On July 1, 2010, the Vital Statistics Office of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico started to issue new birth certificates to citizens of Puerto Rico. These new birth certificates are certified copies and are more secure to guard against fraud. This is urgently important for all Puerto Rican citizens filing petitions for their family members, as after September 30, 2010, all birth certificates issued to Puerto Ricans before July 1, 2010 will become Invalid.
If you already have a case open (i.e. pending) with USCIS and you have already submitted your birth certificate that was issued before July 1, 2010, you will be OK and will not need to re-submit a new birth certificate. Applicants may also continue to submit birth certificates that were issued before July 1, 2010 for cases that they file with immigration until September 30, 2010.
However, all cases filed with USCIS or any other immigration agency after September 30, 2010 will require a new certified birth certificate with an issuance date of July 1, 2010 or after by the Vital Statistics Office of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Further information can be obtained at http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.5af9bb95919f35e66f614176543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=05e5b83235399210VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD&vgnextchannel=68439c7755cb9010VgnVCM10000045f3d6a1RCRD
New certified copies of these more secure birth certificates can be obtained by mail at
http://www.prfaa.com/birthcertificates/ and for the Spanish translation see http://www.prfaa.com/certificadosdenacimiento