Getting your Birth Certificate at NSO Census Serbilis Center

Edit: NSO is now PSA and I heard they moved to Sta. Mesa already. So I'm not sure if you can still find Serbilis Centers and if the processes here still apply. If someone has read this blog recently and went to PSA Serbilis Center, let me know if the info here are still correct. Thanks! (Zeng 11/09/2017)

This post is going to be a comprehensive one about how to get NSO-certified birth certificates and other documents at the NSO Serbilis Center at East Avenue, Quezon City (in front of SSS East Avenue). I am not sure if the steps are the same for all Serbilis Centers but I'd like to believe they are, so you can also consult this post if you plan to visit the other branches. I will be including some tips, which I call Life Hacks since they make our lives more efficient. :)

I was adamant to get my birth certs from NSO directly than ordering them online because 1) it is impractical if you will get multiple copies from an online agent since the fee is too costly and 2) you have to wait atleast 2 days, that's excluding any inconvenience caused by the courier. I wanted to get mine on the same day of my request and I didn't want to spend more than a thousand pesos for 3 copies which I can get for just less than 500 pesos. Kuripot much? Hehe.


I prepared myself for one agonizing trip to NSO. I read from other blog posts that it's hot there and the wait will make your irises turn white. They were (partially) wrong. When we got there at around 8:30am, yes, the line was long but it was moving. So the wait wasn't annoying. And the service center, albeit without airconditioners, was cool and comfortable during our visit (not sure if it's the same every day of the year).

One of the waiting areas at NSO East Ave.

Step-by-step guide to getting your birth certificate:

1. Fall in line to get your service number and application form (Area 1). 

 
A                                                                    B

2. Fill-up your forms. Completely. Read everything carefully. There are crucial areas like Mother's MAIDEN Name which means you put your mom's full name before she got married. If you are requesting documents for other people, make sure you have their full name, complete parents' names including the parents' middles names, birthdays, birthplace (exact province name needed 'cos they countercheck the code on a particular table/matrix), etc. 

Side story: There was one nanay requesting for her daughter's birth cert. She indicated San Jorge as the daughter's birthplace but the assessor wasn't familiar about the place. It took them more than 15 minutes to locate the correct province code; we were behind the Nanay. Gahd!

Assessor: "Ma'am saan ba kasi 'yan: Eastern Samar, Western Samar, Northern Samar? Marami kasing bayan ang Samar; hindi nyo po ba alam kung saan banda 'yan?"

It was a gruelling scene. Anyway, that's just an example. You should know the city/municipality name and the province. See my tip below about accomplishing the form at home.


3. Wait for your number to flash on the Assessment Area Number Display Board (Area 2). Once your number is within the range flashed on the screen, fall in line and get your form assessed.


4. After assessment, wait for your number to flash again on the Payment Area Number Display Board (Area 3). Once your number is within the range flashed on the screen, fall in line and pay.


5. After payment, check the release time and window number on your claim stub (release date depends on the kind of document you requested so just check the date they stamped on the claim stub). If the releasing is on the same day, tambay ka na lang muna sa fast food resto sa labas. Hehe.



NSO Serbilis Center Life Hacks
(Aka tips to make your visit easier and breezier)

1. NSO Service Centers are open only from 7AM til 4PM Mon-Fri. So manage your time well. If you want to get your birth certificate on the same day, be there early in the morning so you can claim it before lunch. There's a chance that if you get to the center in the afternoon, you can only claim your document the following day. Hassle kung babalik ka pa! Sayang pamasahe.


2. If you have issues regarding your birth cert (spelling problems, typographical errors etc.), call VerifiedPH first. They'll gladly assist you. Numbers are +632-7051277, +632-7051265


3. If you will only get 1 copy and/or coming from a faraway land and/or just too tamad to commute, fall in line and wait, then order your document online. This will spare you from all the hassle.


4. What to bring:
  • Black pen
  • Your valid ID
  • If you're requesting for other persons who are not your immediate family, authorization letter and their ID
  • Document fee = P140.00 (Birth, Marriage, Death) or P195.00 (Certificate of No Marriage Record)
  • Fan/pamaypay (optional)
5. To save time and if you have a printer at home, you can download the application forms from this link and fill it up before going to the Serbilis Center. Click here to get the downloadable forms.

6. For more information, just visit NSO's official website. All details are in there. Just read carefully and understand.

There. I think that's all for now. I honestly believe I forgot to share some important points but I'll post them as soon as I remember. Haha. It took us less than an hour to finish Steps 1 to 3. We just had to wait for a couple of hours because the releasing was scheduled at 11am. The releasing was just easy. Don't be afraid to ask the extremely nice and accommodating guards at NSO Serbilis Center. :) 

Thanks for reading and if you have questions, feel free to leave a comment below. Good luck!



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35 comments

  1. no dull moment while reading this. very informative. thank you :)

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  2. This has helped me a lot. Thank you for all the necessary information! Im so happy to have landed on this post. Ngayon kasi naman ako kukuha dun ng certificates and your tips are very well appreciated. And very well entertaining too!

    Thanks for the review! And hey! Pinakahappy ako sa senior citizen, pregnant women, pwd special line. No need to wait! Preggy kasi ako. :)

    Rona Chen
    www.ronareviews.com

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  3. Hi. Thank you for sharing your experience :) I was thinking if I can get a copy of my parents marriage certificate they are both in Japan. I only have my mother's SSS ID when she was not married and a photocopy of her passport. Will they allow me to get the document?. Thank you in advance.

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    1. Hi! I think you need both IDs of your parents. To be sure, just call NSO at their numbers in their website https://www.ecensus.com.ph/Secure/SerbilisLocator.aspx

      Let me know how it goes so I can update my post too :)

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  4. hi..pano po kung anak ko ang kukuhaan ko ng nso lb?? kelangan pa ba ng dati nyang birthcert ung sa civil reg?? o kahit wala na.. wala p namng id un ksi mga baby pa ^_^

    or okay na kahit wala kahit ano id ko lang??

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    Replies
    1. Hi! Sa pagkakaalam ko, kapag anak na minor pa, ID lang ng parent ang kailangan. Better call NSO first to verify. Pero kasi si Papa kinukuhanan din kami dati ng birthcert pero di naman na nya kailangan ng ID namin. :)

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  5. very informative! i guess coming there 6AM is just right, right? i dont want to waste my time waiting for the center to open for too long.. hopefully i can get my copy before lunch time.

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    Replies
    1. yeah 6am i think is ok. better if you go there mid-week, say tuesday or thursday so there would be a lower chance for a long line. :)

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  6. Thank you for sharing this post..

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    Replies
    1. you're very much welcome. happy to be of help. :)

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  7. Do you think it's the same in other centers?

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    Replies
    1. I think so, yeah. Because I believe they've automated the processes and it would be the same on all other centers using the same machine. So probably, yes.

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  8. Very helpful! I'm planning to get birth certificates, marriage and cenomar. Online is convenient but quite expensive for 6 documents so would go to serbilis center in Muntinlupa instead. Thank you for sharing.

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  9. Hi im going to get my revised certificate after my name was changed. my parents were not married but my dad want me to use his last name. do the ame procedures apply? and do i need a legal adult with me? thanks

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    Replies
    1. Hi! You need to call the NSO Help Hotline for this query. Sorry I can't help!

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  10. Hi po taga cebu po kasi ako anu ba ang kaibahan ng marriage cert dto sa cebu nso at marriage cert sa nso main??

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  11. thanks you po.. nice blog.. ang saya mo mag sulat.hehe.. hindi nakaka tamad basahin.. good Job.. thanks a lot. mwuah..

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  12. Hi, check ko lang po if kukuha ako ng cenomar is it the same day ang release po? thanks!

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  13. Thanks for this post, really helpful. :)

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  14. Hi is it possible for me name Makuha q ang birth certificate copy q kahit sabin ng doctor sa clinic name nasunog ang files nla from year 1981 to 1990" please help me nman
    I really needed ur help.

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    Replies
    1. Hi! Please call the right agency na lang. Sila makakasagot nyan. I only blogged about my experience getting documents from NSO. I do not work there. So please call them na lang po para maaddress nang tama ang question nyo. Thanks!

      Contact numbers ng PSA

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  15. I hope the NSO helpline online is reliable. i just made transactions a while ago. hope the 2-3 working days is real. i read the 2 days took them 2 weeks. T_T need to get my BC latest wednesday next week. haha. exactly 3 working days. :) thanks for this info. :)

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  16. I just want to share bka me mka sagot, paano kaya aq mkakakuha ng death cert ng papa ko if i dont know when and where cya namatay?

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    Replies
    1. I think you have to call PSA first to see if a death record has been filed. Walang lalabas if di sya nafile. So contact them first. Contacts numbers here: https://psa.gov.ph/sites/default/files/kmcd/hotline%20fb%20standard%20size.png

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  17. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  18. .,may nka confirm na ba na nalipat na ung nso sa manila? Wala n tlga sa east ave? Badly needed answer to this inquiry. Tnx by the way for this post, very informative.

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    1. Hi Shiera! Yes, transferred na sa Sta. Mesa ang PSA. Wala na sa East Ave. Confirmed by my husband. Doon nya kinuha 'yung marriage cert namin.

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    2. Hello, mabilis po ba makakuha ng NSO birth and marriage cert..Im getting one for the whole family :/

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