Confused about using birth certificate ...

[Veneerdds]

Can someone pls help me with this birth certificate dilemma?? We sail 9/30 on the freedom and I just found out today that 3 ppl in my group may not have the correct birth cert. copy needed ? Does it just need to be a cert copy from vital statistics? I have a passport so i've never had to cruise with one...... Any help is much appreciated !

 

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[RMLincoln]

It must be a goverment issues birth certificate, not a hospital form/certificate. The document must have a raised seal and can be had from the Department of Records of the state in which they were born. Sometimes you can request one by phone and pay by credit card, faster than letter writting. I'd have those in your party call their appropriate state office ASAP if they don't have such a document. Google up the phone number.

 

Good luck becasue the cruise lines are not flexible on these issues, and they have no sympathy, nor refunds for those that they deny boarding for due to lack of proper boarding documents. They still have time, so hope it all works out. m--

[S.S.Oceanlover]

People keep saying it must be a raised seal but not all states have raised seals.

 

Some just have watermarks.

 

The people in your party can also get their correct birth certificates from http://www.vitalchek.com

 

They are pretty cheap and pretty quick.

 

Bill

[SadieN]

Can someone pls help me with this birth certificate dilemma?? We sail 9/30 on the freedom and I just found out today that 3 ppl in my group may not have the correct birth cert. copy needed ? Does it just need to be a cert copy from vital statistics? I have a passport so i've never had to cruise with one...... Any help is much appreciated !

 

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Emphasis mine.

 

Yes, it needs to be a certified copy from vital statistics.

Not a xerox copy.

[Veneerdds]

Thank you all so very much...we'll begin working on it ASAP!

 

 

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[RMLincoln]

People keep saying it must be a raised seal but not all states have raised seals.

 

Some just have watermarks.

 

The people in your party can also get their correct birth certificates from www.vitalchek.com

 

They are pretty cheap and pretty quick.

 

Bill

 

Thanks, I was not aware of that about the watermarks but it makes sense. Probably a more modern and updated approach. I just remember trying to get on a plane to Nassau about 30 years ago with my husband presenting a hospital certificate, complete with inked baby footprints! It was a mess but we got on. I don't think it would work in today's environment. m--

[travlngrl1996]

A few years ago, my sister and a friend were on their way to the cruise ship and her friend misplaced his BC. They were able to go to our local health department and get a certified copy of a computer generated copy of the BC which was ready the same day AND BTW, Carnival accepted. As long as he was born in FL, the Health Dept. was able to him. Maybe your state has the same setup.

[Herfnerd]

Emphasis mine.

 

Yes, it needs to be a certified copy from vital statistics.

Not a xerox copy.

 

 

Actually, a clear, Xeroxed copy of a BC from the office of Vital Statistics is acceptable

[cmptrwiz]

Can someone pls help me with this birth certificate dilemma?? We sail 9/30 on the freedom and I just found out today that 3 ppl in my group may not have the correct birth cert. copy needed ? Does it just need to be a cert copy from vital statistics? I have a passport so i've never had to cruise with one...... Any help is much appreciated !

 

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I'll bet you told them a while ago this is what they needed. Some people always wait to the last possible minute. It can really bite you in the butt!

[okgirl]

And keep in mind that there might need to be other supporting documentation if the name on the birth certificate is not the current name of the guest. i.e. marriage license, adoption certificate etc...

[jdyer09]

In Texas at least the best bet is to go to the courthouse and ask for a certified copy if your bc? Here they are about $18-$21. We saild with those at first before passports. I would go to your local courthousr and ask. I would.do.this quickly esp if you have to wait for them to be mailed. That's a whole different waiting game! Good luck and get moving!

 

Also hint, if you live in a big city, sometimes its quicker to go to a smaller town or suburb nearby without the longer lines. Just make sure they can do it before you drive out that way!

 

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[Veneerdds]

Good news !!! 2 of 3 ppl have usable cert. B.C. And the third has been ordered with expedited delivery !! Thanks for all the helpful info !! We're going to have a fantastic cruise!!!

 

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[sparks1093]

Actually, a clear, Xeroxed copy of a BC from the office of Vital Statistics is acceptable

 

Agreed.

[NCTribeFan]

I lost my passport once and had to use my BC from Tennessee for a few cruises. It does not have a raised seal, just a red one. I had no problem using it to sail.

 

Before I sent it off with a passport reissue application, I went ahead and requested a couple of copies, just in case I ever needed one or the original got lost in the mail on it's way to or from the passport agency.

 

Having extras costs only a few dollars and is good for the peace of mind.

[TabFox]

Actually, a clear, Xeroxed copy of a BC from the office of Vital Statistics is acceptable

 

 

Not necessarily true. My mother had a xeroxed copy and we were denied boarding in Seattle for our Alaskan cruise. No refund, nothing. Must be original certificate.

I wouldn't risk it.

[sparks1093]

Not necessarily true. My mother had a xeroxed copy and we were denied boarding in Seattle for our Alaskan cruise. No refund, nothing. Must be original certificate.

I wouldn't risk it.

 

Then the person checking your mom in wasn't aware of what is on CCL's website:

 

"The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) allows U.S. citizens (including children) sailing on cruises that begin and end in the same U.S. port to travel with one of the following WHTI compliant document:

• Valid U.S. Passport
  
• Passport Card
  
• Original or suitable quality copy of a Birth Certificate (Issued by a government agency: state/county/city)
  
• Certificate of Naturalization
  
• Trusted Traveler Program Membership Card, e.g., Nexus Card, Sentri Card or Fast Card
  
• Enhanced Tribal Card
  
• A Consular Report of Birth Abroad
  
• Enhanced Driver's License (EDL)
  

Note: Enhanced Driver's Licenses can be used as proof of citizenship at land and sea ports of entry. However, it cannot be used to travel by air outside the United States."

[ray98]

Then the person checking your mom in wasn't aware of what is on CCL's website:

 

• Original or suitable quality copy of a Birth Certificate (Issued by a government agency: state/county/city)

I had this same argument a few weeks ago when someone was giving another this opinion and unfortunately I think they were left with bad advice.

 

 

I don't think that 'copy' is what people keep taking it to mean. The 'original' would be the one provided after birth and a 'copy' would be any additional duplicates provided by the state government records which would be certified and stamped with a seal.

 

 

If you take a simple Xerox copy you disable all the security features such as if the state seal is legit, if there is a raised seal or if the paper is water marked.

 

 

 

I am afraid this advice is going to get more and more people stranded at the dock.

[sparks1093]

I had this same argument a few weeks ago when someone was giving another this opinion and unfortunately I think they were left with bad advice.

 

 

I don't think that 'copy' is what people keep taking it to mean. The 'original' would be the one provided after birth and a 'copy' would be any additional duplicates provided by the state government records which would be certified and stamped with a seal.

 

 

If you take a simple Xerox copy you disable all the security features such as if the state seal is legit, if there is a raised seal or if the paper is water marked.

 

 

 

I am afraid this advice is going to get more and more people stranded at the dock.

 

I quoted the CCL website directly and it says in a very straight forward manner that a suitable quality copy is acceptable. The DHS regs themselves state that an "original or copy" of the birth certificate may be used. All the birth certificate is used for is to prove US citizenship and a copy of your birth certificate is just as likely to do that as the original.

[joeyancho]

One more reason why EVERYONE should have a passport. For peace of mind, if nothing else. This has been debated over and over on these boards.

[NCTribeFan]

I quoted the CCL website directly and it says in a very straight forward manner that a suitable quality copy is acceptable. The DHS regs themselves state that an "original or copy" of the birth certificate may be used. All the birth certificate is used for is to prove US citizenship and a copy of your birth certificate is just as likely to do that as the original.

 

You're ignoring the part in parenthesis...

 

Issued by a government agency: state/county/city

 

...when you simply stop after the word "copy!"

 

The acceptable "copy" would be the ones I ordered from Tennessee. I still have the original.

 

If I simply copied the original on the machine here at work, that is NOT an "acceptable copy" because it wasn't issued by the state in which I was born!

 

Even if someone did accept it at check-in, why in the world would anyone simply copy their original and head to the pier, risking being turned away? Either get a passport or take your original birth certificate OR a copy issued by the state in which you were born! :confused:

[songbird1329]

NcTribe is correct, the word "copy" as used in the regs and as quoted on the Carnival website means an official copy issued by a governmental agency.

 

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[ray98]

I quoted the CCL website directly and it says in a very straight forward manner that a suitable quality copy is acceptable. The DHS regs themselves state that an "original or copy" of the birth certificate may be used. All the birth certificate is used for is to prove US citizenship and a copy of your birth certificate is just as likely to do that as the original.

 

 

You still miss my point. I have the my original birth certificate stamped as such and I also have a certified and stamped copy that I obtained from my states vital records department. One is the original, one is a copy and both were issued by a government agency.

[sparks1093]

You're ignoring the part in parenthesis...

 

Issued by a government agency: state/county/city

 

...when you simply stop after the word "copy!"

 

The acceptable "copy" would be the ones I ordered from Tennessee. I still have the original.

 

If I simply copied the original on the machine here at work, that is NOT an "acceptable copy" because it wasn't issued by the state in which I was born!

 

Even if someone did accept it at check-in, why in the world would anyone simply copy their original and head to the pier, risking being turned away? Either get a passport or take your original birth certificate OR a copy issued by the state in which you were born! :confused:

 

I would certainly advise that someone take the birth certificate that they receive from the issuing authority (i.e. original) but if given the choice between showing up at the pier with nothing or showing up with a copy I know which I would choose. The language you quote only qualifies "original or copy", so an original or copy of a hospital certificate would not work.

 

Neither the government nor CCL is trying to trap people into bringing the wrong documentation, a plain reading of the DHS regs and the CCL website indicates that the original or copy of a qualified birth certificate (one issued by a government entity) is sufficient.

 

The original is the birth certificate that I receive from the state (or in some instances other government agency). A copy is one that I make of that document. It really is quite that simple.

[sparks1093]

You still miss my point. I have the my original birth certificate stamped as such and I also have a certified and stamped copy that I obtained from my states vital records department. One is the original, one is a copy and both were issued by a government agency.

 

Where is that one located? The vital records office, right? Then how can the government possibly require you to bring something that you cannot obtain, because that original will never leave the vital records office? Most people think of "original birth certificate" as the one they receive from the state when they send away for it and that is the context of the regulations when it says "original or copy".

[ray98]

Where is that one located? The vital records office, right? Then how can the government possibly require you to bring something that you cannot obtain, because that original will never leave the vital records office? Most people think of "original birth certificate" as the one they receive from the state when they send away for it and that is the context of the regulations when it says "original or copy".

 

No it is not....my original is stamped 'original' with a raised state seal, one was issued to me at birth and a duplicate is held in the vital records office. When I need additional copies I can request them from vital records and they are stamped as 'certified copies' with a raised state seal.