Birth Certificate Question

[maryj426]

We will be cruising with only Birth Certificates/IDs and i have a question. Does the parents names have to be on them We went and purchased all 4 birth certificates from the same office (Vitals and Statistics) and one doesn't have this on one of the certificates. When we called they stated for people born within a certain year the parents names are only included on long forms and in order to get this we will either have to drive two hours away or mail it which could take two weeks to get when we sail in two weeks. So my question is has anyone traveled with a birth certificate that didn't have the parents names luisted? We called Carnival and they stated as long as it was purchased at the location we purchased it at they weren't specific about what information is on it but it still makes me nervous.

 

please no lectures on buying a passport i really don't need any info on that. Thanks so much for any help available about this.

[valandemmy]

As long as it says VITAL STATISTICS on them it will be fine. no lectures from me...we always cruise with a birth certificate...however..thinking of switching to passport cards next time...

[steph7021]

As long as it says VITAL STATISTICS on them it will be fine. no lectures from me...we always cruise with a birth certificate...however..thinking of switching to passport cards next time...

 

Hold on....really we still don't have to get passports for our kids?? We never have....I just thought that we all had to now. What are the details? My kids are 16, 13 and 12

[helicopter]

If you are sailing a "closed loop" (leaving and returning to the same port, BC's and ID (DL, school ID, etc) will work:)

[Warm Breezes]

If you are sailing a "closed loop" (leaving and returning to the same port, BC's and ID (DL, school ID, etc) will work:)

Under 16 do not need photo ID...just certified BC from dept of vital statistics.

[maryj426]

Thanks for the info we have always traveled with only Birth Certificates and Id :) While i want to go ahead and get a passport the was a very last min getaway and don't have the time or money right now. Thanks just wanted to make sure we wouldn't have any issues at the port.:p

[xitappers2bx]

if you dont have a passport, and the perosn checking you in has any tiny doubts about the documents, they will NOT let you board, and you will NOT get any money back.

 

we used to travel with a BC... and then we saw a family denied boarding because their 8 year old didn't have a passport. so the entire family chose not to board. what a way to ruin a trip, ruin your kids' excitement, and waste a whole lot of money. it took three weeks to get my daughters' passport, only my name is on her BC, and state dept gave me no trouble. yes its expensive, but not nearly as expensive as the cruise.

[mapsmith]

As long as it says VITAL STATISTICS on them it will be fine. no lectures from me...we always cruise with a birth certificate...however..thinking of switching to passport cards next time...

 

Passport cards are really not better than DL and BC. If you are going to the expense of getting the Passport Cards, just upgrade and get the books. That way if you get word of a really good deal overseas, you can take advantage of it. With a Book you can, with the Card you can't. (example of a good deal, this time of year, British Airways has deals on winter flights to London and Back from many US Cities and it costs usually under $500 per person. Without a Passport Book, you could not take advantage of a deal like that) And if you plan to take a European Cruise in the next few years, you would need a Passport Book.

 

The Passport Card is probably only a good deal for anyone living less than a day's drive from the US/Canada or US/Mexico Border

[moesyk4]

I posted this earlier on another board, this is the official statement for Birth certificates as of April this year. This is in regards to getting a passport, but would essentially be the same info for travel. I wouldn't worry too much, I think customs is aware that not every state does BCs the same way and aren't purposely trying to turn everyone away. For example, they say you should have "Vital Statistics" on it, well, I ordered ours last week directly from our State Health Department through Vitalcheck and mine just says the State Dept of Health.

Anyway, here you go...

New U.S. Birth Certificate Requirement

 

Beginning April 1, 2011, the U.S. Department of State will require the full names of the applicant’s parent(s) to be listed on all certified birth certificates to be considered as primary evidence of U.S. citizenship for all passport applicants, regardless of age. Certified birth certificates missing this information will not be acceptable as evidence of citizenship. This will not affect applications already in-process that have been submitted or accepted before the effective date.

 

For more information, see 22 CFR 51.42(a).

To obtain a new birth certificate, see the CDC.

 

In addition to this requirement, certified copies of birth certificates must also include the following information to be considered acceptable primary evidence of U.S. citizenship:

• Full name of the applicant
  
• Date of birth
  
• Place of birth
  
• Raised, embossed, impressed or multicolored seal of issuing authority
  
• Registrar’s signature
  
• The date the certificate was filed with the registrar’s office (must be within one year)
  

[SadieN]

OP--

 

We were able to use vitalcheck.com to get our BCs quickly using expedited service. But it is probably cheaper to drive the four hour round trip.

California was issuing these Abstracts of Birth in the early 90's. In 2007 I had to run to a County Vital Statistic office to get the longform BC for our oldest DD. The Abstract wasn't good enough even then.

The Abstract was good enough to cruise in 2006, but I do not know about now. Safer to get a longform and not worry about being denied boarding.

[granny001]

on our very first cruise we used our b/c and all they did was just glance at it, i think all they were looking for was if we were us citizens or not..now since we have an addiction to cruising we went ahead and purchased passports. :)

[DebJ14]

OP--

 

We were able to use vitalcheck.com to get our BCs quickly using expedited service. But it is probably cheaper to drive the four hour round trip.

California was issuing these Abstracts of Birth in the early 90's. In 2007 I had to run to a County Vital Statistic office to get the longform BC for our oldest DD. The Abstract wasn't good enough even then.

The Abstract was good enough to cruise in 2006, but I do not know about now. Safer to get a longform and not worry about being denied boarding.

 

I just got new LA birth certificates for my son from VitalChek. His originals were xerox copies of what is on file issued by the City of New Orleans with an embossed seal. They always looked totally fake, but were accepted in the past.

Just so that there are no problems in the future I ordered new long form birth certificates from Vital Check last Sunday night and received them on Thursday. The cost for the long form was $30.00 for 2 copies for the state of Louisiana + Vital Chek fee of $12.95 + expedited fee of $19.50 + other agency fee of .50. Grand total 62.95. The new ones definitely meet the requirements on the State Dept. website.

I'd rather pay the $$ than take off from work to make the trip to get them.

[reeree313]

just got home yesterday, and checked in with bc for my mother, my daughter and myself. They were barely even glanced at. When we got back, customs didn't even look at my daughters bc, just mine. I think it depends on the agent, because last cruise the customs agent gave me a hard time because my bc and my license have a different last name and I didn't bring my marriage certificate...

[spcopps]

As long as it says VITAL STATISTICS on them it will be fine. no lectures from me...we always cruise with a birth certificate...however..thinking of switching to passport cards next time...

 

Actually this is incorrect...yes the names of the parent's MUST be on the birth certificate. I had to order DH a new one because his old one did not have either parent's name. The rep you spoke to is correct, this information is on the long form. You can visit vitalchek dot com and order the long form and you will receive it fairly quickly. PLEASE order the long form because I showed DHs old birth certificate (just to see what would happen) and had to show the long form.

[matj2000]

if you dont have a passport, and the perosn checking you in has any tiny doubts about the documents, they will NOT let you board, and you will NOT get any money back.

.

 

This is totally not true. We have had birth certificate issues before and they just get the supervisor to check it approve it.

As much as people on this site like to scare everyone, the cruiselines are not in the business to denie passengers. The only way it would happen would be to have your documents way off kilter.

[vermonter16]

And the saga regarding birth certificates continues! For those that cruise with BC's and have no issues and no stress about it - good for you! Me on the other hand....I can be a worry wart so only passports for DH and I. In fact DH realized his passport was expired a month ago and we cruise the end of next week. Well - we found a copy of his BC and thought that was fine...but it was a copy of the original copy (and we were told that that won't work). He got his passport in exactly two weeks and that was with expediting it! Thanks to the CC members who chimed in saying that the passport folks were working super fast and not to pay the extra for having it expedited. Now - we only have to worry about what we're going to drink first when we get on board!

[maryj426]

Thanks everyone for the info we cruise in two weeks and i will post an update for any who are wanting to know. We ordered the long form just in case however are going to bring both and see if they will take the short form. My mother is the only one who has the issue with the parents not being on there and she is very angry she doesn't have much money to begin with and feels its wrong that people born in a certain age range have to pay so much more just to get the info on the birth certificate. It ended up costing an additional 46.50 just to order it with all of the fees they add on for a processing fee and a shipping fee...just ridiculous ohh well we will be cruising and we will enjoy it and btw i am just someone who worries while some may be able to just get on board and only have to worry about what their first drink is going to be thats not the person i am and while its not always good someone has to worry so good thing i did because if i didn't we may get turned away or even worse we may be traveling on another cruise line........:p