If you want to have genetic tests to confirm that you are the baby's father, contact the child support agency or court before you sign the acknowledgment form. Voluntary Paternity Acknowledgment - What it means Before signing the Voluntary Paternity Acknowledgment form, make sure you understand what the form means. The Voluntary Paternity Acknowledgment is the easiest way for an unmarried father to put his name on his baby's birth certificate. The other ways involve the courts. By signing the Voluntary Paternity Acknowledgment form, both parents are establishing their baby's paternity.
Paternity means legal fatherhood.
Signing this form legally establishes paternity. This means the court may order support for the baby without having a court hearing to prove who is the father. Support could include paying for medical bills and providing health insurance. Support is paid until the baby becomes an adult. If the father and mother cannot agree on those things, the father will need to get a court order.