Bringing Kids to Visit at Lehigh County Jail: Why the Long-Form Birth Certificate (and the Puerto Rico rule)
Bringing a child to visit at Lehigh County Jail? The paperwork rules are strict. Minors must come with a parent, and you'll need the right kind of original birth certificate—every single time.
At Lehigh County Jail, anyone under 18 can't visit alone. A minor must be accompanied by a parent to be admitted. Plan accordingly - who's bringing the child matters at check-in.
The jail won't accept just any birth certificate for minors. You need an original long-form (sometimes called "complete") birth certificate that lists the parents' names. Bring it every visit. Copies don't count, and short-form certificates won't work - only the long-form/complete version gets a minor through the door.
Warning: Show up with a copy or a short-form certificate instead of an original long-form birth certificate with parents' names, and the minor will likely be denied entry.
There's a separate rule if the child (or the visitor presenting ID) was born in Puerto Rico. Lehigh County Jail follows the standard tied to Puerto Rico's July 1, 2010 change: if you were born in Puerto Rico before July 1, 2010, you must present a newly issued birth certificate. Older certificates from before that date are considered void and won't be accepted for visitation.
Note: Don't assume an older Puerto Rico birth certificate will be fine. The facility requires a newly issued certificate if the birth date is before July 1, 2010.
Missing the original long-form birth certificate? Dealing with the Puerto Rico pre–July 1, 2010 issue? Get the paperwork sorted before you make the trip. The jail requires correct original documentation for every minor visit, and Puerto Rico-born visitors from before July 1, 2010 need a newly issued certificate. The wrong document means no visit.
- ✓ Check that you have the original long-form/complete birth certificate (not a copy) and that it lists the parents’ names.
- ✓ Plan to bring that original birth certificate each time the minor is going to visit.
- ✓ If the child or visitor was born in Puerto Rico, confirm whether the birth date is before July 1, 2010 - if so, you’ll need a newly issued Puerto Rico birth certificate for visitation.
- ✓ If you’re unsure which document you have, ask the Lobby Officer for guidance on what the facility will accept.
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