Annotated PSA Documents for U.S. Immigration: What They Are and What to Submit (2026)

Name correction or change (R.A. 9048 / court order)

Legitimation (parents marry after birth)

Late registration annotation

Recognition of foreign divorce

Adoption annotation

Step 1: Order the CDLI copy from PSA

Request the version of your PSA document with CDLI (Court Decree and Legal Instrument) endorsement. Do not order a standard copy if your document has been legally changed. PSA Serbilis and PSA Helpline both offer the CDLI copy option. Specify "with annotations" when ordering. For a document that was recently annotated for the first time, the first annotated copy must be picked up in person at a PSA outlet.

Step 2: Obtain the underlying court order or administrative decision

This is the document that caused the annotation: the RTC recognition order for foreign divorce, the LCRO administrative order for an R.A. 9048 name correction, or the Affidavit of Legitimation registered at the LCRO. Request a certified true copy from the court or LCRO where the proceeding was filed. The Embassy Manila supplement (January 2026) requires this document alongside the annotated PSA certificate.

Step 3: Get certified English translations

PSA civil documents are printed in English, so the PSA document itself may not require translation. However, court orders and LCRO decisions are typically in Filipino or a regional language and must be accompanied by a certified English translation with a signed Certificate of Accuracy. Under 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3), every foreign-language document must be accompanied by a complete English translation and a certification of competency from the translator.

Step 4: Prepare a cover letter explaining the annotation

Write a brief, factual cover letter that: (a) identifies the document, (b) explains what the annotation records (e.g., a court-ordered name correction, legitimation after parents married, or recognition of a foreign divorce), and (c) explains any name discrepancy between the annotated PSA document and the applicant's passport or other documents. This cover letter is not required by NVC regulations, but applicants who include it consistently report fewer follow-up requests.

Step 5: Submit the complete bundle to NVC

Upload all three components (annotated PSA document, court order or administrative decision, and certified translations) as a single package in CEAC (Consular Electronic Application Center). Label each document clearly in the upload. Bring originals of all documents to the Embassy Manila interview.

What is an annotated PSA document?

An annotated PSA document is a civil registry certificate (birth certificate, marriage certificate) issued by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) that includes a marginal note recording a legally approved change. Common annotations include name corrections under R.A. 9048, legitimation when parents marry after a child's birth, recognition of a foreign divorce, and late registration notations. The annotation appears as printed text in the margin of the PSA security paper.

What is the CDLI endorsement and why does NVC require it?

CDLI stands for Court Decree and Legal Instrument. It is a PSA document version that includes all annotations from court orders and legal proceedings. If your PSA document has been changed through a court order or administrative proceeding, you must request the CDLI copy. The State Department reciprocity page for the Philippines states explicitly that a standard (un-annotated) copy is not valid for visa application purposes when the document has been legally changed. Order the CDLI version from PSA Serbilis or PSA Helpline.

My spouse's name on the annotated PSA birth certificate is different from the name on their passport. What do we do?

This is a common situation when a legitimation annotation changes a surname, or when an R.A. 9048 correction changes a first name. The solution is to include a brief cover letter explaining the name history: which document shows which name, what legal proceeding caused the change, and when. Attach the underlying court order or administrative decision to the cover letter. Applicants who proactively include this explanation consistently report smoother processing than those who leave the discrepancy unexplained.

What is the recognition of foreign divorce and why does it matter for U.S. immigration?

In the Philippines, foreign divorce decrees are not automatically recognized. A Filipino national whose foreign spouse obtained a divorce abroad must file a petition in a Philippine Regional Trial Court (RTC) to have that foreign divorce recognized under Philippine law. Once the court grants recognition and the decision is registered with the Local Civil Registry and PSA, the marriage certificate is annotated to reflect the dissolution of the marriage. For U.S. immigration, this matters because immigration forms ask about prior marriages and current civil status. If PSA records still show the person as married (because recognition was never filed), the record is inconsistent with the applicant's claim of being unmarried or divorced. Submit the annotated marriage certificate plus the certified copy of the RTC recognition order.

The annotation on my PSA document happened recently and PSA does not yet show it online. What do I do?

PSA records can lag 3 to 6 months behind the Local Civil Registry after an annotation is processed. If you need to file with NVC before PSA has endorsed the annotation, request a certification letter from the LCRO confirming the annotation is in progress and pending PSA endorsement. Include this letter with your NVC submission alongside any court order or administrative decision. Flag the situation clearly in a cover letter. NVC may accept the submission pending the final PSA document, though this depends on the specific officer reviewing the case.

Do I need to translate my PSA birth certificate or marriage certificate?

PSA civil documents are printed in English, so the PSA document itself generally does not require translation. However, any court order, LCRO administrative decision, or Affidavit of Legitimation that caused the annotation is likely in Filipino or a regional language and must be accompanied by a certified English translation under 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3). The translator must sign a Certificate of Accuracy stating they are competent to translate and that the translation is complete.

I was adopted. My PSA birth certificate shows my adoptive parents' names. Is this an annotated document?

Not in the traditional sense. Adoption in the Philippines does not produce a marginal annotation on the original birth certificate. Instead, a new amended birth certificate is issued reflecting the adoptive parents, and the original is sealed. For U.S. immigration, bring the amended PSA birth certificate plus a certified copy of the court adoption decree. If questions arise about a name that appears different from other documents (for example, a passport issued before the adoption), include a cover letter and the adoption decree.

How do I order an annotated PSA document from outside the Philippines?

Order through PSA Serbilis (psaserbilis.com.ph) or PSA Helpline (psahelpline.ph), which offer international delivery via DHL or PHLPost. Specify that you need the version with all annotations (CDLI copy). Important exception: the first annotated copy after a new annotation is processed must be claimed in person at a PSA outlet. If you are outside the Philippines, authorize a family member or representative through a Special Power of Attorney (SPA) to claim it on your behalf.