On my birth certificate my last name is my mother's, but on my all
documents it is my father's.  I need a passport and my social sec.
benefits in the future. I'm 34, and born in Chicago (Cook County),
currently live in Puerto Rico. What can I do about this?

Hello norue-ga,

You can obtain a changed/corrected version of your birth certificate
from the Illinois Department of Public Health. The information you
need to provide to justify the change will depend on the reason your
father?s name was not shown at the time the original birth certificate
was recorded. Below I?ve listed the background information and
procedures for contacting the appropriate officials. Your current
residence does not seem to have any bearing on the actions you must
take. I suggest that you review the official websites and then contact
the Division of Vital Records either by phone or by mail.

All the best.

~ czh ~


http://www.idph.state.il.us/vitalrecords/birth.htm
http://www.idph.state.il.us/vitalrecords/correctioninfo.htm
Corrections to Birth Records 

Illinois law allows for corrections to birth records. In most cases,
additional documentation and a state of Illinois affidavit and
certificate of correction are required. Illinois law also directs that
corrections to birth records be made with interlineation. This means a
line is drawn through the information being corrected and the new
information is placed above or beside. An amended date is also placed
on the record. The fee for a change, addition or correction is $15 and
includes one certified copy of the record. Additional copies of the
same record, ordered at the same time, are $2 each. Make check or
money order payable to Illinois Department of Public Health.

Corrections can be requested by either a parent listed on the birth
record if the child is a minor, the child if older than 18 years of
age or a legal guardian. A legal guardian must provide a certified
copy of the court appointed guardianship papers. A copy of a picture
ID must be included with the request.

Every situation is unique. The items listed below are only general
guidelines for amendments. Your situation may require additional
documentation and/or a court order. Illinois law allows this office to
reject any documentation to protect the integrity of the vital record.

==

LAST NAME OF THE CHILD 

To amend the last name of a child requires the application, and a
state of Illinois affidavit and certificate of correction, and the
fee. If the child's last name is misspelled and that child has the
same last name as a parent listed on the birth record, a copy of that
parent's birth record is required. In some situations, a copy of the
parents' marriage record or an older sibling's birth record also can
be used. The document submitted must have been created prior to the
birth of the child. If the original handwritten worksheet from the
hospital of birth supports the requested amendment, a copy of this
document can be submitted as proof. The hospital can send this
document directly to this office.

If a Voluntary Acknowledgment of Paternity form, administrative order
of paternity or court order of paternity has been completed, you can,
within one year, make one change to the child's name. THIS IS ONE YEAR
FROM THE DATE THE VOLUNTARY ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF PATERNITY WAS SIGNED OR
PUBLIC AID OR THE COURTS ESTABLISHED PATERNITY. IT IS NOT ONE YEAR
FROM THE DATE THIS OFFICE COMPLETED THE CHANGES ON THE BIRTH RECORD.
The application for correction, state of Illinois affidavit and
certificate of correction, and fee are required. Both parents must
complete the affidavit. If either parent is not willing or unavailable
to complete the affidavit, then a court order of legal name change is
required.

If a court order of non-paternity was previously submitted to this
office, then a court order of legal name change is required to change
the child's name.

==

If you have questions, please call 217-782-6553 Monday through Friday
between 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m.

PLEASE NOTE: corrections or changes to a birth record cannot be
completed by phone, fax or e-mail. If you call this office, we can
only advise you of the procedure you will have to go through to
complete the change or correction.

Illinois Department of Public Health 
Division of Vital Records 
605 W. Jefferson St. 
Springfield, IL 62702-5097

------------------------------------

http://www.idph.state.il.us/vitalrecords/correction_faq.htm
Illinois Birth Records
Frequently Asked Questions
Correcting Birth Records


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illinois birth certificates
correction illinois birth records OR certificate
correct illinois OR "cook county" birth records OR certificate

I doubt if you will be able to change your Birth Certificate.

Yes, I will be able to change my birth certificate if it's necessary.

What probonopublico-ga means is that the law will not allow you to
change your actual birth certificate. But that does not mean that you
cannot have your father's surname on a passport etc. After all,
married women have their husband's surname on their passports, but
they don't have to change their birth certificates. What you need to
do is officially change your name by deed poll; have a look at this
website -

http://www.namechange-deedpoll.org/home.html