Can I voluntarily acknowledge paternity?

Yes, you can voluntarily acknowledge paternity in North Carolina. This is done when a parent is not married to the other parent of the child and does not need a court order. Acknowledgement of paternity is the process of signing a legal document officially declaring you as the father of a child. When a father voluntarily acknowledges paternity, the state of North Carolina puts his name the child’s birth certificate, allowing the father to establish legal rights for the child. This includes the right to visitation, custody and support. Once paternity is acknowledged, it is very difficult to change it. A person can acknowledge paternity by signing a Voluntary Acknowledgement of Paternity form. This form can be signed at the hospital when the child is born or at any register of deeds’ office in North Carolina. The form can also be obtained from a local social services office. Once the form is signed, both parents must bring it to the local register of deeds office. There, the form will be completed with the signatures and identification information of the parents. After that, the form is filed with the county registrar. At this point, the father is legally acknowledged as the father of the child.

Related FAQs

What is a voluntary acknowledgment of paternity?
Can a father establish paternity after the mother's death?
What is the process for establishing legal paternity?
Is there a time limit for a man to contest paternity?
Can a man be held responsible for child support if paternity is not established?
What is the statute of limitations for challenging paternity?
Is marriage required for establishing paternity?
What is the difference between legal and genetic paternity?
How is the father's income taken into consideration when determining child support?
Are there any consequences for a father who fails to establish paternity?

Can I voluntarily acknowledge paternity?

Related FAQs

Related Blog Posts