Overview

In the Philippines, name discrepancies can block routine transactions—passport and visa applications, bank and loan processing, land registration, school records, employment onboarding, insurance claims, government benefits, and background checks. When a record appears to match someone else’s identity (or when two identities appear to match one person), institutions sometimes require a Certificate of Not the Same Person (or a similarly titled certification) to clarify that:

two similarly named individuals are different persons, or
a person appearing in one record is not identical to the person appearing in another record.

This article explains what the certificate is, when it is used, where it typically comes from, and how it relates to Philippine civil registry correction processes.

What Is a “Certificate of Not the Same Person”?

1) Practical meaning

A “Certificate of Not the Same Person” is generally a supporting document used to disambiguate identities when names are similar, identical, misspelled, or differently formatted across records. It is often requested when an institution fears “identity overlap,” for example:

Two people share the same complete name and near-identical birth details.
Your name matches an alert/record/entry belonging to another person.
A document contains an alternate spelling that makes you appear to be someone else.

2) Not a single, standardized document nationwide

Unlike a PSA Birth Certificate or a CENOMAR, “Certificate of Not the Same Person” is not a single universally standardized PSA-issued document with one fixed template and nationwide uniform rules. In practice, what people call this “certificate” may be one of the following:

A certification/letter issued by a local civil registrar (LCR) (or sometimes another government office) stating, based on available records, that Person A is not Person B; or that a certain registry entry does not pertain to the requesting person.
A notarized affidavit (commonly titled Affidavit of Not the Same Person or Affidavit of Two Persons Not Being the Same), executed by the requesting party and/or witnesses.
An inter-agency clearance or result (e.g., from a records-checking process) used by the requesting institution as proof of distinction.

Because requirements differ by agency and circumstance, “obtaining” the certificate means identifying what exact form the requesting institution will accept.

Common Situations Where It Is Required

A) Same name, different person (true namesake)

You are legitimately a different person from someone who shares your name. The requesting agency may require proof that you are not the subject of a record (e.g., watchlist, adverse record, legal case, prior transaction, delinquency record).

B) Name discrepancies across your own documents

A mismatch makes it look like two different people:

missing/added middle name
surname spelling variant
multiple first names used interchangeably
“Ma.” vs “Maria,” “Jr.” missing, suffix variations
typographical errors (one letter off)

In these cases, agencies sometimes ask for either:

Affidavit of One and the Same Person (when records refer to you), or
Certificate/Affidavit of Not the Same Person (when records appear to refer to someone else).

C) Duplicate civil registry entries or conflicting civil registry records

Example: two birth records exist with similar details. These cases often require more than a certificate—frequently a formal correction or cancellation process (discussed below), because institutions will not rely on simple affidavits when civil registry integrity is in question.

Key Distinction: “Not the Same Person” vs “One and the Same Person”

“Not the Same Person”

Used to prove two individuals are different (even if names are similar/identical).

“One and the Same Person”

Used to prove one individual is the same person across different documents (despite spelling/format differences).

Agencies sometimes use the terms loosely. Always align your document title and contents to the actual purpose.

Where You Can Obtain It (Philippine Practice)

1) Local Civil Registrar (LCR) certification (when civil registry data is involved)

If the discrepancy concerns civil registry records (birth, marriage, death), the city/municipal LCR where the record is registered is often the first stop. Depending on local practice and what the records show, an LCR may issue:

a certification about what appears in their registry books,
a negative certification (e.g., no record found for a certain entry), or
a letter clarifying distinctions between similarly named individuals if their records can support that conclusion.

Not all LCRs issue “Not the Same Person” certifications under that exact title; some will issue a certification of record entries that achieves the same purpose.

2) Notarized affidavit (widely used for non-civil registry identity disambiguation)

For many private transactions and even some government processes, the most commonly accepted document is a notarized affidavit executed by:

the person concerned (affiant), and/or
one or two disinterested witnesses who have personal knowledge (e.g., employer HR, community elder, long-time neighbor), depending on what the requesting agency requires.

A notarized affidavit is a public document in the sense that it is acknowledged before a notary public, but it is still a sworn statement, not an official civil registry correction.

3) The requesting agency’s own verification process

Some agencies will accept their own verification mechanisms instead of an outside certificate—e.g., additional fingerprints/biometrics, secondary IDs, court clearances, or record-check confirmations. In such cases, “Not the Same Person” proof may be satisfied by their internal documentation plus your supporting records.

Step-by-Step: How to Obtain a “Not the Same Person” Document

Step 1: Identify the exact conflict

Write down the precise issue:

Which record/document shows the conflicting name?
Which name is yours (as consistently used in your primary identity documents)?
What exact data overlaps (birthdate, birthplace, parents’ names, address history)?

Institutions usually decide based on data points, not names alone.

Step 2: Ask the requesting institution for its acceptance criteria

You need clarity on:

Will they accept an affidavit?
Do they need an LCR certification?
Do they require PSA-certified copies of civil registry documents?
Do they need witnesses, photographs, biometrics, or additional IDs?

Some agencies are strict about the issuing source.

Step 3: Gather supporting documents (typical set)

While requirements vary, common supporting documents include:

Primary identity and civil status

PSA Birth Certificate (and PSA Marriage Certificate, if applicable)
Government-issued IDs (at least two), preferably with photo and signature
If available: old IDs, school records, employment records, baptismal certificate

Proof of distinguishing details

Documents showing parents’ full names
Proof of birth details (date/place)
Proof of long-term address (utility bills, barangay certificate, etc.)
Any document showing a consistent signature over time

When proving “not the same person,” the most persuasive set is one that highlights different birthdates, different parents, different birthplaces, or different biometrics—because these are harder to fake and less likely to overlap.

Step 4A: If obtaining an LCR certification

Go to the LCR of the city/municipality where the relevant civil registry record is filed. Bring:

Valid IDs
Authorization (if a representative will file)
Details of the record (registry number if known, full name, date, place)

The LCR may:

search and issue a certification of what is recorded,
advise that your remedy is correction rather than certification, or
require you to secure PSA copies first if they need to compare entries.

Step 4B: If executing a notarized Affidavit of Not the Same Person

Prepare an affidavit that includes:

Core declarations

Your complete name, citizenship, address
Your birth details (date/place), parents’ full names
A statement identifying the other person or record you are being confused with (as precisely as possible)
A clear declaration that you are not the same person as that individual/record
The factual basis: different parents, different birthdate, different birthplace, different addresses, different spouse, different employment history, etc.

Attachments

Photocopies of IDs and relevant certificates (often signed/initialed on each page)
Any reference document that caused the confusion (if you have it and it is lawful to copy)

Witnesses If the agency requires witnesses, include:

one or two witnesses who personally know you and can swear to your identity and personal circumstances.

Then notarize before a notary public with competent evidence of identity.

When a Certificate/Affidavit Is Not Enough: Correcting the Civil Registry

If the underlying issue is not merely confusion with a namesake, but an error in the civil registry (birth/marriage records), a “not the same person” document is often only a temporary workaround. Many institutions require the civil registry itself to be corrected.

1) Clerical or typographical errors (administrative correction)

Philippine law allows certain errors to be corrected administratively through the civil registrar (commonly through processes under laws governing correction of entries, including those dealing with clerical errors and certain changes of first name/nickname and other specified entries). These typically cover errors that are:

obvious typographical mistakes, and
not involving questions of identity, legitimacy, citizenship, or other substantive civil status issues.

2) Substantial errors (judicial correction)

If the requested change affects civil status, legitimacy, filiation, nationality, or other substantial matters—or if it effectively changes identity—courts may be required through a judicial proceeding for correction/cancellation under applicable rules on civil registry corrections. Examples:

conflicting parentage entries that are not mere typos
questionable or duplicate records needing cancellation
corrections that essentially create a different identity

In such cases, agencies tend to reject affidavits alone because the civil registry is supposed to be authoritative.

Special Scenarios and How “Not the Same Person” Proof Is Handled

A) Missing or inconsistent middle name

If the issue is purely format-based (middle name omitted), an Affidavit of One and the Same Person is more typical.
If your middle name overlaps with another person’s record and causes confusion, a Not the Same Person affidavit may be used, emphasizing parents’ names and birth details.

B) Married women’s names

Philippine practice allows variations in usage (maiden name, husband’s surname, hyphenated forms). Confusion can arise when:

maiden name appears in some documents
married name appears in others A combination of PSA certificates and an affidavit clarifying name usage is often used.

C) Multiple first names or “called by” names

“Juan Miguel” vs “Miguel,” “Ma. Cristina” vs “Cristina.” These are frequent causes of mismatch. Institutions may accept an affidavit, but recurring issues are best resolved by aligning records through appropriate administrative correction where available.

D) Suffixes (Jr., III) and identical family names

Suffix omissions can cause records to “collapse” into one identity. A “Not the Same Person” affidavit should highlight:

different birthdates, and
different parents (and, if useful, different spouses/children).

E) Similar names with same birthdate (rare but high-risk)

When birthdates match too, agencies often demand stronger proof:

biometrics (fingerprints),
additional IDs from earlier periods,
school records, baptismal certificate, or employment history evidence.

What Makes a Strong “Not the Same Person” Submission

1) Specificity beats general statements

“Not the same person” is a conclusion. Agencies want the facts that compel that conclusion:

different parents’ full names
different birthplaces
different spouse/children
different signature samples
different biometric identity (where applicable)

2) Attach authoritative records

The most persuasive attachments tend to be:

PSA-issued civil registry documents
government-issued IDs
school/employment records with long-standing data consistency

3) Avoid contradictions inside your affidavit

A common reason for rejection is an affidavit that introduces new inconsistencies. Everything in the affidavit should match your strongest primary records.

Typical Contents of an Affidavit of Not the Same Person (Outline)

Title: AFFIDAVIT OF NOT THE SAME PERSON
Personal circumstances of affiant
Statement describing the confusion/mismatch and where it arose
Statement identifying the other person/record being confused with you (name, and any available identifiers)
Clear declaration: “I am not the same person as…”
Supporting factual distinctions (parents, birth details, addresses, spouse, etc.)
Purpose clause: executed to attest the truth and for submission to the requesting entity
Signature, competent evidence of identity, notarial acknowledgment
Annexes (IDs, PSA certificates, supporting documents)

Practical Notes on Acceptance

A notarized affidavit is not a civil registry correction. It may satisfy a transaction, but it does not “fix” your PSA/LCR records.
Different agencies apply different standards. A bank may accept an affidavit; a passport or visa process may demand corrected civil registry entries.
Local practice varies. Some LCRs issue certifications readily; others will issue only record-based certifications (e.g., what exists in the registry) and direct you to the appropriate correction remedy.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Using “Not the Same Person” when you actually need “One and the Same Person,” or vice versa.
Submitting an affidavit that contradicts your PSA birth certificate or primary IDs.
Relying on barangay certificates alone when the issue is civil registry-based.
Treating a disambiguation document as a substitute for formal correction when the underlying record is wrong.

Bottom Line

A “Certificate of Not the Same Person” is an identity-disambiguation solution used to resolve name-based confusion. In Philippine practice, it is usually obtained either as (a) an LCR-issued certification grounded on registry entries, or (b) a notarized affidavit supported by strong documents. The more the issue touches the integrity of the civil registry (especially conflicting or duplicate entries), the more likely that a formal administrative or judicial correction process—not merely a certificate—will be necessary.