ORLANDO, Florida — Puerto Ricans will have an easier time getting important documents they need here in Central Florida.
- Center provides Puerto Ricans with access to vital records
- Puerto Ricans can now quickly access records, says Carlos Mercader
The first Integrated Services Center in Orlando officially opened Wednesday, with leaders such as Rep. Stephanie Murphy and Rep. Guillermo Smith attending the grand opening event.
The center provides access to vital records for former Puerto Rican residents and those born in the U.S. territory. Citizens can get records such as birth, marriage and death certificates directly from the island's authorities.
"In the past it could take … 45 days to months or maybe years,” said Carlos Mercader, Executive Director of the Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration. “Now it’ll be 10, 15 minutes of wait, and then they will get their certificate, whatever certificate they need.”
In the wake of the destructive Hurricane Maria, thousands of Puerto Ricans evacuated from the island to the Central Florida area, providing a huge population influx to the Orlando area.
The documents provided are the ones required by local and state officials when applying for things like government employment, assistance, and school enrollment.