The Department of Education (DepEd) requires the submission of a PSA-stamped birth certificate. PSA, formerly NSO (National Statistics Office), stands for Philippine Statistics Authority.

Schools like Joyland Playschool Childcare and Learning Center need this when registering the student for his or her LRN or the Learner Reference Number.

LRN is the 12-digit number DepEd assigns to a student enrolled in the Philippines’ primary education system as his or her unique and permanent identifier. This is part of the initiative to issue a national student identification number to each student—one student, one LRN.

Schools generate the LRN after inputting the student’s information in DepEd’s database. At times, the LRN is indicated in the student’s report card.

Also, the students are expected to use LRN until college (or beyond).

You may learn more about this system in this article in Teacher PH.

Moving on, our directress at Joyland required parents to submit the PSA birth certificate by September 30. I only have exactly two weeks to acquire Adele’s birth certificate. I was thinking …

Where can I get my PSA birth certificate?

I asked around. There’s a PSA branch in Antipolo (Rizal Provincial Statistical Office), but my mother said that the issuance of certificates is beyond its jurisdiction. That’s my supposed first option.

My second option was asking through Facebook groups that I am a member of. I previously saw someone post about providing assistance. I searched for her name and asked how much it would be. A single copy costs Php660 for one to two weeks of processing. Expensive!

On to my third option—PSA Serbilis!

What is PSA Serbilis?

PSA Serbilis is PSA’s online facility where Filipinos may request copy issuance of their civil registry records, including birth, marriage (and no marriage certification or CENOMAR), and death certificates.

PSA Serbilis also forms part of the Civil Registry System IT (CRS-IT) Project. It is a 12-year long, multi-phase computerization project of the PSA’s civil registry operations, involving converting millions of documents into digital format.

Through this, the Authority streamline its process and service capability.

The agency partners with Unisys Philippines.

How long does it take to get a PSA birth certificate?

The next question is how fast will the PSA Serbilis delivery be. Based on its website, it takes three weeks to process requests and delivery within Metro Manila and Luzon and four weeks for Visayas and Mindanao. This is to accommodate delays caused by the pandemic in certain areas.

I received my daughter’s birth certificate in just one week. I filled out the PSA online form on September 16 and received the copy via 2GO Express on September 23. The delivery can be earlier than the published timeframe.

Also, for those asking whether the PSA birth certificate is the same as the NSO certificate, they are technically the same. However, some entities like schools are now requiring PSA copies.

Things to remember when obtaining a birth certificate from PSA Serbilis

• You must be the owner or a duly authorized representative
• If getting the cert for a minor, you must be the parent, guardian, or institution legally in charge of the child
• If the person is already dead, you must be the nearest kin
• If you cannot receive the document by yourself, you must authorize a representative who must present
  • The signed authorization letter
  • Your valid ID (not sure if a copy would do)
  • A valid ID of the authorized representative
• You cannot cancel the request nor request for a refund

FAQs about getting a birth certificate through PSA Serbilis

How do I order a PSA online?

There are three major steps when ordering a PSA birth certificate online:

1) Fill out the online application form

You will be asked to provide your name, delivery address including zip code, telephone number, and valid email address where the system can send updates.

For the birth certificate request, you should prepare the following:

• Name or maiden name if married
• Gender
• Date of birth
• Place of birth
• Father’s name
• Mother’s maiden name
• Purpose of request
• Relationship to the birth certificate owner
• Date of registration for late registree

You will be asked to indicate the number of copies you are requesting.

You will receive an acknowledgment email that your online application is already submitted. The email contains the reference number, delivery information, request summary, and payment and delivery instructions.

Wait for the email first before proceeding with payment. I got confused at first, requesting my birth certificate instead of Adele’s. So I had to go through the entire process again.

2) Pay through accredited payment channels

You may pay online via credit card directly through the website, BDO online banking, and Union Bank online banking. You may also pay over the counter through any Bayad Center outlet.

Once you are on the acknowledgment page, you will be prompted to click Pay online via credit card, Pay via BDO Online Banking now, or Pay via UnionBank Online Banking now. Accept the terms to proceed.

You will be asked to enter the Batch Request Number or the Request Reference Number if paying for all the requests or a particular request, respectively.

I paid through Union Bank. Tap Pay Bills. Then, Select Biller. You will be directed to the Biller List. Scroll down until you find PSA Serbilis (Unisys), or search for it using the search bar.

Then, input the request or reference number and your contact number. Tap the Next button. Put the amount and proceed to payment. You will receive a payment confirmation via email.

3) Wait for the delivery of the birth certificate

If you’re wondering how long the PSA delivery takes, it depends on the location. If within Metro Manila, you may receive the document four to six working days after payment, not after the request date. Outside Metro Manila, the delivery is between six and eight working days.

I received a text message regarding the delivery of Adele’s birth certificate on the day itself. I was asked to present a valid ID. A signed authorization letter is required if the requester is not able to receive the document.

How much does it cost to get a PSA birth certificate?

A copy of the birth certificate costs Php330.00. You need to pay the same amount if getting a copy of the marriage and death certificate.

A copy of CENOMAR costs Php430.00.

How do I pay my PSA in 7-11?

You may pay through the 7-11 CLIQQ kiosk. Tap Bill Payment then, search for PSA. Fill out the information (reference number, contact number, and amount) then, click Next.

The machine will dispense a receipt. Proceed with the payment at the cashier.

You will receive a payment confirmation via email.

Can I pay PSA Serbilis thru GCash?

Yes, you can pay PSA Serbilis through GCash. Go to the app then, tap Pay Bills. Tap Government under the Biller Categories. Scroll down until you find PSAHelpline.ph, or search for it using the search bar.

You will be asked to provide the reference number, contact number, amount, and email address. Tap Next after filling out the required fields. Proceed with the payment.

The payment is posted in real-time.

How do I track my PSA Serbilis delivery status?

If you want to check the status of your request, go to psaserbilis.com.ph. There’s a field at the bottom right for tracking purposes. Enter the request or reference number then, click Go.

I was able to submit on time. 😌