In case the biological parents are not married or not in a civil union at the time of the birth, the voluntary acknowledgment of paternity serves as a legal document used to establish the parentage of a child. Forms are available at the hospital and must be properly filled out and filed with the Illinois Health and Family Services.
What information do you need?
The form will ask for the following information, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health or IDPH: the father or co-parent’s name, along with the father’s date of birth, place of birth (which includes state or country if outside the U.S.), the mother’s Social Security number along with a government photo ID of both parents. There’s also a mandatory fee.
Why an acknowledgment of paternity is important?
Establishing paternity gives your child legal parents. The document establishes your legal rights to the child as well, even when you and the mother are not married. That means you have as much right to be involved in legal decisions involving the child, such as those that pertain to parenting time and parenting responsibilities, among other things.
Do you need a lawyer?
In case you need help filling out and filing this legal document, a father’s rights lawyer in Kane County can offer you the legal assistance you need. Your attorney will guide you through the process to make sure your answers are detailed and accurate. Your lawyer will also review the document once you’re done. After all, mistakes and errors in filing could delay the paperwork. You might even need to refile it again. By hiring a good father’s rights lawyer from Kane County, you can get all that done in one try. With legal help, establishing your child’s paternity by filing this legal document will go so much faster and easier.
