Birth Certificate

[HeatherF]

We just returned from our 9/20/03 7 night Eastern Cruise and it was GREAT! Just wanted to pass on a potentially disasterous problem. When checking in and showing our birth certificates my husband's certificate was a HOSPITAL issued birth certificate and not a STATE issued birth certificate. VERY big difference and it almost kept him from getting on board. We were told this would NOT work next time. Thank goodness it worked this time, just check yours over AHEAD of time! This is stated is the passporter but we just didn't look close enough at the birth certificates ahead of time!

 

[mcgrawfan]

This is a question I had. I am assuming the state issued BC we have is the smaller one. The one from the hospital is more like a 8x11 certificate. Does this sound right?? So we need the state issued certificate. If we have this one will there be any problems. I really do not want to spend the money on a passport. They are getting pretty pricey. Would just rather spend that money at DW!!!

 

[Wendybird63]

I believe you can tell the difference due to the fact that the state issued one has the raised seal. When enrolling my boys in school the office personnel always rub the birth certificates to feel the seal.
I hadn't realized they let you on without a passport, though. My sons only have the birth certificates, but my husband and I have our passports.
Wendy

 

[Jeanny]

this question comes up from time to time... I believe the correct word for the birth certificate is CERTIFIED... It may not need to have a RAISED seal any longer, as some states do not use a raised seal. So just make sure it's a certified birth certificate and you shouldn't have any problems. You'll see a stamp on the bottom somewhere that it is a certified copy.

Wendybird63, you need a photo ID (License) and proof of birth (birth certificate) or a passport (does both) for adults, but depending on your children's ages-you should only need their birth certificates.

 

[strasfamily]

Mcgrawfan-

I have the smaller birth certificate as well, but it states "short form" on it and has the county seal. So that is the one I will use - I have used it for a cruise 13 years ago and it was OK.

You can also request a certified copy of your birth certificate from the county records office rather than buying a passport. We just did that for my hubby - it cost $13 and only took a week to get. Just do a search for your birth county's records office on the internet, and it will give you the specific instructions on how to get the copy through the mail.

 

[max123]

We realized that we only had State cerified BC for our DD the week before we left for our 8/03 cruise.

My DH had to stand in line at the vital stats office in Philadelphia to obtain the proper State certified BCs for he and I, so we would not have any problems. I became concerned when I reread the Disney doc and it reinforced that Hospital certificates were not valid forms of ID.

Had I known that Disney was not going to hold us to having the State Certified copies, we would not have dealt with the hassle just 5 days before our travel.

Seems that this is a common problem folks face.

Oh well be now have what we will need for next year's cruise!

 

[jeanniec]

Interestingly enough, when we went on one of our Disney Cruises, DH did not have any kind of birth certificate and they still let him on. Of course, this was before 9/11. We had his BC but when I went to pack it the day we left for the cruise, it was gone. We took everything we could find as ID -- army discharge papers, etc. Those weren't any good, but they let him sign an affadavit that he was a citizen and that was all he needed. I'm sure that wouldn't work any more, and we were lucky that they let him board even then.

 

[minniemouse1]

Just so you are aware some hospital bc's also have a raised seal as mine and my dh's do. The newer state bc's are smaller and usually don't look like a certificate. They resemble more of a typed form with the doctors signature (atleast in nys). Our hospital one doesn't have the drs sig.
We have invested in passports for us and our 2 dd's. For us they are easier to carry and don't rip easily like the bc's do. We use them often since we live 10 miles from the canadian border so they were worth the investment.

 

[SueEllen]

Originally posted by jeanniec
Interestingly enough, when we went on one of our Disney Cruises, DH did not have any kind of birth certificate and they still let him on. Of course, this was before 9/11. We had his BC but when I went to pack it the day we left for the cruise, it was gone. We took everything we could find as ID -- army discharge papers, etc. Those weren't any good, but they let him sign an affadavit that he was a citizen and that was all he needed. I'm sure that wouldn't work any more, and we were lucky that they let him board even then.

You are correct--you used to be able to do that if you didn't have your birth certificate, but since 9/11 you can no longer do that. No certified certificate--no sail.

Also, as someone else posted, some hospital certificates have raised seals, my DH's does. And not all of the new state issued certificates have a raised seal (VA no longer has a raised seal)

As long as you have a certified copy from the department of vital statistics from the state you were born in you will be okay.

Sue Ellen

 

[Ethelina]

HELP>>>HELP

Filling out docs this morning and my father-in-law phoned to say he has a hospital issued BC. We leave for Florida on Thursday!!!

Someone posted going to the Department of Vital Stats to get a certified copy........ Do you have to go to the County Seat of Birth??? Or can any county clerk's office(in birth State) be able to retrieve something on the computer???? This would save hours of driving time and not sure if they could Fed-Ex it out in time to leave.

Thanks for any help!!
E

 

[gonna go cruising]

http://www.vitalcheck.com/

you can get an expedited one but it will cost much extra, but well worth not having one at all.

Hope that helps!

I would call your local courthouse first as it may not be that hard for him to get one, depending on the state, etc.

 

[Jeanny]

Originally posted by Ethelina
HELP>>>HELP

Filling out docs this morning and my father-in-law phoned to say he has a hospital issued BC. We leave for Florida on Thursday!!!

Someone posted going to the Department of Vital Stats to get a certified copy........ Do you have to go to the County Seat of Birth??? Or can any county clerk's office(in birth State) be able to retrieve something on the computer???? This would save hours of driving time and not sure if they could Fed-Ex it out in time to leave.

Thanks for any help!!
E

Ethelina,
As gonna go cruising suggested... go onto vitalcheck.com, and click on your state... there may be offices close to you that you can go to and stand in line or go online and get a copy issued.. Tell them you're leaving Thursday. Fed Ex is 2-5 days, but that may be too late for you...

 

[max123]

We realized on the Sat prior to leaving that we needed "certified" birth certs for myself and DH.

I went to my State's web site and ordered the birth certs overnight mail, but we also found what state office bldgs throughout the state had vital stats offices.

My DH went and stood in line at the Philadelphia office and came home the same day with the documents. We now have 2 copies of the docs, but thats ok.

There are also many auto tag dealers in PA who will wait line line at the State Capital vital stat office for birth certs.

I'll bet you have similar options in your state.

good luck