If the CAO is unable to verify an individual's citizenship or identity electronically and the individual does not have the proof, the CAO will use a form PA1809 to collect the necessary information.
Note: The CAO must continue to use the PA 1809 with older versions of the PA 600 that do not collect citizenship and identity information.
Note: The CAO must keep the PA 1809 in the case record until the case record is purged.
When applicants or recipients say they were born out of state, use the procedures in Appendix E.
For applicants or recipients who were born in Pennsylvania or who have a Pennsylvania driver’s license or state ID, CAO staff can use the following systems:
The Pennsylvania Justice Network (JNET), to check Pennsylvania birth records through a Department of Health (DOH) database.
The Department of Transportation (PENNDOT) interface, for PA driver’s licenses and state IDs.
For DOH records, the CAO must use the following data fields to get a proper match:
Applicant/Recipient’s Last Name as it appears on their birth certificate.
Applicant/Recipient’s First Name as it appears on their birth certificate.
Date of Birth.
Sex.
Mother’s Maiden Last Name.
Mother’s First Name.
All these data elements need to be entered on the PA 1809 before it can be used for birth-record searches. If there is no match for the birth record through JNET, the CAO must check the PA 1809 to make sure it is correct and complete and contact the individual needed. Also, the CAO worker should check variations of the name, such as Kimberly for Kim and Sue for Susan.
If there is still no match and the individual says that the information is correct, the CAO should fax the PA 1809 to the Department of Health, Division of Vital Records (DVR), in New Castle, at (724) 656-8768. No-matches are shown circling the numbers next to the names. The caseworker initials and writes “no match found” in the left margin. The County and District blocks on the PA 1809 must also be completed. The fax sent to the DVR includes the CAO fax number.
Note: CAO JNET users should only fill in the Birth Certificate Verification blocks on the right side of the PA 1809 if they find matches through JNET. If no record is found, the blocks are used by the Department of Health (DOH) for verifying matches.
Note: Although citizenship and identity fields are part of COMPASS and PA 600 applications, the CAO will use the PA 1809 when asking for birth-record verification from DOH when there is no match from JNET.
Note: Do not forward the PA 1809 to the DVR for a no-match on a driver’s license.
DVR will provide certification for each birth record within 48 hours, noting the file number, the file date, and a deceased indicator on the PA 1809 form. DVR will sign and date the PA 1809 and return it by fax to the CAO that sent it in.
Note: If a death is noted on the PA 1809, the CAO will follow normal procedures to verify death.
Note: If CAOs have questions for DVR, they should contact their Area Managers.
If there is still no match, DVR will return the PA 1809 by fax, asking for more information. If the CAO cannot give any new information, the CAO will consider it a non-match for the applicant and contact him or her to try to get another type of proof of citizenship.
For PENNDOT records, the CAO must use the following data fields to get a proper match:
Applicant/recipient’s Current Last Name.
Applicant/recipient’s Current First Name.
Middle Initial.
Date of Birth.
Driver’s License/State ID #.
PENNDOT can do a search based solely on the applicant or recipient’s name and date of birth. If the driver’s license number or state ID number are not filled in on the PA 1809, multiple matches may be found. If multiple matches are found, the CAO will not be able to tell which individual is the applicant/recipient.
Reviewed July 16, 2024, Replacing May 27, 2016