I am panicing about my birth certificate!!-need suggestions fast

[KarenB]

Oh no-I was getting ready to fill out our cruise docs for the July 3 western. I was kind of concerned about DH birth certificate because it is ready to fall apart.

Well- I just looked at mine and it is a hospital birth certificate with a raised seal!! It says these are not acceptable!!!! The only other thing I have is a "Notification of Birth Registration" with no seal.


What in the world am I going to do now???? I have my marriage license, driver's license.....


Please give me some suggestions-we fly out Friday am

Karen

 

[SeaSpray]

First thing in the morning, call the town hall of the town you were born in. If it's nearby, you can usually go and pick it up that day, or within a day or two. If not, then hopefully they'd be able to over-night or 2nd Day Air ship it to you, and it'd be worth it to pay whatever the cost is. Please let us know what happens, Karen!!!!

 

[tigger53]

i thought a birth certificate with a raised seal is what is acceptable. thats what we're using.

 

[KarenB]

Mine is apparently is a "hospital certificate". That is what I used my entire life.

 

[scrapperjill]

You can usually go to the vital records department anywhere in the State you were born in to get an official birth certificiate. We went into the vital records department in a near by town to get BC of both our daughters....one was born in that city the other was not (both within the same state)...and had both BC in less than two min . My husbands...was a little harder to get...he was born in a diffrent State...so I looked up online the records department for the city and county he was born...they had the instructions on how to obtain the official BC...by mail it said it would take 24 hours to process....We ended up going on a business trip to the State he was born in...matter of fact to the city he was born in so we made a stop by the City building found the Vital Records department..filled out the form..paid the fee and waited 30min to have it processed.

It should be fairly easy if your anywhere in the same State that you were born in.

...so if your are not local (within the state you are currently in) I'd check with the office of the county and or city you and your hubby were born in. Good luck. Since it's Sunday now...you can always check on line to get locations and hours..fees and the process

PS I thought at first I'd have to go to the State capitol to obtain the records...which you can.....all depends on how far away the capitol is.

GOOD LUCK.

 

[ADisneygirl]

I had a "Hospital Certificate" too, and never knew it wasn't my real birth certificate until our first cruise three summers ago. The CM at the desk said "this is a hospital certificate, not a birth certificate. We might have a problem here". Well, I was moved aside, and she continued to examine it. I protested, saying it is the only birth cert. I have ever had, it has a raised seal, it is what got me a Drivers License, a marriage cert., etc. I used it for official ID all my life. Well, she kept assuring me that everything would work out, but I was getting quietly hysterical. I had never heard of a hospital certificate.

I was moved down to the far end of the check in counter and a man -- some kind of manager came out and began questioning me. Asking me the same things she had already asked. Then he mentioned he grew up in NY, where I was from, and then began asking me questions about the Bronx! I think he was checking to see if I was telling the truth about where I was from!

Anyway, after about 45 minutes, he let us on the ship. He said that DCL was getting much more strict on the ID that is acceptable to board, and that I needed to get my real BC from NY or a passport if I was planning on cruising again or leaving the country in any way.

I was so shaken.

Got my "real" BC copy with the raised seal as soon as I returned. Had no problem using it last July.

My advice to you is to get on the phone in the morning with the county office where you were born. You might even be able to check online tonight --- For people born in NY, you can get on the Office of Vital Records website to order your birth cert. copy.

Good luck, and pay whatever you have to for overnight delivery. Don't try to board with that hospital cert. I don't want you to be disappointed.

 

[KarenB]

I checked on line on PA Dept of HEalth/Vital Records and I am heading to Harrisburg 6:30 tomorrow morning. It is about annhour and I will be waiting at the door. The website says they have walk in service.

Keeping my fingers crossed!

 

[huckster]

you do need a raised seal or a water mark if all else fails
www.vitalcheck.com will fed ex it one day . i know we used it 20 dollars

 

[DepCor0311]

I am not 100% sure about this but...can you get an "emergency" passport...one that can be issued in something like 24-48 hours? Check with your local post office.

 

[ADisneygirl]

That's great KarenB that you are only an hour away. A little ride tomorrow and problem solved! Everything will work out fine now.

Have a great cruise!

 

[scubarn]

In order to obtain an Emergency Passport you do need a birth certificate.
You also have to go to a regional Passport Office to obtain one.

 

[KarenB]

I did look into an emergency passport and guess what you need....a birth certificate, not a hospital certificate!!!

It just is odd that I did everything with this hospital certificate all my 40+years and never a problem. Maybe times have just changed

 

[kellib36]

Originally posted by KarenB
It just is odd that I did everything with this hospital certificate all my 40+years and never a problem. Maybe times have just changed

You're right, Karen, things HAVE changed! I, too used a hospital cert for right at 40+ years, too! My dilemma included an adoption in there, too. (My mom is my bio Mom, but my Dad isn't.) I was told by the state of Mass, that I couldn't get my own BC!!! Not sure exactly what I was supposed to do, but thank goodness my Mom was still around (still is!) and SHE could get it for me.

When the gal told me I wasn't allowed to get it, because of sealed records and all, I was stunned speechless......and called my Mom crying! So much for being a grownup after 40 years!!

 

[Mark_F]

Originally posted by ADisneygirl
For people born in NY, you can get on the Office of Vital Records website to order your birth cert. copy.

A hospital notice of registration is simply a notification that the information has been sent to the hall of records (or whatever office is appropriate in your venue.) It is truly not a birth certificate.

In NYC, you can get a copy of your birth certificate within days online or in person at the county's Health Department.

However, the NYC BC's are now being computer printed on special paper and do not have a raised seal. Does anyone know if that will be accepted?

DD has one of both and I will ask when we check in this Saturday. If anyone else has info it would be appreciated.

 

[Memaw2Wm]

However, the NYC BC's are now being computer printed on special paper and do not have a raised seal. Does anyone know if that will be accepted? [/B]

The "special paper" BC are just as good as the "sealed" BC ... I think a lot of states and DC are switching to the computer generated certificates ... much quicker to process is my guess.

My kids and I were born in DC ... you can get a 'puter generated BC for $18 ... a certified copy of the original record is $23 ... both are perfectly acceptable.

Virginia has the computer generated BCs, but you can get a certified copy of the original record, but you have to make a special request.

 

[scrapperjill]

Karen B...I happy to hear you live so close...and are able to make the short drive this morning. I'm sure everything is going to work out just fine.

I don't think things have changed all that much...for just about everything your hospital certificiate work just fine...like drivers licenses, marriage licenses, or what nots. The only time I have ever had to use or get my "official BC" was when I got my passport YEARS ago.

Best of luck on your BC journey today

 

[KarenB]

Yahoo!! My birth certificate is now in my hand!!!!

This is what I get-worrying about everyone else except myself!!

Karen

 

[CAMICKEY]

Glad everything worked out for you. Enjoy your cruise. - Mike

 

[Barbmouse63]

KarenB...

This was a VERY important post! Thanks you so much for posting it. It could save a lot of people some trouble. We hope to cruise with DCL in the near future and I had to order my BC. It has a watermark but not a raised seal.....I guess it's the new thing! Does anyone know if this is acceptable.

Have a magical voyage, KarenB and thanks again!!

 

[Minnie&Mickey]

Glad to hear you were able to get it...now go enjoy your trip!