The Virginia Death Records Available on the Web

A lot of folks nowadays are quite keen on conducting their own genealogical research, which is why its popularity has significantly increased in the past few years. If you are involved with this kind of project, it would help to have access to Virginia Death Records, especially if the subject of your research is centered on the state of Virginia. Such records can be a great source for information and is comprehensive enough to help fill in certain blanks on your research. Thanks to the Freedom of Information Act, any member of the general public now has the right to acquire such records without any “red tape” or bureaucracies.In the state of Virginia, the State Health Department oversees the Office of Vital Records and Health Statistics, which in turn maintains all vital records and documents in the state. If you want a certified copy of a particular death record, this is the office where you file your formal request. This is also the place where you pay any charges required through money order or check. The office can provide records of deaths that occurred in the state from 1853 to 1896, as well as deaths that are dated from June 14, 1912 up to the present.In the state of Virginia, though, getting access to death records and all its information is only granted to the immediate family members of the deceased. Unless, of course, if the statute of limitations on such documents, which is fifty years after the date of death, has been reached. By this time, any member of society can have access to these free public death records without any restrictions. Moreover, when filing for an application, the requester must provide certain details about the deceased and himself like the name of the deceased, the requester’s relation with the deceased, the time and location of death, the reason behind the request, as well as the contact information and signature of the requester.The Library of Virginia is another option where you can gather additional information for your genealogical research. In the Archives Division, you will find copies of Virginia death records that are chronologically stored from 1853 to 1896, and death certificates that are dated from 1912 to 1939. For individuals who live out of state, this option might be too inconvenient and time consuming since all requests and applications are done in person.Luckily though, the Office of Vital Records in Virginia has made available three relatively convenient ways to get hold of these types of documents. The first option that you have at your disposal is through the postal mail, which will take several working days, or even weeks to process. The second option is the walk-in method, which obviously is a lot quicker in terms of processing time. All you have to do is visit their office, file an application, pay the required processing fees, and present any valid photo identification. Finally, the third option that the state has provided is through the Government Registry.However, of all the methods offered by the state, there is still one option that many people may find more effective with regards to obtaining access to vital records. This option involves acquiring the services of online professional record providers. In exchange for a small one-time fee, such providers can guarantee unlimited access to free public death records not just in the state of Virginia, but in other states as well. If good quality service, comprehensive search results and convenience are what you are looking for, then this option is perfectly suited to your research needs.