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Important of the Birth Certificate
A birth certificate is a legal document that lists the full name, date of birth, place of birth, and parentage of a person. It is typically issued by the government agency responsible for vital records (such as the department of health or the registrar of vital statistics) in the place where the person was born. The birth certificate is considered an important piece of identification and is often needed to enroll in school, apply for a passport or driver’s license, and establish eligibility for government benefits.
The birth certificate is usually based on the information provided by the parents. The birth certificate is then issued upon request, often after the person reaches a certain age or upon the request of a parent or legal guardian.
Who needs to establish the Paternity?
Paternity is known as the legal relationship between a father and his child. Paternity may need to be established for several reasons, including:
- To include the father’s name on the child’s birth certificate
- To establish the father’s legal rights and responsibilities to the child, such as the right to make decisions about the child’s upbringing and the obligation to provide financial support
- To establish the child’s eligibility for financial and medical benefits, such as health insurance and inheritance, that may be provided by the father
- To establish a legal relationship between the father and the child for purposes of inheritance and family medical history
Paternity may be established voluntarily, through the agreement of both the mother and the alleged father, or it may be established through a legal process, such as a court order or a genetic test. If the alleged father does not agree to establish paternity, the mother may need to seek a court order to establish paternity.
Is it important to establish the Paternity?
For a number of reasons, it is important. For the child, establishing paternity can help to establish a legal relationship with the father and can provide access to financial and medical benefits that may be provided by the father, such as health insurance, inheritance, and family medical history. Establishing paternity can also help to establish a sense of identity and family history for the child.
For the father, establishing paternity can help to establish legal rights and responsibilities to the child, such as the right to make decisions about the child’s upbringing and the responsibility to provide financial support. It can also help establish a relationship with the child and provide a sense of identity and family history for the father.
Establishing paternity can be especially important if the parents are not married and are not living together, as it can help clarify each parent’s legal rights and responsibilities and provide a legal framework for decision-making and co-parenting.
Benefits of bearing Father’s last name
- It can establish a sense of family identity and unity, as all members of the family share the same last name.
- It can be a way for the father to pass on his family name and heritage to his children.
- It can simplify legal and administrative processes, as all members of the family have the same last name, and it is clear who the parents are.
- In some cases, it may be easier for the child to establish their identity and be recognized as a member of the family if they have the same last name as their father.
Key Takeaway
In most cases, the father’s name can be included on the birth certificate if both parents agree to it. If the parents are married, the husband’s name is generally automatically included on the birth certificate. If the parents are not married, the father’s name can be added to the birth certificate if both parents sign a legal document called an “acknowledgment of paternity“.
Suppose the father is unable or unwilling to sign the acknowledgment of paternity. In that case, the mother can still list the father’s name on the birth certificate, but she may need to provide additional documentation, such as a court order, to do so. In some cases, the mother may need to establish paternity through genetic testing or a court proceeding before the father’s name can be added to the birth certificate.
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