Consanguinity Chart and Documents Needed for Child-Only TANF in Nevada

DWSS requires proof that you are related to the child within the 5th degree of consanguinity before approving a Child-Only TANF application. That means birth certificates — potentially several of them — forming a chain from you to the child through every generation in between. Missing a single link delays the application.

How Consanguinity Degrees Work

Consanguinity counts the number of steps between you and the child through your common ancestor:

• 1st degree: Parent–child
• 2nd degree: Grandparent–grandchild, full siblings
• 3rd degree: Great-grandparent–great-grandchild, aunt/uncle–niece/nephew
• 4th degree: Great-great-grandparent, great-aunt/great-uncle–great-niece/great-nephew, first cousins
• 5th degree: Great-great-great-grandparent, first cousins once removed, great-great-aunts/uncles

Step-relatives and relatives through marriage (step-grandparents, step-aunts) at equivalent degrees also qualify. Fictive kin — close family friends without a blood or marriage tie — do not qualify under the relative rule; if the child is in formal child welfare custody and the caregiver is pursuing kinship foster care licensing, they may receive Child-Only TANF for up to six months.

Building the Document Chain

Each link in the consanguinity chain needs at least one vital record. Here is what it looks like for common relationships:

Grandparent raising grandchild (2nd degree, 2 links):

1. Child's birth certificate → shows the child's parent
2. Parent's birth certificate → shows you as that parent's parent

Great-aunt raising great-niece (4th degree, 4 links):

1. Child's birth certificate → shows the child's parent
2. Parent's birth certificate → shows the child's grandparent (your sibling)
3. Sibling's birth certificate → shows your shared parents
4. Your birth certificate → shows the same shared parents

The more distant the relationship, the more certificates you need. For a 5th-degree connection, you may need five separate documents.

What DWSS Accepts as Proof

Primary: Official state birth certificates (certified copies from the vital records office of the state where the birth occurred).

Alternatives when a birth certificate is unavailable: Hospital birth records, baptismal certificates, passports, or court orders establishing parentage (adoption decrees, paternity orders). Marriage certificates and divorce decrees help establish step-relationships.

DWSS may ask for documentation of the child's other parent's status — death certificate, incarceration records, or documentation of parental absence — depending on the circumstances.

Common Documentation Problems

Out-of-state or international birth certificates: If the parent or linking relative was born in another state, you need to order a certified copy from that state's vital records office. Foreign birth certificates may require certified translation and sometimes apostille authentication.

Missing parents: If you cannot obtain a birth certificate for a parent in the chain — because they are deceased, incarcerated, or their birth was not registered — DWSS can sometimes accept alternative evidence. Talk to a Foster Kinship navigator or Nevada Legal Services before your interview to discuss alternatives.

Name changes: If anyone in the chain legally changed their name (through marriage, adoption, or personal choice), bring the supporting document — marriage certificate, adoption decree, or court name-change order — to link the old name on one record to the new name on another.

Other Required Documents

Beyond consanguinity proof, a complete Child-Only TANF application needs:

• Child's Social Security number (card or SSA receipt showing application)
• Proof of Nevada residency (lease, mortgage, utility bill, landlord letter)
• Caregiver's ID (Nevada driver's license, state ID, passport, military ID, or tribal ID)
• Child's income documentation (SSA award letter, child support orders) — only if the child has income
• Caregiver household income (pay stubs, pension statements, Social Security award letters) for the 275% FPL screening

Tips for Faster Processing

Compile everything before you apply. Photocopy each document and organize the consanguinity chain in order from you down to the child. If applying on paper, attach the copies to Form 2136-EE. If applying online through Access Nevada, upload clear scans or photos of each document.

DWSS has 30 calendar days to process your application. Missing documentation is the most common cause of delays. If you cannot locate a document, contact the relevant vital records office immediately and bring your receipt or order confirmation to show DWSS that the record is in transit.

Our Nevada Kinship Financial Help Guide includes a consanguinity document binder worksheet, pre-formatted for every common kinship relationship, so you can check off each required record before you file.

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