Birth Certificate ?

[Minnie&Mickey]

I just pulled out our birth certificates, and I have a question about mine. It doesn't look anything like my children's. Mine shows a picture of the hospital, has my name handwritten on it and it signed. It has a hospital number, doctor's signature, and a gold seal on the front that is raised. It makes no mention of my parents on it. Will this be acceptable??? Is this the way they all looked back in the 50's?

 

[Sabor]

I believe as long as it has the raised seal you will be ok.
Mine looks nothing like my childrens , The look of documents change over the years.

 

[JJsmama]

My husband's (who was born in 1973) is handwritten as well. It is the original. We have a copy of it and on the back is the raised seal that says it is a 'certified photocopy.'

 

[wdwstar]

i was just talking dh about this yesterday, we were born in the 1960s and i dont recall our having a seal , just a copy of the original, , since birth, mine is tape together , i will have to look at them and update them, my neighbor dh needed his for a passport to go into canada and they would not issue him a passport because his birth cert. didnt have the seal, so he had to go the the county court house to file for a new birth cert.

what a pain, so everyone should check their birth cert. just in case , so you not running around at the last min. because i beleive it takes 4 weeks to get a new birth cert.

 

[Regina]

What you describe sounds more like a hospital certificate which DCL does not accept.

If I were you, I'd get a copy from the state/county where you were born.

 

[clh2]

Originally posted by Minnie&Mickey
I just pulled out our birth certificates, and I have a question about mine. It doesn't look anything like my children's. Mine shows a picture of the hospital, has my name handwritten on it and it signed. It has a hospital number, doctor's signature, and a gold seal on the front that is raised. It makes no mention of my parents on it. Will this be acceptable??? Is this the way they all looked back in the 50's?

It's just me here - once again asking a stupid question - aren't birth certificates issued by the county - not the hospital. Is it possible that this is a non-legal document that was issued by the hospital as opposed to an actual birth certificate? I would call the county you were born in, and ask them.

 

[ClarabelleCow]

that is exactly what it is, a souvenior, sometimes they have your feet on it. At least that's what it sounds like. Your town clerk issues the real birth certificates, you can very easily go in and get a copy or I think they will do it my mail, but I'm not sure. this is one of the reasons I always preach about getting a passport, its good for 10 years, and if lost while on vacation easily replaced, if you loose your BC on vacation, it could lead to trouble, not necessarily on a cruise, but flying in and out of the country.

 

[KyBuckeye]

All states have a phone number (usually called Dept of Vital Statistics) where you can call and order a certified copy of your birth certificate. Most will take a credit card over the phone for payment. Usually this will take up to 6 weeks so its best to do it as soon as possible. Birth certificates are issued by the state where you were born. The proper office to issue the certificates is located somewhere in the state capitol's government offices. You might try your local county clerk's office to see if they can give you the proper number. I agree with the previous poster, the certificate described sounds like the complimentary ones issued by many hospitals. These are not legal documents and aren't acceptable forms of id. Hope this helps!
Heidi

 

[nisiemouse]

I am getting read to order a birth certificate and there are two options -- a long form or a short form. Does anyone know which one I should order?

 

[benebire]

It sounds to me like you have the hospital birth certificate. Some states dont have raised seals but it should say certified or something to that effect. I would double check just to be safe!

 

[Minnie&Mickey]

I am so glad I checked this out with all of you. I showed the birth certificate to my mother and she insists that this was all she was given. I looked at the seal and it doesn't mention that it is "certified," so I went online and was able to order one from the Portland, Maine vital records department.

I also went ahead and ordered one for my husband since his mother doesn't know where his is, and she never gave us a copy. I am so glad I checked this out way in advance of our trip!