were at least fast food restaurants nearby so we can leave our seats, leaving the form behind as a seat marker (or entrust it to the next person seated) while away for a meal. 

Health protocols were still followed during the wait. Chairs were at least a meter apart and we were always reminded to keep the face mask and face shields on at all times. 

Pay for the certificates. 

When the wait is finally done and you're ushered inside the actual office, go straight to the section for payments. 

In some Serbilis centers, there are additional fees apart from the actual certificates, such as those which are collected by the local government unit (LGU). You can always ask the office employees to confirm if there are any. This will save you the trouble of going back and forth between two cashiers because you'd be asked to go back to other LGU cashier section first before heading over to the actual PSA cashier. 

While paying, you will need to present a valid ID for verification. In case you are requesting certificates for someone else, an authorization signed by the requesting party and the photocopies of their ID may be needed. 

PSA Fees

Fees for the actual certificates are as follows**:

Php 155 - Issued copy or authentication of Birth Certificate, Marriage Certificate and Death Certificate

Php 210 - CENOMAR or Certificate of No Marriage 

Possible additional fees include those collected by a local government unit where the PSA Serbilis Center is located and photocopies. 

*Fees may change without prior notice. You may verify with PSA website for updated information. 

Wait for releasing. 

The certificates are released after a few minutes so you can remain seated at the waiting area. Names are called in batches so listen attentively whenever an officer starts announcing names as yours might be called. However, certificates which need to be manually searched may take longer to issue, especially for those who have been born before 1940, when copies were not yet digitized. 

It will also help the PSA officer in attendance if you take note of the BReN or Birth Reference Number. You’ll find it at the lower part of the certificate (right above the long serial number) if you already have a copy from a previous request. 

PSA Online

In contrast, requesting for PSA certificates online may be convenient as you need not go outside, but it won’t be released on the same day as compared with acquiring a copy through a PSA office. Online requests will be delivered via courier within 3-4 business days in Metro Manila and 7-8 days for provincial locations. But it could take longer for those with issues. I know one person who was told to fly to his birth province to acquire a locally issued certificate because there is no readable copy for PSA to issue. 

The COVID-19 pandemic may also delay deliveries. So this is not the best option if you need the certificate/s immediately. 

If you still opt to order a PSA certificate through the web, you can do so through their website. Visit https://psahelpline.ph/

Notes

Office locations, fees and other information may change without prior notice. Please refer to the official PSA website for verification. You may also leave a comment below for corrections.