FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions
Updated October 14, 2005

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Turning in Documents and Obtaining Forms
Signing the Hawaiian Ancestry Registry Form
Ancestry Verification Policy
Receipt of Verification
Multiple Applicants / Sibilings
Adoptions
Current KS Students and Graduates
KS Program-Related Information

TURNING IN DOCUMENTS AND OBTAINING FORMS

Where is the Ho‘oulu Hawaiian Data Center located?
We are on the ground floor (Suite 102) of the makai building in Kawaiaha‘o Plaza at 567 South King Street. Kawaiaha‘o Plaza is located on the block ‘ewa of the Honolulu Advertiser Building.

Neighbor Island residents may also visit our Neighbor Island Regional Resource Centers for assistance and to turn in documents.

Will all original documents submitted to the Data Center be returned?
Yes. Once the documents are photocopied, the originals will be mailed back to you.

I misplaced my HAR form. How can I get another one?
Please email us at registry@ksbe.edu with the applicant’s full name and current address.

Can you access common birth certificates and other documents turned in to the Ho‘oulu Hawaiian Data Center by other family members?
Yes, if a letter of permission is received from the person who signed the HAR form from which the documents are being requested.

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SIGNING THE HAWAIIAN ANCESTRY REGISTRY FORM

Can I sign the HAR form for my adult child since he or she is still my dependent for tax purposes?
No. According to KS policy, legal documents must be signed by the student or applicant once he or she is18 years of age or older. Court-appointed guardianship papers* are required otherwise.

My grandson lives with me. Can I sign his HAR form?
The HAR form must be signed by a parent or legal guardian if the applicant is under 18 years of age. If anyone other than the legal parent signs the HAR form, a copy of the Court-appointed guardianship papers* are required. (This applies to non-adoptive step-parents as well.)

*This represents a change to the instructions printed on the Hawaiian Ancestry Registry form. We no longer accept Power of Attorney documents authorizing alternate persons to sign the HAR form.

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ANCESTRY VERIFICATION POLICY

Why does KS require documents verifying Hawaiian ancestry? Why isn’t the information from the HAR form adequate?
It is important for KS to protect the integrity of this process and ensure that KS meets its mission of providing educational opportunities to improve the capability and well being of people of Hawaiian ancestry.

Thus, KS’ policy is to require applicants to substantiate the information provided in the HAR form. The use of birth records maintained by the State confirms that information provided in the HAR is accurate and complete.

While HHDC does its best to work with families to help them complete the verification process in a timely manner, responsibility for submitting all of the required information does ultimately rest with the applicant and his/her family

Why does KS use birth records to verify Hawaiian ancestry?
It has been KS’ longstanding policy to require original birth certificates or certified original Department of Health abstracts showing a chain of Hawaiian ancestry prior to 1959 because
• the Department of Health’s vital statistics records prior to 1959 were generally quite accurate as the information was cross-checked;
• original birth certificates contain more complete information in the cases where birth certificates have been altered or amended; and
• original birth certificates are generally the most trustworthy documentation of ancestry.

How many birth certificates do I need to supply?
In general, you will need birth certificates for the applicant, the Hawaiian parent, and the Hawaiian grandparent so that Hawaiian ancestry can be traced to an ancestor born in 1959 or earlier. The ancestor born in 1959 or earlier must show Hawaiian on his or her birth certificate. If not, birth certificates must be provided for earlier ancestors until Hawaiian ancestry is documented. If both parents are of Hawaiian ancestry, only the ancestry of one side of the family must be verified.

What if birth certificates are not available?
Visit or contact the State of Hawai‘i Department of Health to request a copy. If you are given a Record of No Certification (of birth) instead of a birth certificate, submit that along with one or more documents from the Secondary Document list (see back of HAR form) for review instead.

How does HHDC verify ancestry?
You must submit a complete Hawaiian Ancestry Registration (HAR) form and satisfactory supporting documents to the HHDC. KS’ policy is to require original birth certificates or certified original Department of Health abstracts showing a chain of Hawaiian ancestry prior to 1959.

Do I need to fill in all sections of the HAR?
Yes. You must complete all sections of the form to the best of your ability. If any information is not available, please enter “UNKNOWN” in the appropriate space.

Why is my social security number required?
Because there are so many common family names in Hawai‘i, social security numbers and birth dates are used to avoid confusing applicants with similar names. This information is used internally only and is kept strictly confidential.

If you do not want to supply the applicant’s social security number please be aware that you may experience some difficulties due to duplicate records, and that this may result in untimely reporting to programs.

According to the instructions, I am only required to submit MY birth certificate since I was born before 1960. Do I still need to complete the family information for my parents and grandparents?
Yes. All known family information must be entered. If any information is not known, please write “Unknown.” When filling in birth dates for family members, it is acceptable to use the approximate birth month and year if the actual dates are not known. Exceptions may be made for applicants whose grandparents were born in the 1800s or very early 1900s.

If I’m registered with OHA do I still need to verify Hawaiian ancestry when applying at Kamehameha Schools?
Yes. The Kamehameha Schools database is not linked to the OHA database. KS policy requires that ancestry be verified in accordance with its own standards.

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RECEIPT OF VERIFICATION

What does this letter mean and what do I do with it?
The letter acknowledges that the Hawaiian ancestry for the named applicant has been verified by the Ho'oulu Hawaiian Data Center (Data Center). Your information will remain on file with the Data Center. No further action on your part is required. Please DO NOT submit this letter to the program for which you are currently or may in the future be applying to. We suggest that you keep this letter for future reference.

I registered all of my family members, however, why did only some of us receive this letter and others did not?
The Hawaiian Ancestry Registry Form (HAR) and the related supporting documentation are processed as they are received. When HARs are received notated with sibling or family relationships, the Data Center will generally process these HARs at the same time. There may be times when sibling and family relationships are not clearly identified, and the HARs may be processed separately.

I turned in all of the requested documents, why did I not receive a letter?
Ancestry verification work is a year round activity, and letters are mailed out once a month as verifications are completed. Please allow sufficient processing time before inquiring on the status of your letter.

Does this letter mean I've been admitted to Kamehameha Schools?
No. Verification of Hawaiian ancestry DOES NOT indicate or guarantee admission to KS programs or the award of KS financial aid. To find out the status of the applicant's PROGRAM or ENROLLMENT application, please contact the program directly.

Do I have to re-register Hawaiian ancestry for every KS program I apply for?
No. Your verification information will remain on file with the Data Center. Future applications to a KS program or for KS financial aid will not require re-registration with the Data Center. However, KS reserves the right to review ancestry status at any time if new information becomes available.

Can I use this letter to prove Hawaiian ancestry to other agencies such as the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) or the State of Hawaii Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL)?
The Kamehameha Schools Ho`oulu Hawaiian Data Center verification letter is accepted as proof of Hawaiian ancestry by Kau Inoa, the registry to participate in the creation of a Hawaiian governing entity. However, you must complete a Kau Inoa registration form, which you may obtain by contacting Hawai`i Maoli, P.O. Box 1135, Honolulu, HI 96807, (808)394-0050. You should contact the other organizations or agencies directly, as their verification criteria and requirements may vary from those of Kamehameha Schools.

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MULTIPLE APPLICANTS/SIBLINGS

If I have more than one child, do I have to submit separate registry forms for each child?
Yes. One form is required for each person who wishes to be considered under the KS preference policy.

If I have more than one child applying, do I have to submit duplicate birth certificates for the parents and/or grandparents with each form?
Only one set of original birth certificates are required for shared parents and/or grandparents. Please include a note with both forms letting us know the name and identification number (found on first line of the address label) of your other child. This will allow us to identify the other registry application and process both using one set of birth certificates for the ancestors. The applicant’s birth certificate is required in all cases, however.

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ADOPTIONS

What information do I list on the form if I was adopted?
Only information for birth parents and grandparents should be on the form. If this information is not known, then write “UNKOWN” in the name area when applicable. Please provide the adopted person’s original birth certificate that lists his or her birth parents. If this is not available, adoption papers which list the birth parent’s ancestry are required in addition to the post-adoption birth certificates. A letter from the Family Court attesting that his or her biological parent(s) are Hawaiian will also be accepted.

If my stepfather adopted me, do I still need to submit adoption papers? What if my grandparents adopted me?
Please provide the adopted person’s original birth certificate that lists his or her birth parents. If this is not available, adoption papers which list the birth parent’s ancestry are required in addition to the post-adoption birth certificates. A letter from Family Court attesting that his or her biological parent(s) are Hawaiian will also be accepted. Visit their website at http://www.courts.state.hi.us/page_server/GenInfo/Contact/4C72497C36195B0DE997321412.html for contact information

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CURRENT KS STUDENTS AND GRADUATES

I am a KS graduate. (Or my mother or sister is a KS graduate.) Do I still have to verify Hawaiian ancestry for my child who is applying to KS?
Yes. Since our verification procedures and standards may have changed since the time that a graduate was enrolled at KS, all applicants to our system must document their Hawaiian ancestry if they wish to be considered under the preference policy.

My son was previously admitted to a KS summer enrichment program as a Hawaiian. Do I still have to verify Hawaiian ancestry?
Yes. KS summer programs have used different verification procedures in the past, and did not retain ancestry verification documents. In order to standardize our procedures across the entire KS system, new students must reapply for Hawaiian ancestry preference.

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KS PROGRAM-RELATED INFORMATION

If my ancestry verification process has not been completed by the program application deadline, will my program application be pushed to the back of the line?
No. If a program has a first-come, first-serve policy, the program will process your application based on the date you completed their application. Hawaiian ancestry verification is a separate process.

Was my child waitlisted/rejected because he was not considered under the Hawaiian preference policy?
HHDC does not handle admission to KS programs. We therefore do not have any information as to why your child was waitlisted or rejected; the individual programs make those determinations. If you would like more information, program contact numbers can be found at http://www.ksbe.edu/contact.html.

Can you provide more information about why my child was not invited?
HHDC does not handle admission to any KS program.

HHDC reviews information and documents to verify the ancestry of an applicant who wants to be considered under the preference policy. If you would like more information, program contact numbers can be found at http://www.ksbe.edu/contact.html.

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