Kusilvak Birth Records

Kusilvak Census Area birth records are filed at the state level, not at any local office. People in Hooper Bay, Chevak, Mountain Village, Emmonak, and the rest of the Yup'ik villages in the region must order Kusilvak Census Area birth records through the Alaska Health Analytics and Vital Records Section. There is no census area clerk that issues a birth certificate here. This page walks you through how to search for Kusilvak Census Area birth records, who can order them, and what you need to send with each request as a resident of this remote part of Alaska.

About Kusilvak Birth Records

The Kusilvak Census Area sits on the west coast of Alaska, along the lower Yukon River and the Bering Sea. The area was formerly called the Wade Hampton Census Area and was renamed in 2015 to better reflect the Yup'ik heritage of its people. Hooper Bay is the largest community and serves as the main hub. Other villages include Chevak, Mountain Village, Alakanuk, Emmonak, Kotlik, Saint Mary's, and Pilot Station. The total population is around 8,000, and most residents are Alaska Native.

No borough government serves the Kusilvak Census Area. Census areas are unincorporated, which means they have no clerk, no mayor, and no local office that issues a birth certificate. All vital records work goes through the state. The Alaska Department of Health has kept a central birth register for the whole state since 1913. So every Kusilvak Census Area birth record from the past century or so is in the same system, filed in Juneau. See the CountyOffice Kusilvak page for a quick overview.

Kusilvak Census Area birth records list the full name of the child, the date and place of birth, the parents' names, and a state file number. People use them to get a passport, prove age, enroll in school, or claim Alaska Native shareholder rights. Note: Always send a clear photo ID copy with your order, since the state will reject any request that lacks one.

How to Order Kusilvak Birth Records

The state takes orders four ways. Each works, but the speed and cost vary. The fastest way for a Kusilvak Census Area resident is online through VitalChek. The cheapest way is by mail. There is no walk-in option in the census area itself. The nearest state office is in Anchorage, which is roughly a 500-mile trip.

Online orders go through the VitalChek Alaska page. You fill out the form, upload your ID, and pay with a card. Orders ship in two to three weeks. Mail orders go to Health Analytics and Vital Records, P.O. Box 110675, Juneau, AK 99811-0675. Mail takes two to three months. Fax orders go to (907) 465-3618 and run on the same time frame as mail.

Walk-in service is at 5441 Commercial Boulevard in Juneau or 3901 Old Seward Highway, Suite 101 in Anchorage. If you plan a trip to either city, you can order and pick up the same day. Call (907) 465-3391 first to check hours. See the Alaska vital records orders page for the latest steps.

The state site also has forms and a full list of fees. Parents of new babies in the region should check with the local clinic in Hooper Bay or Chevak to make sure the birth is filed properly.

Who Can Order Kusilvak Birth Records

Alaska is a closed-record state under Alaska Statute 18.50.310. Only certain people can order a recent Kusilvak Census Area birth record. The state checks ID for every order. The rule is the same for all 30 boroughs and census areas.

You may order a Kusilvak Census Area birth record if you are one of the following:

• The person named on the record, age 14 or older with a school or photo ID
• A parent listed on the certificate
• A legal guardian with court papers
• A third party with a notarized letter from the person named on the record
• An attorney or government agency on letterhead

Accepted photo ID includes a driver's license, state ID, passport, military ID, Tribal or BIA card with a photo, or a school ID for minors. The state allows an expired ID if it is less than one year past its date. Sign your name under the photocopy of your ID so the state can match it to the form.

Fees for Kusilvak Census Area Birth Records

The fee for a certified copy of a Kusilvak Census Area birth record is $30. Each extra copy ordered at the same time costs $25. Heirloom birth certificates with Alaska artist designs cost $55 for the first copy and $50 for each extra. Make checks payable to the Alaska Vital Records Office.

Other fees may apply. Name changes and amendments are $60, which covers the first new certified copy. An apostille for use in a foreign country costs $42 plus the record fee. Special research is $75 per hour. Send only one order per request to avoid double charges. Note: The state will not refund duplicate orders, so pick one method and stick with it.

Historical Kusilvak Birth Records

Old Kusilvak Census Area birth records are held by the Alaska State Archives in Juneau. The archives has vital statistics from 1816 to 1998, and birth records become public under Alaska Statute Title 18, Chapter 50 once they are 100 years old. That means anyone can order a record from 1925 or earlier. Use the Alaska State Archives genealogy page to start a search.

FamilySearch and the Alaska State Archives worked together to scan more than 1.1 million pages of old vital records. Some older Bethel and Kusilvak Census Area birth records are in that collection and free to view online. The FamilySearch Alaska Vital Records wiki has a full guide. Russian Orthodox mission books are also a good source for births before 1950. Many of the early births in Yup'ik villages were noted by priests before the state ever filed a record.

Local Resources in Kusilvak Census Area

The Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation runs clinics in most Kusilvak Census Area villages. New births are filed by the clinic staff, who send the paperwork to the state. Parents then order certified copies through the state the same way as any other Alaska resident. The clinic can help if you have trouble filling out a form.

For changes to a Kusilvak Census Area birth record, call the Special Services Unit at (907) 465-1200. This unit handles all amendments and delayed filings. The process takes about three months with no rush option. The email is BVSSpecialServices@alaska.gov. Note: All amendments must be mailed since the state needs the original signed forms.

Nearby Census Areas

Kusilvak Census Area borders the Bethel Census Area to the east and the Nome Census Area to the north. None of these areas have a local vital records office. All three send their birth records to the state system in Juneau. Travel between villages is mostly by small plane or boat.

Tips for Remote Kusilvak Residents

People in the Kusilvak Census Area face some of the longest mail delivery times in the whole state. A mail order for a Kusilvak Census Area birth record can take two to three months just for the round trip, on top of the state's normal processing time. Many local families now use VitalChek to order online, since the web form ships the record by tracked mail in two to three weeks. If a record must be picked up fast, a trip to the Anchorage office at 3901 Old Seward Highway is the only same-day option. Note: The state is not on the hook for mail that gets lost once it ships, so use a tracked service when you can.