Under Republic Act 9048, as amended by Republic Act 10172, Filipinos abroad may file a petition before the Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco to correct a clerical or typographical error in an entry in the Civil Register without the need for a judicial order.

An appointment is required for this service. Email the Civil Registry Section at [email protected] to set up an appointment.

RA 9048, as amended by R.A. 10172, allows the correction of clerical or typographical errors in any entry in civil registry documents. A clerical or typographical error refers to an obvious mistake committed in clerical work, either in writing, copying, transcribing, or typing an entry in the civil register that is harmless and innocuous, such as the following:

• A misspelled name or misspelled place of birth, and the like, can be corrected or changed only by reference to other existing record or records
• Day and/or month of birth
• Gender/sex (provided that this correction is not a result of a sex reassignment)

Who may file the Petition?

The petition may be filed by a person of legal age who must have a direct and personal interest in the correction of the error in the civil register, such as the:

• The owner of the record that contains the error to be corrected or the first name to be changed
• Owner’s spouse, children, parents, brothers, sisters, grandparents, guardian, or any other person duly authorized by law or by the owner of the document sought to be corrected.
• A person is considered of legal age when he is eighteen years old and above. Thus,  a minor (less than eighteen years old) cannot file a petition. 

Where should the petition be filed?

The general rule is that a petition shall be filed with the Local Civil Registry Office (LCRO) where the record containing the clerical error to be corrected is kept. Included in this general rule is the case of the Office of the Clerk of Shari’a Court, where records of divorces, revocations of divorces, and conversions to Islam are kept, and where some Muslim marriages are registered.

However, in case the petitioner is a migrant within or outside the Philippines, meaning his present residence or domicile is different from where his civil registry record or records are registered, he may file the petition in the nearest LCRO in his area or the Philippine Consulate General if abroad. His petition will be treated as a migrant petition.

How much is the fee for filing a petition?

The C/MCR and the District/Circuit Registrar (D/CR) are authorized to collect from every petitioner One Thousand Pesos (P1,000.00) for the correction of clerical error. In the case of a petition filed with the Consul General (CG), the fee is fifty US dollars ($50.00) for the correction of a clerical or typographical error. The said fee is the same for all Philippine Consulates.

A migrant petitioner shall pay an additional service fee of Five Hundred Pesos (P500.00) for the correction of a clerical or typographical error to the Petition Receiving Civil Registrar (PRCR). This service fee shall accrue to the local treasury of the PRCR.

BASIC REQUIREMENTS TO FILE A PETITION FOR CORRECTION OF CLERICAL OR TYPOGRAPHICAL ERROR 

Petition is in the prescribed form of an AFFIDAVIT that:

Must be subscribed and sworn to before any person authorized by law to administer an oath.

Set forth facts necessary to establish the merits of the petition.

Show affirmatively that the petitioner is competent to testify to the matters stated.

State the particular erroneous entry or entries sought to be corrected and the correction to be made.

In case of correction of DAY AND/OR MONTH in the date of birth or SEX of a person, the petition shall be supported with the following documents:

1. Earliest school record or earliest school documents;
2. Medical records;
3. Baptismal certificate and other documents issued by religious authorities;
4. A clearance or a certification that the owner of the document has no pending administrative, civil, or criminal case, or no criminal record, which shall be obtained from the following:
   • Employer, if employed;
   • National Bureau of Investigation; and
   • Philippine National Police.
5. Affidavit of Publication from the publisher and a copy of the newspaper clipping.

The petition must be supported with the following documents:

1. A certified true machine copy of the certificate or of the page of the registry book containing the entry or entries sought to be corrected or changed;
2. At least two (2) public or private documents showing the correct entry or entries upon which the correction or change shall be based;
3. Notice or certification of posting;
4. Other documents which the petitioner or the Consul General may consider relevant and necessary for the approval of the petition.
5. In case of correction of sex, the petition shall be further supported with:
   • A medical certification issued by an accredited government physician stating that the petitioner has not undergone a sex change or sex transplant.

PROCEDURE FOR PETITION FOR CORRECTION OF CLERICAL ERROR IN CIVIL REGISTRY DOCUMENTS

  (For Civil Registry records registered at the Philippine Consulate)

1. Email complete requirements to the Civil Registry section at [email protected] for evaluation. After evaluation, if documents are found in order, the petitioner will be informed regarding the schedule of appointment for the submission of the original documents and payment.
2. On the day of the appointment, submit the Petition & all the required documents stated above and provide the necessary information during the interview at the Civil Registry Section
3. Pay the corresponding fees at the Consulate’s Cashier.
4. Return to CRSU and submit the Official Receipt. CRS Staff to inform the petitioner on the date of release in conformity with the required 10-day posting and 5-day decision of the Consul General.
5. Posting of Petition at the Philippine Consulate General’s bulletin for 10 consecutive days.
6. Consulate issues the Certificate of Posting.
7. Within 5 days, the Consul General acts on the Petition.
8. Petitioner can claim the approved petition on the Consul General’s level on the appointed date or may submit a self-addressed stamped prepaid envelope if unable to claim in person.
9. The consulate sends the approved petition to the DFA Manila via diplomatic pouch, scheduled for the following month
10. DFA Manila sends the approved petition to the Office of the Civil Registrar General (OCRG) in Manila
11. OCRG acts on the approved petition
12. OCRG Manila forwards the decision to DFA Manila
13. DFA Manila forwards OCRG’s decision to the Philippine Consulate General
14. The Consulate issues the Certificate of Finality. CRS Staff informs the client of the decision of the OCRG.
15. (If the petition is affirmed by OCRG) The consulate sends to DFA Manila the Certificate of Finality, and certified true copies (CTC) of the unannotated civil registry document, CTC of the annotated civil registry document, CTC of the Petition, together with the covering despatch. (If the petition is impugned by OCRG) Consulate, within 15 days upon receipt of the impugned petition, files a motion for reconsideration to OCRG, and sends said motion to the OCRG through DFA Manila.
16. DFA Manila transmits to OCRG the Certificate of Finality, and CTC of the unannotated civil registry document, annotated civil registry document, the Petition, together with the endorsement letter (if the petition has been affirmed), OR the Motion for Reconsideration (if the petition has been impugned).
17. Petitioner may request from PSA/NSO Manila an authenticated copy of the corrected or Annotated Civil Registry document paper after DFA Manila has forwarded it to OCRG the Certificate of Finality, other CTC of petition and supporting documents, including the endorsement letter.

PROCEDURE FOR MIGRANT PETITION FOR CORRECTION OF CLERICAL OR TYPOGRAPHICAL ERROR

  (For civil registry records registered at a Local Civil Registrar in the Philippines)

1. Email complete requirements to the Civil Registry section at [email protected] for evaluation. After evaluation, if documents are found in order, the petitioner will be informed regarding the schedule of appointment for the submission of the original documents and payment.
2. On the day of the appointment, submit the Petition & all the required documents (bring the original and have it photocopied) and provide the necessary information during the interview at the Civil Registry section.
3. Pay the corresponding fees at the Consulate’s Cashier.
4. Return to the Civil Registry section and submit the Official Receipt.
5. Posting of Petition at the Philippine Consulate General’s bulletin for 10 consecutive days.
6. Consulate issues the Certificate of Posting.
7. The Consul General acts on the Petition by forwarding said petition to the Local Civil Registrar (LCR) where the record of civil registry document was registered.
8. Consulate sends the petition to DFA Manila via diplomatic pouch, scheduled for the following month.
9. DFA Manila forwards the petition to the Local Civil Registrar (LCR), where the record of civil registry document was registered.
10. The LCR will contact and ask the Petitioner to pay for the additional service fee.
11. Petitioner or his representative proceeds to LCR, pays the appropriate fee, and submits the Official Receipt. LCR to inform the petitioner or his representative on the date of release in conformity with the required 10-day posting and 5-day decision of the LCR.
12. Upon receipt of payment, LCR prepares the Notice of Posting.
13. LCR posts the Petition at a conspicuous place for 10 consecutive days.
14. LCR issues Certificate of Posting
15. LCR acts on the petition. Informs the petitioner or his representative that the petition has been approved.
16. The Petitioner or his representative proceeds to LCR and obtains a copy of the approved petition at the LCR level on the appointed date.
17. LCR mails the approved petition to OCRG Manila.
18. OCRG acts on the approved petition.
19. OCRG Manila forwards the decision to LCR.
20. LCR issues the Certificate of Finality.

(If the petition is affirmed by the OCRG) LCR mails to OCRG Manila the Certificate of Finality, record sheet, annotated Civil Registry Document, and endorsement letter.

(If the petition is impugned by the OCRG) The LCR, within 15 days upon receipt of the impugned petition, files a motion for reconsideration to OCRG, and sends said motion to the OCRG.

      21. Petitioner may request from PSA/NSO Manila an authenticated copy of the corrected or An annotated Civil Registry document after the LCR has forwarded the Certificate of Finality, record sheet, annotated Civil Registry Document, and endorsement letter to OCRG Manila.