Baptismal Question

[Peter Lee]

HI There,

Well I promised my wife I would ask my advisors about if she needs her baptismal record from her church for the Interview. If she does it is not easy for her to get as there is a long bus ride to Kibawe her birth place.  I heard that the women who have and show their baptismal papers are less subjected to get a CENOMAR background check. Any ideas?
Later
Peter Lee

[Ray]

... in response to Baptismal Question, posted by Peter Lee on Feb 6, 2004

Peter,

I don’t think having a baptismal cert has anything to do with a CENOMAR or marriage index check.

The baptismal certificate is the preferred secondary evidence of identity to the birth certificate. If there is any question about the validity of the any information contained in the birth record such as date of birth, parentage, legal name, etc., then they may ask for a recently issued official baptismal certificate. If the birth was late-registered some years after the claimed date of birth, then they may ask to see the baptismal cert. to verify the birth data. Occasionally, they will even ask for a photograph of the church registry book cover and the page which contains the baptismal record.

I recommend that she have one with her at the interview just to be safe, but it’s not required and only occasionally asked for. If she uses her imagination, I’m sure she can find a way to get a copy without traveling all the way there in person.

Ray