Birth Certificate

[HGD24]

Do you have to have the original or a copy of the original when traveling with a child?

 

[thegrimdwarf]

You don't *have* to, but it's smart to do so.

 

[Tnkrbelle565]

Neither! We've never been asked for one in all our travels. But we bring a copy just in case. Original stays home in the lock box.

 

[mdhkitten]

Are you talking about for flying on a plane? If so, and you're flying with a lap child under the age of two, I would HIGHLY recommend it. When I flew with my dd as a lap child Southwest always asked for the BC at all of the different ages, from 3 months up to right before she was two. If it is for the airline, I always brought the original, but you may want to call and see if a copy would be ok. Since she's been over 2 and ticketed, I haven't brought ID.

 

[Lstar311]

My ds is 16 months old we just flew with him and NO ONE asked to see it at all. A little scary if you ask me...

 

[YellowMickeyPonchos]

We just take a copy. Makes it easier know they have some form of identification!

 

[Tnkrbelle565]

A little scary if you ask me...

Totally agree. The first time my DD flew, she was 5 weeks old and nobody stopped me.

 

[jellybeans0607]

You dont need either.

Do people ever get the original anymore? I thought they were all copies. Dont they keep the original on file so you can get the copies? Im confused.

 

[thegrimdwarf]

You dont need either.

Do people ever get the original anymore? I thought they were all copies. Dont they keep the original on file so you can get the copies? Im confused.

Your original should have a pressed notary seal.

 

[jellybeans0607]

Your original should have a pressed notary seal.

Any time you get a copy of it at city hall it is notarized. M aybe different states do things different?

 

[mdhkitten]

For those that flew with babies and the BC was not asked for...........did they have their own paid seat or were they lap children? If you paid for their own seat, ID isn't required for children under the age of 18. They say that if your child will be a lap child (no seat paid for) that a BC is required for proof of age. Now I do hear that some airlines are lax as far as actually checking (again, Southwest has always checked mine), but you never know when they will check and if they do and you don't have it, they can charge you for a seat and then the full fare at the time. Again, this only pertains to lap children (those flying without a paid seat).

 

[brockash]

No, I've always taken a copy, and never had a problem.

 

[brockash]

For those that flew with babies and the BC was not asked for...........did they have their own paid seat or were they lap children? If you paid for their own seat, ID isn't required for children under the age of 18. They say that if your child will be a lap child (no seat paid for) that a BC is required for proof of age. Now I do hear that some airlines are lax as far as actually checking (again, Southwest has always checked mine), but you never know when they will check and if they do and you don't have it, they can charge you for a seat and then the full fare at the time. Again, this only pertains to lap children (those flying without a paid seat).

I've flown many times with "lap babies." The only time I've ever had to take a B.C. was with SW. My most recent flights were last month with SW -going to MCO they didn't ask, but coming back they did (it wasn't a problem as they clearly state that you have to have it for a lap baby, so I had my DD's) I flew last July with a lap baby on American and U.S. airways, and they never asked for one, which is good, because I didn't take it. I've flown many times before that with lap babies as well, and they've never asked for a B.C.

 

[lsherman]

I DON'T LKIKE THE IDEA OF TRAVELING WITH A BIRTH CERTIFICATE SO WE GOT A PHoto ID made at the drivers licence office. they said that would work since it is gov issued

 

[HGD24]

Thanks everyone! Our original has the raised notary stamp on it. Any copies we would get do not have the raised seal, but you can see the seal on the photocopy. Looks like we'll bring at least a copy just to be safe.

 

[emh1129]

I would only bring it if I was flying with a lap baby. I don't know if they require an original, though.

 

[ERMama]

i was going to bring a copy on our last trip for our youngest but forgot. nobody asked us either. she was a lap baby and doesnt look like us.

 

[DisneyWorldbuff]

The ONLY airline that has ever asked me for Birth Certificates for under 2s is Southwest airlines. Because of them, I always bring a copy whe I fly now. They are serious about checking! Even when my child is so obviously under 2, they have always asked me. Other airlines have not botheres me for it. But, just in case I still alays travel with my son's copy.

 

[bumbershoot]

Do people ever get the original anymore? I thought they were all copies. Dont they keep the original on file so you can get the copies? Im confused.

You are correct. If we all had THE original, the state would have no record of us.

Any time you get a copy of it at city hall it is notarized. M aybe different states do things different?

I think different states have different forms (I have a CA bc and it looks real, while DH and DS have WA bcs and theirs look so so SO fake!) and different states have different ways of certifying them. My CA bc has an embossed, raised, seal. WA certificates have a multicolored STAMP as the certified seal. Both totally official.

Thanks everyone! Our original has the raised notary stamp on it. Any copies we would get do not have the raised seal, but you can see the seal on the photocopy. Looks like we'll bring at least a copy just to be safe.

Obviously I'm not an expert, but I have a hard time believing this. What is originally sent to parents is the first certified COPY of the bc on file with the county of birth. If that's lost, you order another certified copy, which means the original is copied or another is printed, and then the gov't notaries working in the BC office use their special stamp/embosser that makes it "certified" (not just notarized). If you lose that, you can order another.

Now you CAN generally order NON-certified copies from the offices for a lower cost, but they aren't good for much!


Anyway, I tend to travel with the certified copy of DS's b.c., which is the original one we got, but isn't the original one filed in the county office.

(and I'm on my 3rd certified copy of MY b.c., b/c they keep wearing out!)

 

[mjantz]

Our kids have passports now but before they had them we took their birth certificates with us whenever we flew. No one ever asked to see it (except when we drove back to the US across the border from Canada) but my feeling has always been that my Drivers License or passport is my form of ID & my kids need their form of ID (which until they got a passport was their birth certificate).