Birth Certificates- Be Aware, it's VERY particular!

[DebJ14]

All this drama can be avoided if you just get yourself a passport in the first place :D

 

Yep, but getting a passport is not necessarily drama free with the new BC requirements.

 

I have friends going on the Magic in Feb for their 25th anniversary. They finally decided to bite the bullet and apply for passports. Unfortunately, they printed out the forms and instructions prior to the new BC rules in April, but waited until last month to send them in. She got her passport in about 3 weeks. His application was rejected because the BC did not contain all the info the State Dept. now requires. He ordered up a new long form BC, which should comply, and just sent the passport application again. The rejection letter stated that the BC he submitted is no longer considered to be a "legitimate proof of citizenship" and will not be accepted by any US gov't agency.

 

They called Carnival and asked if he could board with the BC he tried to use for the passport and they said if it was rejected by the State Department it would " most likely" be rejected by their embarkation agents and would cause problems at Immigration on the return. They used that same birth certificate to go on many, many cruises in the past.

[Warm Breezes]

:)Just get a pass port. Yea they may cost a little but they are worth it. Look at this way if something happens on a ship and you have to leave out of an island that ain't part of the good ole usa. YOU ARE IN TROUABLE. Look at what happened when the ships left San Juan early. They went to Barbados no pass port no entry. Pass port is the best policey.

 

To me that was a lesson in getting to the port city a day early and paying attention to the news and what is going on with your ship, especially if there is a hurricane heading your way. We sail with a BC and DL. I can guarantee that if we were on that sailing we would not have had a problem not having a passport....we would have been sailing on the ship when it left port.

[erby2283]

I have a passport but my bf does not. On a whim, I asked him to let me see his BC (which he keeps in his wallet). If course, the seal can no longer be felt. So, I sent off the paperwork on Tuesday to the City where we were born but after reading this post, an petrified that it will not be sufficient. My dad is going to stop by the Town Hall to see if it does in fact read "Certificate of Live Birth".

 

However, I noticed that you can apply for a first time passport online (not sure how that works since you have to submit documentation to get one when you drop it off at the post office). My question is, does anyone know if you can apply online and expedite it? I know you can pay extra but wasn't sure if that option was available to a first time applicant online.

 

Thanks to all who respond.

 

Note just added: The Town Hall said that b/c we ordered the long form we should be fine as it has both a seal and does read "Certificate of Life Birth"

[LemurCat]

However, I noticed that you can apply for a first time passport online (not sure how that works since you have to submit documentation to get one when you drop it off at the post office). My question is, does anyone know if you can apply online and expedite it? I know you can pay extra but wasn't sure if that option was available to a first time applicant online.

 

I believe you may be mistaken. I think you still have to go to a passport agency and present the documents and pictures in person as a security measure.

 

http://travel.state.gov/passport/get/first/first_830.html

[cmorie]

Birth certificate posts always gets me scared. Cruising in 3 weeks, just pulled out my dd's birth certificate to make sure it was not a city one (I don't really know what that even is).

 

Hers says across the top...

 

State of Ohio

Vital Statistics

Certificate of Live Birth

 

I assume this was issued by the state of Ohio.

 

However, it is stamped that this is an official copy issued by my local city registrar. There is the raised stamp from the city next to that.

 

Is this an official state issued BC?

 

I just cruised using a BC and im from Ohio. My old bc has the words you stated. I bit the bullet and got a new one. It says state of Ohio, office of vital statistics, certification of birth. I was born in dayton btw.

[Simplertimes]

I think the OP is from Massachusetts (or maybe another poster in this thread), but the newer birth certificates have Commonwealth of Massachusetts at the top, then City of ___________, and ___________ County. It has all the info needed - parent's name, their dates of birth, date certificate filed, etc. Has the raised seal. Massachusetts is one of a few states who are "Commonwealth of" as opposed to "State of", but I don't think that would be an issue there. This was issued directly from the city where he was born.

 

My hubby used just his birth certificate and license. I've been bugging him to get a passport and he keeps saying he will. It probably won't happen unless I physically drag him down to the post office to get his picture taken and fill out app.

[npb1999]

We all have passports but my dd's friend is coming with us. She does not have a passport and her parents do not want to get one. She has a state issued birth certificate with all the info needed, but it was issued 3 years ago...will it be acceptable?

 

Another question....my kids' passports will expire in Sept of 2012 and we travel in April 2012...read somewhere that passport must be valid for 6 months from travel...is this just to fly or would they need new passports?

 

Called Carnival on both and they said dd's friend would be fine and so would kids....question is....do I believe them???

[S.S.Oceanlover]

We all have passports but my dd's friend is coming with us. She does not have a passport and her parents do not want to get one. She has a state issued birth certificate with all the info needed, but it was issued 3 years ago...will it be acceptable?

 

Another question....my kids' passports will expire in Sept of 2012 and we travel in April 2012...read somewhere that passport must be valid for 6 months from travel...is this just to fly or would they need new passports?

 

Called Carnival on both and they said dd's friend would be fine and so would kids....question is....do I believe them???

 

We cruised in September on Liberty and no problems with our passports that expire in February.

 

Bill

 

Sent from my SCH-I500 using Tapatalk

[ozzie_daz]

i was born in Australia and have only had 1 BC that got lost a good 20 years ago. I am now in my mid 30's and am half way into my 2nd 10yr passport. I don't think i even know anyone that has or uses a BC in Australia, I guess being a smaller country a Valid drivers license or Passport can pretty much get you wherever u need to go.

 

I have been on 2 cruises, and have another 3 in the planning stage, and have been out of Australia a good 10 times. the 2 times cruise's that i did both in the US, the customs people do have a good look at the passport and always ask a few random questions (i am a shady looking character after all) but otherwise all is good.

 

As others have said GET A PASSPORT!! its so much easier :)

[jmjpro]

I just cruised using a BC and im from Ohio. My old bc has the words you stated. I bit the bullet and got a new one. It says state of Ohio, office of vital statistics, certification of birth. I was born in dayton btw.

 

Why did you get a new one? Did you get it at the Dayton city hall? Was it issued by the city of daytons registrar?

 

My dd was born in a suburb of Cleveland, should I just go back to the city registrar where she was born and get a new one there? That's where I got the one I have 15 years ago. Wouldn't they just give me the same one or have they changed?

[cmorie]

Why did you get a new one? Did you get it at the Dayton city hall? Was it issued by the city of daytons registrar?

 

My dd was born in a suburb of Cleveland, should I just go back to the city registrar where she was born and get a new one there? That's where I got the one I have 15 years ago. Wouldn't they just give me the same one or have they changed?

 

I got a new one just because I'm a worry wart and wanted to be safe instead of sorry. I actually live in Columbus now and just went in person to the department of vital statistics downtown. I didn't need to go back to Dayton to get one.

 

I'm 25 and between the old one I had, the one my mom has, and the new one I got before the cruise they all look very different.

 

Edit to add: I found this: http://www.clevelandhealth.org/Health/Certificates.html for Cleveland.