Lost Birth Certificate and freaking out

[SheilaHeartsDisney]

So my fiance and I leave for Disney in 2 weeks and we are all set to go on a Disney Cruise. I have been asking him for weeks now to bring his birth certificate from his moms house so we are sure we have eveything we need and he asured me he knew exsactly where is was. Well turns out he check that spot and it is no where to be found. We checked online about getting another copy but that could take 3 - 8 weeks to get a copy. We also tried calling a location you can personally go to to request a copy but no one as answering. So my question is for those that had to do it in person. How fast were they at getting the birth certificate to you? This is for Philadelphia, PA. Thank You!

 

[BearcatsFan]

I'm in Ohio. I needed a copy of my birth certificate for my marriage license. I went to the records office, paid, and they handed me a certified copy in less than 20 minutes.

HTH

 

[SheilaHeartsDisney]

I'm in Ohio. I needed a copy of my birth certificate for my marriage license. I went to the records office, paid, and they handed me a certified copy in less than 20 minutes.

HTH

That makes me feel better. I hope Philadelphia is just as fast.

 

[vicki_c]

Where are you cruising and why do you need the birth certificate? We did not need birth certificates to cruise (closed loop Disney cruise to the Bahamas).

 

[sissy_ib]

Where are you cruising and why do you need the birth certificate? We did not need birth certificates to cruise (closed loop Disney cruise to the Bahamas).

If they don't have passports they need a BC and photo ID. It is to prove citizenship.

 

[Coconut36]

Why do you need a birth certificate? I thought travel rules had changed and in most cases passports were now required. You used to be able to cross the border to Mexico with a birth certificate (I live in a border state) but now you can't..you are required to have a passport (as of June 2009).

 

[sissy_ib]

Why do you need a birth certificate? I thought travel rules had changed and in most cases passports were now required. You used to be able to cross the border to Mexico with a birth certificate (I live in a border state) but now you can't..you are required to have a passport (as of June 2009).

For a closed loop cruise (starting and ending in the same US port) you can use a BC and photo ID.

https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/1139/~/documents-needed-to-take-a-cruise

 

[cybrkitn]

When my mom couldn't find my original certificate, I just went to the town hall in the township I was born in and paid $10 (IIRC) to get another one with the raised seal. I got it right then and there.

If you are in the same area you were born, check out the town hall.

 

[pigletof4]

I live in PA as well, just the other side of the state. If you have a Vital Records office in the area, go to that. I paid my money and had my birth certificate in less than 1/2 hour. Good Luck!

 

[SheilaHeartsDisney]

Thank you all very much. We do not have passports so we need our goverment issued ID plus a birth certificate to show citizenship to get into the ship. I think next time I will just spring for the passport so we don't have to go through this again.

 

[Coconut36]

For a closed loop cruise (starting and ending in the same US port) you can use a BC and photo ID.

https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/1139/~/documents-needed-to-take-a-cruise

Got it..the whole passport thing was big talk here as a border state lots of people crossed back and forth with a BC and ID and needing a passport was a big change. Didn't catch the cruise part of it.

OP-Does he have a passport? I am assuming that would be fine if the BC is unavailable.

 

[Piglets Mommy]

So my fiance and I leave for Disney in 2 weeks and we are all set to go on a Disney Cruise. I have been asking him for weeks now to bring his birth certificate from his moms house so we are sure we have eveything we need and he asured me he knew exsactly where is was. Well turns out he check that spot and it is no where to be found. We checked online about getting another copy but that could take 3 - 8 weeks to get a copy. We also tried calling a location you can personally go to to request a copy but no one as answering. So my question is for those that had to do it in person. How fast were they at getting the birth certificate to you? This is for Philadelphia, PA. Thank You!

We went through this issue a couple of years ago, when trying to get passports for our cruise. We had both birth certificates, but the passport office sent DH's birth certificate back saying it was "too old" It was the original birth certificate, and had a raised seal, but apparently they had changed since then. He went online (I think it was vitalrecords.com) and had one expedited. Took 2 days. Good luck, and enjoy your cruise!

 

[joviroxx]

Here is a link to the office location for Philadelphia to get your BC

http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt?open=514&objID=556854&mode=2

Just note 1 thing. They mention that as of April 2 they were doing a computer conversion and same day service might not be available. You might want to call them first.

Good luck

 

[briannesmom]

I had to go get a new one last week. I went to the county clerks office and they printed it out on the spot for $15. If I did it by mail it would have been 6-8 weeks.

 

[SheilaHeartsDisney]

Thank you so much everyone for putting my mind at ease. So we finaly got a hold of someone and they said that if we go in person to give all the information that in a week we can come back and pick up the birth certificate. I don't care what we have to do as long as it gets done before our vacation.

 

[okeydokey]

My DH had a heck of a time getting his BC from PA a couple of months back. It took weeks and weeks. Thankfully we had started the process well in advance of our trip.

Go in person to wherever you need to and get it in person. Never rely on PA dept of health to do anything in a timely manner.

 

[cm8]

Thank you so much everyone for putting my mind at ease. So we finaly got a hold of someone and they said that if we go in person to give all the information that in a week we can come back and pick up the birth certificate. I don't care what we have to do as long as it gets done before our vacation.

Now make sure you get 2 copies and ASAP

Goodluck

 

[kaligal]

if you're in the city in which you were born, you should be able to get a copy lickety-split.

Where are you cruising and why do you need the birth certificate? We did not need birth certificates to cruise (closed loop Disney cruise to the Bahamas).

You don't need it to cruise, but if you break a leg and can't get back on the ship, you'll need to prove citizenship to get back in the country.

For some people, just easier to have what you need than it is to have to go through all the crap.

 

[sissy_ib]

if you're in the city in which you were born, you should be able to get a copy lickety-split.

You don't need it to cruise, but if you break a leg and can't get back on the ship, you'll need to prove citizenship to get back in the country.

For some people, just easier to have what you need than it is to have to go through all the crap.

You do need it if you don't have a passport. You won't be allowed on a cruise ship without some prove of citizenship.
If you need to come home from a non-us port you can NOT fly back with a birth certificate. You would need to get in touch with US officials in the country you are in and get a passport rushed.

 

[SydSim]

I went to apply for a passport at our local post office and they told me that the BC that I had wasn't sufficient - last year they changed the rules so that both parents names have to be on it (or at least one). For some reason, mine didn't.

I thought that I could get a new one on the same day, but once I got down there, they informed me of the new computer system that started in April. That process took about an hour and a half. I applied early Monday morning and it was ready by Friday afternoon.

A little advice - people line up outside of the office as if it's rope drop at the Magic Kingdom. I got there about 40 minutes before it opened and at least 20 people were in front of me. Take something to read or play with. When you come back to pick it up, the line is HUGE! You're supposed to just pick it up and leave, but some people were asking questions because the BC was wrong. That process took about an hour.

Good luck!