I recently (within the last few months) sent a written request to the DC Archives for a death certificate and received a reply in less than a week. I had hesitated contacting them because I had read of delays in receiving information from them. However, to be totally honest I contacted them several times a couple of years ago and then again recently and at all times I received prompt - no more than a couple of weeks - replies to my requests. The only problem is they only have records to the early 1930s unless this too has changed. That's why I was inquiring about the Vital Records Office for a death certificate in the 1950s. Barbara