OT: How long did it take you to get your newborns birth certificate?

[Bea]

I am hoping to have this baby any day now (I still have 2 weeks ). Anyways, we live in Nova Scotia and I was thinking of taking advantage of some wonderful deals in the Fall to WDW but I don't know how long it will take to get the baby's birth certificate.

Also, on the website there are 3 different types of birth certificates. What one do I need? There is the one like I have (basic; birth place, name, date) and then there is a "long" form that lists parents names etc?

The minimum amount of time between birth and trip would be 2 - 2 1/2 months, but I have heard some horror stories about how long it takes to get the birth certificate.

 

[Claud26]

hi, you just fill out the forms they give you at the hospital and mail it inthen they will mail you something back and only then can you apply for a Birth Certificate... it took one yr for us to get ours back... Not kidding!!
Not sure if you can call them let them know you need it sooner...

Claud

 

[amw]

Since birth certificates are provincial, I'm not sure how long it would take in NS. In Ontario, my daughters' certificates took 2 1/2 months before receiving them. This was in 2000 and 2002, so I'm not sure if there's more or less of a backlog now. In Ontario, since 2002, you also have to get someone to sign off on your application (similar to the way we get passports signed -- doctor, professional, etc.). I only ordered the wallet-size certificates. The full information is always available at the registrar.

You really should apply ASAP anyways -- you need them for bank accounts, RESPs, SINs, and of course if you want to bother with passports. I definitely think it's better travelling with passports rather than birth certificates -- even to the US.

It could be faster in NS, you don't have the same population numbers to hold things up

 

[ryan840]

Well my son was born in August 2003 and I just got his birth certificate last month before we went to WDW. That was my fault though, I had him in a city an hour away and never had the chance to go pick it up. I believe it was ready after he was six weeks old though. Say hello to my family in Halifax and Dartmouth! Nova Scotia is one of my favorite places in the world (not that I've seen much of it, just a handful of states and a few of the provinces ).


ETA- I should mention that I don't know how the system works in Canada but I just though I'd tell you my experience, it could be similar...

 

[murcor]

Hello fellow Nova Scotian

As per the information on the website "After your application and the proper payment have been received by the Vital Statistics office in Halifax, the certificate will normally be processed within 10 business days, and sent to you by mail. Please allow additional days for postal delivery."

We have the wallet size, and I was surprised how quickly they arrived.

If all goes well, I would think you would have it before fall.

Congratulations & Good Luck

Angela

 

[maddiel]

I don't know where in the province you are, but if you are in the Halifax area you can pick one up at the Vital Statistics office on Hollis in under 15 minutes if there's no line.

Last fall when my brother in Cape Breton got married, he discovered he'd misplaced his birth certificate the day before he was to leave for his honeymoon in New York. He sent a letter of authorization and photo ID to me (in Halifax) on the bus and I went to the Vital Stats office for him and picked it up in time to give it to him the next day during his layover at YHZ.

Everyone in our family only has the short form, but I believe they prefer you to have a long form if you are applying for a child's passport, so it might be worthwhile for you to kill two birds with one stone if you'll be applying for a passport for him/her in the next couple of years.

Best of luck with the birth,

M.

 

[Bea]

Thanks for your responses!They have given me hope to keep dreamin' about at Fall Disney vacation

 

[mbb]

for the next few weeks!!