Laminated birth certificate card?

[finoky]

There is one person traveling with us in April that has a laminated birth card. It does have a seal on it she says. Will this be suffice? A passport is not an option for her. If what she has won't work I know how to get her a new one through vital statistics in Richmond. She asked me tonight and I wasn't sure so I figured someone here could help.

[Lauri32]

I would tell her to get another copy of her bc. Better safe than sorry and most of the time its a small fee to obtain it. Usually 10 or 15 bucks.

 

I had an experience on our honeymoon where I didn't have the proper bc and almost ended up stranded in the Atlanta airport on our way to Puerto Vallarta. Luckily, it was pre 9/11 and I was able to obtain an affidavit from a notary at the airport. Doubt I'd be so lucky now.

[cruisinqt]

On our last cruise this past January, I used the laminated birth certificates for myself and my two daughters. I had no problem whatsoever and plan on using them for our cruise this Sunday. I got mine at the courthouse where we live at. Since me and both of my kids were born here locally and in the same state, it was no problem getting one. My husband was born in Massachusettes and would have to go to a courthouse there to get one for him, so he just brings the large one the hospital gave him. It has a raised seal that is noticeable even through the shiny laminate. But what makes it so terrific is that it is credit card sized and easily fits into my wallet.:)

 

When I got mine at the court house, I asked if it was an official birth certificate and could I use it for travel. The woman showed me the raised seal on it (it's hard to see because of the laminate) and said it was an official U.S. birth cerificate. She said that all appropriate agencies were familiar with it and I would have no problem, and I didn't.

 

You might ask your friend where she got it. If she got it from an official agency like a county courthouse in the state where she was born then it's probably official.:) Now when people go to the appropriate agencies to get a certified copy of their birth certificate, they are given the option of having the credit card sized laminated birth certificate instead of the old fashioned large ones for a nominal fee. She could call the place where she got it and ask a few questions.

[Cotton]

I think you should encourage her to get an official b/c from the state. Anything laminated could be proven to not be an original. Don't take any chances.

[jleq]

My husband was born in Massachusettes and would have to go to a courthouse there to get one for him, so he just brings the large one the hospital gave him. .

 

Quite often, the ones distributed by a hospital are NOT legal birth certifixates. In the post 9/11 world, they are sticklers for regulations. Check with your TA (or whoever would know for sure) whether it's official. Most states will allow you to get one by mail.

[cruisinqt]

Jleq, thanks for being so concerned, but we've cruised many times with my husband's birth certificate and had no problem. :) His has a raised seal and is authentic. Though you are correct, many hospital issued birth certificates these days are just for show. My kids birth certificates from the hospital weren't authentic, they were just for show to put in their baby books. That's why I had to go to the county courthouse to get a certified copy of their birth certificates.

 

Cotton, you're probably right, she should check it out and not take any chances. That's why I said she should make some phone calls and make sure of where she got it and if it's truly authentic. :)

 

By the way, the state will not give you the original birth certificate. I asked for one and was told it was impossible to get one nowadays. :( All you can get is an official copy that is proven authentic by the raised seal from the state on it. I was told that it didn't matter how large or small it was or if it was laminated or not. What mattered was whether it had an official raised seal from the state on it. So if she does go and get another birth certificate, it still won't be the original, only a copy that's proven authentic by the raised seal on it. That's why everyone stresses the importance of a birth certificate having a raised seal on it.:)

 

If her Birth certificate was obtained from the county courthouse, as mine was, then it was obtained from the state. The county courthouse is an official gov't building and you are dealing directly with the gov't. So she should probably check it out and make sure of where she got it. If she got it at the county courthouse, it's as authentic as it can get.:D

[ccletzgo]

I think you should encourage her to get an official b/c from the state. Anything laminated could be proven to not be an original. Don't take any chances.[/quote

 

just cruised last month. Both DH and I have the new laminated cards. They are from vital statistics and work just fine.

They have the seal on them and are official. Very easy to keep in your wallet. ANd only $15.00 You can order from your state goverment web site.

 

I also chaparoned a group of highschool grads a few years ago and all of them had the cards. No problem. They are used to seeing them at the cruise check in now.

[L_T]

Did you know that you can get a copy of your offical birth certificate through Walmart online? I noticed it on their website, but I don't know anyone who has gone through them. If interested, go to www.walmart.com and search for "birth certificate". Apparently they go through a company called ChoicePoint. Just another option in case someone has a difficult time getting a copy.

[finoky]

Thank you everyone for your replies. You just can't beat the information that you get from this board.

[Cotton]

QT - Silly me. I meant to say "official copy", not original.:rolleyes:

 

I have a passport, BUT before that, I did use the official copy issued by the LA Board of Vital Statistics - and of course it worked just fine. I think the idea of the state laminating b/c's now is great ... handy-dandy to carry with you. Just wasn't aware that they had those. Hooray for simplification!

 

I'll tell you the reason I'm so quick to stress the proper ID's: Just prior to embarking on a cruise a coupla years ago, I saw a woman being led away by her somewhat angry husband. She was in tears, bigtime. She had her hospital-issued b/c.....which of course they wouldn't accept. What a pity - they lost all their cruise money and didn't get to go on the cruise.:o THAT is a true story, and I've always tried to stress to first-timers to be sure they have the correct documentation and ID.

[cruisinqt]

Cotton, I couldn't agree more, having the proper I.D. is crucial. I witnessed a similar situation on our second cruise and was mortified for the poor man who didn't get to go on his cruise.:eek:

 

That's why I would stress vehemently to make sure you got it from the proper authorities. CALL AND MAKE SURE IT IS AN OFFICIAL GOV'T ISSUED BIRTH CERTIFICATE BEFORE YOU LEAVE. Don't take chances of losing out on going on your cruise. I've seen people get turned away and it's not pretty.:(

 

By the way, we have ordered our passports, but they haven't come in yet.:) I guess this is just one more reason for everyone to go ahead and get their passports. A passport is never turned away.

 

I'll see you guys after my cruise. We leave this afternoon. I'm giddy with delight!:D

[jleq]

The main reason I'm concerned about this is that my hospital "birth certificate" [the one not valid as ID] is the one I have with the raised seal. Granted, it's the hospital's official seal...but I suspect many people don't know what their state seal looks like. The certified copy I got from the State of California has its seal in special ink.

[cruisinqt]

Good point Jleq! I hadn't thought about the hospital birth certificate having a raised seal on it. Someone could really be fooled by it!:eek: The ones the hospital issued for our kids were obviously for show and had no raised seal. I didn't know that some hospitals had raised seals on their birth certificates. I'm glad you pointed that out. It may help someone.:)

 

My husbands birth certificate is weird. It comes in this thing that looks like a book. It's hard covered and bound like a nice book would be. The burgundy color is very nice and it looks expensive. It has several pieces of official looking papers inside. But the birth certificate has a raised seal from the state of Massachusettes on it. He's 45 ( ten years older than me :D ) and I guess back then in Massachusettes they made a big deal out of presenting the birth certificates. I don't know about you, but I think his birth certificate is definitely weird. I've never seen one like that.:eek:

[Cotton]

Since I'm probably the old lady of this group, this is what I have locked away:

 

I have my original birth certificate from the hospital w/raised "hospital insignia" seal on it, with my itsy-bitsy footprints in ink (in a pretty little binder), AND my original birth certificate issued by the state of Louisiana, raised state seal, etc. My mother gave me these two documents many years ago.

 

However, what I used before I got the passport is a more recent state-issued certified copy ($10). The last one I got didn't have a raised seal, but a printed seal on 'watermark' paper. I'm sure all states have a different type 'official copy'.

 

Bottom line is: It MUST be a state-issued copy to be accepted.

[poolgal]

If you have to fly to get to your cruise the airline might care. Last time I went to Mexico (not on a cruise) there was a man in line w/a laminated birth cert. and was denighed boarding. Passports are a much easier way to go. The airline said they have to be able to feel the raised seal. Its just not worth a problem.

[pelletib]

I surprised my Mom with a cruise (just her and I) and I knew her b/c was fragile like an old newspaper clipping that had set out on the fridge for decades and would fall apart when handled. I had her bring it over from AZ with a whopping fib. (told her that I found a website that could decode all the numbers and it would give a list of everyone born in the county that day in 1921.) Being as trusting as Edith Bunker she fell for it hook, line and sinker. :D . She was so surprised when she found out the real reason for the fib. I took her down, got photos, and headed off to hand in her paperwork for the passport. I had downloaded the docs and filled in all her personal info so all she had to do was sign the application. She called the other day and her passport had arrived. (27 days). I'm glad I went with the passport with her b/c being so fragile. If this is the only time she uses the passport, to me it was worth the $$.

[debby4000]

I have used the laminated wallet size birth certificate on past cruises and have never had a problem. I emailed carnival on my first cruise to verify it would work and they emailed me back and said it was fine. As long as it is the state issued card it will be fine. You do not have to "feel" a raised seal. Email carnival if you need verification and then take a copy of their response with you.