Birth certificates

[bairdbeth]

I just pulled our birth certificates from the safety deposit box. My DD's has the raised state seal, so I know hers is okay. Mine has an embossed border and circle around the seals. It is in the paper design, not a stamped embossing.It says it is a certified copy and is on special paper. Will this work? It was accepted for my passport in 1988. I don't want to spend the money to renew my passport as I will not be traveling out of the country other than a cruise any time soon. I sure don't want to be denied boarding.Thanks!

 

[kcashner]

Yes, your birth certificate will be fine. They key is that it needs to be a certified birth certificate (one issued by the state), NOT a souvenier certificate issued by the hospital. It is exactly the same thing you need to get a passport. You will also need a photo ID issued by some government agency. Most people use a driver's license for this.

It is cheaper to renew a passport if it has only been expired a few years than a really old one...I'm not sure where the cut off is. You won't need it for the cruise, but if you have any travel plans in the future, it might be worth checking....

 

[bairdbeth]

Thanks! I am paranoid about not being able to board and having to watch the ship sail away without me!