Anyone from (born in) Virginia that can help?

[tynkerbell]

Okay, I'm having the darndest time with getting a passport. I got my birth certificate but there is no seal on it so I'm quite sure it will be rejected... is there anyone here from Virginia that can explain how their birth certificates should look?

This one is printed on watermarked paper, it looks like the paper used for official checks. It's blue, with a pink stripe down the center. The bottom states "Do not accept unless on security paper with seal of Vital Statistics clearly impressed. .... I see a "seal of vital statistics" on the lower left hand corner but it's completely flat and part of the paper... Impressed means like indented, doesn't it?

I'm SO frustrated and the people I dealt with on the phone were absolutely NO help.

Even without a passport I'd need a valid birth certificate to get on the ship so this is making me crazy.

 

[Amlee]

Do you have a local health department near you? If so take it in to them and they should be able to tell you if it's official or not.

If not then ask them if they can order you one. I know here in Alabama we can go to our local health departments and get a certified BC in about 20 minutes. The cost is around 15.00

 

[Vavasmon]

My daughter's Virginia birth certificate looks something like you described.
(It is approx. 8 1/2 X 9). The seal is on the circle on the lower left hand corner. It is very easy to miss. If you flip it over on the back and it is easy to see and hers has a red printed control number. The department of health seal is on the right.

My raised seal BC (also Virginia) is just a gold seal on the lower right hand side (8 1/2 x 11 piece of parer) but nothing else. I also have the older credit card birth certificate but they are no longer valid.

We both have valid US passports issues based on these (and post 9-11).

Virginia has changed their birth certificates many times. Mine from the 1960's (1965) does not look DD's birth certificate (1995) and hers looks nothing like her cousins - also Virginia but issued 18 months earlier. All the variances in BC's are part of why the governemnt is going to passports which are fairly standard at border crossings.

 

[SueEllen]

Virginia birth certificates have an inprint on them and state they are official and are watermarked. Don't worry if you don't have a "raised seal" as the newer ones no longer have this but still stay that. You can feel the difference ever so slightly in that area of the certificate.
It will be just fine. We just used ours to get our passports last summer.
Sue Ellen

 

[tynkerbell]

It's completely flat... no imprint or seal anywhere. If not for the paper looking like one of those checks the government issues I would think it looks like a complete fake. That's why I'm wondering if they "forgot" to imprint it or if this is just how Virginia issues them now?

 

[cruzings]

My daughter's Virginia birth certificate is blue like you described, like watermarked. It does have a seal on the lower left corner (behind it is a red printed number) and you can feel the indentations when you run your finger over it. She was born in 1999 so I do not know what other years' birth certificates look like.

 

[cody'smom]

I have my original Virginia bc issued in 1963- you can barely read the number, and if there ever was a raised seal, it's definitely not raised now. I had no problems getting a passport or using my bc on DCL this past November. It looks nothing like my nephew's VA bc issued last year. You should be fine, but have it checked out if you are anxious about it. Personally, I would find it hard to believe that a DCL representatives at check in can know exactly what all the different certificates issues in each state look like!!!

 

[lbgraves]

I got a copy of my BC in 2003. It doesn't have any kind of indentation at all in the seal area. I was worried too but that is how they do it now apparently. I haven't had a problem on 3 cruises with DCL now. I also have the CC BC but got the paper copy just to be sure.

 

[rtphokie]

Okay, I'm having the darndest time with getting a passport. I got my birth certificate but there is no seal on it so I'm quite sure it will be rejected... is there anyone here from Virginia that can explain how their birth certificates should look?

This one is printed on watermarked paper, it looks like the paper used for official checks. It's blue, with a pink stripe down the center. The bottom states "Do not accept unless on security paper with seal of Vital Statistics clearly impressed. .... I see a "seal of vital statistics" on the lower left hand corner but it's completely flat and part of the paper... Impressed means like indented, doesn't it?

I'm SO frustrated and the people I dealt with on the phone were absolutely NO help.

Even without a passport I'd need a valid birth certificate to get on the ship so this is making me crazy.

If you can get to Richmond, you can get one the same day for $12. If you've got 6 weeks, you can get one via mail for $12. If you've not got that kind of time, you can order one for less than $50. It will come with the necessary seal on it to get you that passport.

http://www.vdh.state.va.us/vitalrec/index.asp

My Virginia Birth Certificate was destroyed so I had to order a new one. I went the mail route and had it within 4 weeks (this several years ago). This BC looks like it was printed from microfiche and has a embossed seal on it. The embossing is nearly flat after I stored it in a book for many years (it's in my safe deposit box now). I had no problems using it to get a passport though.

 

[tynkerbell]

If you can get to Richmond, you can get one the same day for $12. If you've got 6 weeks, you can get one via mail for $12. If you've not got that kind of time, you can order one for less than $50. It will come with the necessary seal on it to get you that passport.

http://www.vdh.state.va.us/vitalrec/index.asp

My Virginia Birth Certificate was destroyed so I had to order a new one. I went the mail route and had it within 4 weeks (this several years ago). This BC looks like it was printed from microfiche and has a embossed seal on it. The embossing is nearly flat after I stored it in a book for many years (it's in my safe deposit box now). I had no problems using it to get a passport though.

The one I have is one I ordered online for $47. through Vitalcheck.com... which states that you'll get an official certified copy, that's why I'm wondering if they "forgot" to put a seal or if that's just how they come now.

I live in Nevada, so there's no way for me to get to Virginia to have them check it out and when I called the county in Virginia they kept transferring me and couldn't give me a straight answer. I suppose I'll just continue the process of trying to get my passport and if it's rejected I'll have to make some more calls. Good thing I have over 4 months to get this straightened out before our cruise.

 

[Vavasmon]

I would relax - I am sure you are fine - it is on the VDH watermarked paper and has the seal printed. If you want to call someone I would suggest the Division of Vital Records and Health Statistics in Richmond Virginia. Their number (according to the web) is 804-662-6200 and they are even open Saturday from 8 am - Noon. These are the people who issue all birth, death, marriage, and divorce ceritifcates for the Commonweath of Virginia. The local county people only notify Richmond - they do not issue documents.

 

[SueEllen]

Trust me--we had to get another certificate--the NEW ones do not have the seal, just the area that says that. It is done on official watermarked paper. You will be fine. I picked up the birth certificate in Richmond personally (and have an old one as well that DOES have the indentation that you can feel.) The new ones do not have this indentation.
Sue Ellen

 

[Peggy Jean]

Do you have a local health department near you? If so take it in to them and they should be able to tell you if it's official or not.

If not then ask them if they can order you one. I know here in Alabama we can go to our local health departments and get a certified BC in about 20 minutes. The cost is around 15.00

Same here, I live in MD and did the same, went to the local Health Department and got mine and my family's for about $10 each. If memory serves me correct they even redid the seal on mine since my seal wasn't quite as raised as everyone elses. Good Luck

 

[tynkerbell]

I would relax - I am sure you are fine - it is on the VDH watermarked paper and has the seal printed. If you want to call someone I would suggest the Division of Vital Records and Health Statistics in Richmond Virginia. Their number (according to the web) is 804-662-6200 and they are even open Saturday from 8 am - Noon. These are the people who issue all birth, death, marriage, and divorce ceritifcates for the Commonweath of Virginia. The local county people only notify Richmond - they do not issue documents.

That is who I called today. They weren't helpful at all. I'll try again monday though, maybe it was just the person I spoke to.

 

[becka]

We just ordered DH's Virginia birth certificate from vitalchek about 3 months ago. It looks exactly like you described and DH was able to get his passport without any issues. I really would not worry. It is an official bc and it can be used for passports.

 

[Piecey]

Wow, I can't believe so many states make it semi-difficult to get a copy of your own Birth Certificate...

I just have to go to my local courthouse, give them $5, show photo ID, wait 5 minutes.. and they'll give me a copy..

 

[Danthesand]

O.K., just to remind everyone, tynkerbell stated that the certificate she just received has no seal whatsoever.

Some prior posters -- particularly becka -- are implying that as long as the certificate "looks" official (e.g., is printed on watermarked paper, has bank-like stripes down the center, etc.) tynkerbell "shouldn't worry."

Well, tynkerbell is a smart cookie in being cautious about accepting that logic. Below - directly from the Department of State website -- is the actual criteria their Passport Bureau uses to determine whether a birth certificate is acceptable (ergo, certified, which equals official):

"Documention required: certified birth certificate issued by the city, county or state

NOTE: A certified birth certificate has a registrar's raised, embossed, impressed or multicolored seal, registrar’s signature, and the date the certificate was filed with the registrar's office, which must be within 1 year of your birth.

Per the above, a certficate without any seal whatsoever will not be accepted, period. The seal is one of the critical pieces of compliance the Passport Bureau is looking for. It's missing? Welcome to the bureaucrats' favorite tool, the infamous REJECTED stamp.

As for those who implying the Passport Bureau is "flexible" with this criteria, let me remind them of the terms:

"post-9/11 environment"
"homeland security"
"The Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004"
"continually tightening immigration rules (a.k.a. "why you are soon going to HAVE to have a passport to go on DCL.)."

Or stated diferently, the casual old days are long gone, people. Like it or not, the Feds are now going by the book.

 

[lbgraves]

That may be the case, however VA doesn't imprint their BCs at this time. I received a copy post 9/11 in 2003 & it doesn't have a raised seal. If I were to request another copy, it wouldn't have a raised seal on it either. Does this mean that noone who was born in VA can get a passport? I don't think so.

It says raised, embossed, impressed or multicolored seal. The VA seal is blue & white. That is multicolored I suppose. On the bottom is states
This is the certify that this is a true and correct reproduction or abstract of the official record filed with the VA dept of health Richmond, VA..........Do not accept unless on security paper with seal of Vital Statistics clearly impressed........

 

[Danthesand]

That may be the case, however VA doesn't imprint their BCs at this time. I received a copy post 9/11 in 2003 & it doesn't have a raised seal. If I were to request another copy, it wouldn't have a raised seal on it either. Does this mean that noone who was born in VA can get a passport? I don't think so.

It says raised, embossed, impressed or multicolored seal. The VA seal is blue & white. That is multicolored I suppose. On the bottom is states
This is the certify that this is a true and correct reproduction or abstract of the official record filed with the VA dept of health Richmond, VA..........Do not accept unless on security paper with seal of Vital Statistics clearly impressed........

That's all well and good, but doesn't describe what Tynkerbell received. To quote her directly from the first sentence of her original post:

"Okay, I'm having the darndest time with getting a passport. I got my birth certificate but there is no seal on it"

Bottom line: methinks some Government worker in Vital Statistics in VA forgot to add the stamp to what Tynk got. She should have gotten what you describe, but didn't.

And per what you say is printed on the standard form ("Do not accept unless on security paper with seal of Vital Statistics clearly impressed") the State of Virginia itself is telling the State Department "reject this."

 

[lbgraves]

The seal is printed on the paper, not stamped on.

I see a "seal of vital statistics" on the lower left hand corner but it's completely flat and part of the paper...