passport/birth certificate question

[Frogfoss]

I have a question about my birth certificate and I am not sure if I need a new (original) one. I will be applying for a passport and found this information:

 

NOTE: A certified birth certificate has a registrar's raised, embossed, impressed or multicolored seal, registrar’s signature, and the date the certificate was filed with the registrar's office, which must be within 1 year of your birth

 

 

The birth certificate I have was filed 4 days after I was born but the date issued shows 4 years later due to a change because of adoption. Will I need to get a copy of the one that was first issued or is the one I have sufficient? It does have the raised seal and the date FILED does fall within the one year of birth. But the date issued thing is throwing me off.

 

 

thanks in advance :)

[Druke I]

I think your question could be better answered by someone in the Passport Office, Department of State.

[suziehmkr]

You should be ok. DH adopted my oldest child after we were married. Once the adoption is finalized and the new birth certificate is issued - the new one becomes the becomes the official birth certificate.

 

You can double check with the officials, but this is what we were told when the adoption was finalized.

 

My own certificate is an abstract and even though the date filed is near my birthdate, the date issued is 1987 and there hasn't been a problem.

[cjh]

My kids are adopted and I never had a problem with their birth certificates.

[Flintstone]

I assure you...it will be OK. The requirement is that the birth was recorded within 1 year...yours was recorded in 4 days. When that particular certificate was printed is of no consequence. If you were to apply for a new one...the issue date would be "now".

 

Hope that helps.

Deb

[Frogfoss]

thank you. this board is most helpful. We've planned 90% of our cruise based on what we've learned here :)

 

I'll check with the passport office just to be sure. I'm just trying to get everything together so I can get my passport way before I need it. :)

[jwegger]

The problem we had with getting passports for our kids is that when they were born California would send an abstract of the birth certificate and not a full copy. When we went to get their passports the abstract was not acceptable and we had to get full copies from the county registrar. Fortunatly they were available electronically at the courthouse and we could pick them up the same day (after paying the fee).

[suziehmkr]

The problem we had with getting passports for our kids is that when they were born California would send an abstract of the birth certificate and not a full copy. When we went to get their passports the abstract was not acceptable and we had to get full copies from the county registrar. Fortunatly they were available electronically at the courthouse and we could pick them up the same day (after paying the fee).

According to the passport documentation, if the certificate has all of the correct information (they give a list) and has the proper seal it would be valid. It even states: Documents called "Notifications of Birth Registration" or "Birth Announcements" are acceptable evidence for passport services ONLY IF they meet the criteria set forth above."

 

My certificate is an abstract from California and does have a raised seal and states: This is the certify that this document is a true abstract of the official record filed with the County Recorder." According the rules, this DOES qualify... I have used this certificate for everything since I got it without issues. I guess I will find out when I submit mine at my appointment next month. Will definitely report back to give the results, but the next available appointment is almost a month away. :(

[SunnyCal]

Susiehmkr:

 

I just went through this in Feb and I can tell you that the birth abstract WILL NOT work for a passport application. It is an official document for everything else, but your application will be held up until you provide a birth certificate. Save yourself the hassle and get a copy ahead of time. We also live in California, and for some unknown reason we got a "certified abstract of birth" for our youngest daughter in 1996. It was aggravating to have paid for the abstract at the time of birth, and then have to pay $18.00 additional dollars to get the birth certificate.

 

It was frustrating because the abstract had all the required information and said it was an official document. The only difference between it and the certificate was the place of birth. The abstract listed the county, the certificate the city. The clerk at the records office said the abstracts were used for passports in the past, but in recent years there was too much fraud with them.

 

Sunnycal

[jhannah]

I think your birth certificate could be used for a passport because it's simply a proof of citizenship. However, a discrepancy in government records (Social Security, IRS, etc.) with regard to your birthdate could cause you some problems later on. These sorts of things can spring up when you least expect it. My suggestion would be to get it straightened out now by getting a replacement B/C with your correct birthdate.

[suziehmkr]

Sunny Cal.... so here is a question for you... I live more than 400 miles from my original county. When I needed my birth certificate back when I was a teenager, I applied for it and they sent an abstract. Please don't tell me I have to drive all the way to Southern CA to get my birth certificate.... How did you end up getting a certificate if the county was only sending abstracts? I looked up on the county's website and it does say $18 for a certfied copy of a birth certificate... but how am I sure I am not going to get another abstract? Now it says I have to have my form notorized. Good thing my friend is a notary, huh?

[jack2005]

Just some info.

 

We received our Princess preliminary documents at the end of March and discovered that passports have to valid 6 months after you get back. Ours are not. SO........ We printed to forms, sent our passports priority mail, and in 2 1/2 weeks we had NEW PASSPORTS. I thought that was amazing since it is supposed to take 6 weeks. COurse, with this new policy, it may take longer.

[SunnyCal]

Suziehmkr:

 

I drove to our county office (downtown San Jose) because we still live in the area. I am guessing they don't even issue abstracts anymore, but only the real thing. If you paid for the abstract through the county, they should reimburse you, or apply that fee to the birth certificate. Turn the abstract in when you apply for the BC. It didn't work out for us because the original abstract was issued from the county health department.

 

You don't need to drive, just mail in a form requesting the document. Yes, it will need to be notarized and it will take longer to process. But I would think you could get it in plenty of time before your passport appointment. Is that what it is? I've never heard of such a thing. We went and waited in lines at the main post office-not a fast process, but we didn't need appointments.

 

Sunnycal

[suziehmkr]

Thanks Sunnycal... I wish San Jose was the place to go! LOL That would only be a 45 minute drive. Sounds like you live near me! I have printed the forms and will get my friend to notorize them asap. Yes, our post office is relatively small and they only process passports at certain times, by appointment only. Thanks again!!! I do appreciate it!