HELP No Birth Certificate for 10yr old girl

[ronjamie]

Hi

 

We are going on a family vacation and my daughter invited her friend. We live in FL and the friend was born in CA. The mom applied for a birth certificate 2 months. She has been checking on the status of it and they have said anyday now it should arrive. Well we are leaving Sunday may 4th and no cirth certificate has come. Any suggestions?

:(

thanks

[cruzinisgood]

I needed one for my husband last year for his passport. I went to the public health dept and was able to get his there that day. We live in WA but it would be worth a call to your local one.

[GORDONCHICK]

She's not going to be able to go if you don't have it. I guess I don't understand why most people don't keep these at least in a file, not to mention a safety deposit box. Especially when they're from another state.

[heatherandfred]

Why didn't she just apply for a passport? I'm sure the backlog has slowed some. I agree with Gordonchick..I have my original bc in my safe, but I also have passport.

 

Never invite anybody who doesn't have all their documents together, guess your daughter's little friend won't be able to go.

[ronjamie]

I agree. I feel sorry for the little girl and my daughter will be disappointed her friend cant travel. Thanks

[6rugrats]

No birth certificate should take two months to arrive.

 

No suggestions, the child will not be able to go without this. Mom should have been a little more proactive in obtaining this. Wonder if there is more to this story then mom is telling you?

[Mary Ellen]

Why didn't she just apply for a passport?

Wouldn't she have needed a birth certificate to apply for that passport?? :confused: I know I did when I got my first passport.

[6rugrats]

I needed one for my husband last year for his passport. I went to the public health dept and was able to get his there that day. We live in WA but it would be worth a call to your local one.

 

OP lives in Florida and this child was born in CA. She can't go to any local public records office in Florida and get a birth certificate for CA.

[heatherandfred]

Wouldn't she have needed a birth certificate to apply for that passport?? :confused: I know I did when I got my first passport.

 

LOL..stupid me. Yep, you're right.

[Northshorecruisers]

If the mother can get in touch with whoever the issuer of the birth certificate is in CA, maybe the mom could pay extra to have it sent FedX overnight Saturday delivery.

[msmayor]

Hi

 

We are going on a family vacation and my daughter invited her friend. We live in FL and the friend was born in CA. The mom applied for a birth certificate 2 months. She has been checking on the status of it and they have said anyday now it should arrive. Well we are leaving Sunday may 4th and no cirth certificate has come. Any suggestions?

:(

thanks

 

I certainly hope it arrives quickly. As others have said...without it, her chances of being able to board are VERY slim.

 

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe you'll also need a notarized statement signed by her parent(s) to accompany you.

[Morgsmom]

There are lots of threads on the subject of traveling with minors as a custodial parent or non-parent.. my advice is to have the notarized statement as well as emergency medical consent form.

 

And I am in 100% agreement, little buddy won't be able to go without the Birth Certificate. NO reasonable cruiseline would allow that, nor should they.

[wrp96]

I certainly hope it arrives quickly. As others have said...without it, her chances of being able to board are VERY slim.

Not only slim, without a birth certificate her chances of getting onboard are non-existent.

 

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe you'll also need a notarized statement signed by her parent(s) to accompany you.

Yes, if by some miracle the birth certificate appeared today, they would also need a notarized statement allowing the child to travel with them and authorizing them to seek medical attention for the girl in case of emergency.

 

Best suggestion is for the family to immediately contact the Vital Records department in the county the child was born in and see if they can fed-ex it to her with Saturday delivery.

[wrp96]

No birth certificate should take two months to arrive.

 

According to the California Department of Vital Records website, the average processing time for a birth certificate request is 12 weeks, which is probably where the family requested it from.

[msmayor]

There are lots of threads on the subject of traveling with minors as a custodial parent or non-parent.. my advice is to have the notarized statement as well as emergency medical consent form.

 

And I am in 100% agreement, little buddy won't be able to go without the Birth Certificate. NO reasonable cruiseline would allow that, nor should they.

 

And to add, this is NOT the cruiseline's rule...its US Immigration's rule, to ensure legal re-entry into the US upon return. The cruiseline's are there to assist in enforcement.

 

I'll never forget a situation I witnessed years ago, well before 9/11 and increased security, as a family was checking in at an airline counter for their vacation to Mexico. Mom, Dad and 2 kids. Only the Mom had a photo ID and birth certificate, as she mistakenly thought that only one parent needed that to prove citizenship. She spent 20 minutes arguing with the desk agent that her TA told her "she" needed it and never told her that her husband and kids would need it, and insisted they be permitted to travel. Everyone else's BC's were at their home, 60 minutes away.

 

The desk agent told her to go home and get them, but refused, saying they would miss their flight if they took the 2-hour round trip.

 

She didn't get it that either way, she was missing that flight.

[Jusacuz]

According to the California Department of Vital Records website, the average processing time for a birth certificate request is 12 weeks, which is probably where the family requested it from.

 

 

Yep and they aren't just sayin' that either. :( We applied in November for my husband's bc from California. We just received it in April. Luckily we're not sailing anywhere until September.

Good luck to the OP. I hope it arrives.

[greatam]

Hi

 

We are going on a family vacation and my daughter invited her friend. We live in FL and the friend was born in CA. The mom applied for a birth certificate 2 months. She has been checking on the status of it and they have said anyday now it should arrive. Well we are leaving Sunday may 4th and no cirth certificate has come. Any suggestions?

:(

thanks

 

It is probably too late to use this service, but may be worth a call. They process birth certificates for my employees who need passports in a hurry usually within one day. Good luck!!!

 

http://www.vitalchek.com/agency_locator.aspx?EventType=Birth

[Desert star]

Very sad. Will you not lose the fare you paid for her as well?

[kat89447]

vital check is the way to go. I understand the California thing. In February they told me 4 to 6 monthes. I live 4 hours from Sacramento and was willing to drive, but they have changed how they do BC's and you have to work by mail or online. We thought our 10 yr olds was stolen and hers is amended (adoption) to boot. My lawyer told me that there was a chance that by having a copy of her old bc and court papers, these could be used to notorize a statement proving citizenship. Although probably not applicable her mom might check with the records office to find out requirements to do something similar. luckily we found the bc and got our dd her passport so we were fine. Although Vital Ck is expensive when it comes to CA it is definately easier and quicker. Don't forget the parental consent form though, that too is important.

[blindrid]

Why didn't she just apply for a passport? I'm sure the backlog has slowed some. I agree with Gordonchick..I have my original bc in my safe, but I also have passport.

 

Never invite anybody who doesn't have all their documents together, guess your daughter's little friend won't be able to go.

 

.....You need a bc to get a passport so that wouldn't have helped in this case.

[adamsmom]

We got on a cruise once without our birth certificates. That was right after 9/11, so that was a few years ago. They made us sign some paperwork that said that the cruise line and the port would not be held responsible if we were, in fact, illegal aliens, blah, blah, blah. I'm not saying that they would do that now, but there is a remote possibility. I would check on that before traveling any distance to board, though. You wouldn't be able to leave the girl there at the dock while you took off on a ship.:eek:

 

I would contact the state office myself, and I would go through an expediting agency, no matter the cost. And the parents should pay for it, if they are the ones who don't have a copy of a birth certificate on hand.:confused:

[MIZZ_K]

Why didn't she just apply for a passport? I'm sure the backlog has slowed some. I agree with Gordonchick..I have my original bc in my safe, but I also have passport.

 

Never invite anybody who doesn't have all their documents together, guess your daughter's little friend won't be able to go.

She still would need her BC to apply for a passport.

[jollycruise]

It is probably too late to use this service, but may be worth a call. They process birth certificates for my employees who need passports in a hurry usually within one day. Good luck!!!

 

http://www.vitalchek.com/agency_locator.aspx?EventType=Birth

 

Thanks for that website. I just went and ordered one I needed. Whew..at least that's one thing off my plate :D

[mikedw]

Things are slow in CA. In Maryland if you live out of state you just give them the information and a credit card number and you'll have it within a week at most.

[wrp96]

We got on a cruise once without our birth certificates. That was right after 9/11, so that was a few years ago. They made us sign some paperwork that said that the cruise line and the port would not be held responsible if we were, in fact, illegal aliens, blah, blah, blah. I'm not saying that they would do that now, but there is a remote possibility. I would check on that before traveling any distance to board, though.

 

 

ICE used to allow you to make a declaration of citizenship when you arrived back in the US (basically what you were doing) but a few months ago they announced that it would no longer be allowed.