Families nowadays are not always as traditional and expected as they once were. In fact, many Texas residents have chosen, and continue to choose, to have children out of wedlock. Because of that, paternity matters are a major concern in Texas courts as well as in the courts across the country. In many cases, a child may be born to unmarried parents, who are not sure of the child’s paternity.
In order to establish paternity, the biological father’s name must be on the birth certificate. The birth certificate must be filed with the state and local registrars. The application that requires the change in the father’s name must have the signature of the child’s parents. The signing of the form must be performed in front of a notary public. When the court establishes a child’s paternity, at least one parent must sign in the presence of the notary public.
The completed application form must be sent to Texas Vital Statistics in Austin. A fee of $25 must be sent for the new birth certificate. Any one of three supporting documents must be provided as well — acknowledgment of paternity, a marriage certificate that proves that the child’s parents got married after the child’s birth or a court-decreed certified copy of the paperwork. The person who is applying must pay $22 for a copy of the amended record.
If the father’s name and other relevant information has not yet been established, the parents will need to provide the acknowledgement of paternity or the marriage certificate. If changes were made on the birth certificate, a court order needs to be issued.
Source: Texas Department of State Health Services, “New Birth Certificate Based on Parentage,” Nov. 3, 2014