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IRS Rejects Puerto Rican Birth Certificates

The Internal Revenue Service could be joining the “birther movement,” saying Wednesday that it will no longer accept Puerto Rican birth certificates issued before July 1, 2010.

The reason isn’t because of any particular distrust by the IRS of birth certificates issued by Puerto Rico (or Hawaii for that matter). The policy change is instead due to a new law by the government of Puerto Rico (Law 191) aimed at strengthening the issuance and use of birth certificates to combat fraud and identity theft.

The IRS said that clients with birth certificates issued before July 1, 2010 must get new documentation from the Puerto Rico Vital Statistics Record Office. For more information, visit Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration FAQ & Services.

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