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Birth Certificate

jmeans23970

By jmeans23970,
in Carnival Cruise Lines

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truchattycathy

truchattycathy

Posted
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Whether or not it is the original birth certificate is not important. It has to be a certified birth certificate. Check to make sure it says certified birth certificate. If not, you might need an official certified birth certificate. Don't know whether or not laminated will be an issue, I would call Carnival and ask.

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broberts Excellent Advice! Rare

broberts

Posted
Posted
Whether or not it is the original birth certificate is not important. It has to be a certified birth certificate. Check to make sure it says certified birth certificate. If not, you might need an official certified birth certificate. Don't know whether or not laminated will be an issue, I would call Carnival and ask.

 

Not all official birth certificates are labeled "Birth Certificate", HI for example labels theirs "Certification Of Live Birth". Not all official birth certificates have a raised seal. Not all official birth certificates are issued by the state of birth, in some states birth certificates are issued by the county of birth. Laminated official identity documents were, at one time, reasonably common. It does not surprise me to learn that some authority issued official birth certificates in a laminated format.

 

If it is an original birth certificate issued by the state or, if appropriate, county of birth then presumably it can be used. But as others have cautioned it might be questioned. Calls to Carnival and US Border Protection Services might be in order.

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F5Loar

F5Loar

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Different by state to state it does get rather confusing so hard to say if your laminated one is certified or not. Yes you can buy them certified and laminated in some states, usually in a wallet size so laminated does not void it. Just because someone has cruised a dozen times with a non-certified one does not mean you will. Many here brag about how they smugled 4 cases of hard liquor on board last week. The worse that can happen to those folks is they take the liquor from them if caught. Pass off a non-certified BC and worse that can happen is they will not let you board. Different check-in agents look for different things and if in doubt they will call for another opinion. Bottom line is we here can not tell you if it is okay or not but if you think it's not better get another one. If you see an embossed raised seal on it or the words "certified" on it somewhere and it 's obvious it's not a xerox copy you should be okay.

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jmeans23970

jmeans23970

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Not all official birth certificates are labeled "Birth Certificate", HI for example labels theirs "Certification Of Live Birth". Not all official birth certificates have a raised seal. Not all official birth certificates are issued by the state of birth, in some states birth certificates are issued by the county of birth. Laminated official identity documents were, at one time, reasonably common. It does not surprise me to learn that some authority issued official birth certificates in a laminated format.

 

If it is an original birth certificate issued by the state or, if appropriate, county of birth then presumably it can be used. But as others have cautioned it might be questioned. Calls to Carnival and US Border Protection Services might be in order.

 

 

 

Thanks for such a detailed response.....

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F5Loar

F5Loar

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I also just noticed you said it was her original BC. Some think the one the hospital gave them at birth with the feet prints and the doctor's signature is an original BC. It's not! It was not issued by the state you were born in but that hospital more as a sovenier so be sure it's not that!

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xxoocruiser

xxoocruiser

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In the last couple of years, the rules have changed and a BC must have a raised seal.

 

Don't understand why it's stated regularly on CC that the BC MUST have a raised seal ??? In fact many states no longer use raised seals as they can easily be forged. My recently issued "Official State Issued BC" does not have a raised seal though it does have the state seal printed on the certificate. Rather it's printed on special watermark paper that when held to the light authenticates the BC as being "OFFICIAL" . If copied or altered in anyway the watermarks do not appear. Have never had a problem with it.

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F5Loar

F5Loar

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Because not all states have that. People only comment on what their state might have and it's really not applicable to the person or person reading it if they are from another state. I personally think all states should do it the same way to prevent forgery but they are not and that's the way it is. For out national security a uniform BC system should be in play for all states. I guess they do have uniformity in passports but you need a certified BC to get a passport so with all the various types out there you could get a passport based on a forged BC. Watermarks are good but they don't seem to stop counterfit money makers.

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jmeans23970

jmeans23970

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I also just noticed you said it was her original BC. Some think the one the hospital gave them at birth with the feet prints and the doctor's signature is an original BC. It's not! It was not issued by the state you were born in but that hospital more as a sovenier so be sure it's not that!

 

 

This is the original copy, and just called Carnival, and they said it was fine.

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tnincy

tnincy

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I would think that if the birth certificate is laminated, it may be deemed a forgery. You may want to spring for the $$ and get one with a raised seal that is not laminated.

 

 

i have an official laminated copy of my birth certificate. it's even pocket size. served as my legal document on first cruise. it does however have a raised seal.

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zqvol

zqvol

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In the last couple of years, the rules have changed and a BC must have a raised seal.

 

Please do not spread this false information. Certified documents, including birth certificates DO NOT have to have raised seals. They have to be certified. Most governments no longer use raised seals for anything, but they still certify documents.

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DryCreek

DryCreek

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If you can possibly afford a passport I'd get one, instead of using a birth certificate.

I see that the OP has already ironed this issue out, but I do want to make a comment. It wasn't until my wife and I went to get our Passports that we learned our BC's were not considered "official"! Mine was one of those souvenir ones with a bright gold raised seal and my cute little footprints. It was good enough to get me into the U.S. Navy, buy homes, get a drivers license and have a very high security clearance with two of my jobs - yet it was insufficient to identify me for a PP and PP Card. My wife's "birth certificate", which has also served her well for 48 years was issued by the State Of Virginia, Bureau of Vital Statistics. It was the size of a credit card and had raised lettering and numbers. It even said that it was an official state-issued document right on it. That too was not sufficient.

So, I sent off to the keepers of the official BC (Texas for me, Virginia for wife) to get our proper paperwork. Mine arrived and does not have a stamp. It is printed on fancy paper with raised ink borders and state seals. It looks like a car title. Again, no raised seal. The wife's BC arrived after much waiting. Again, no raised seal on it. It has a watermark. It didn't even have fancy raised ink borders!

So, what did I learn about this adventure?

 

1) Always plan further ahead. We wanted to cruise in May, but due to having to order "real" BC's we didn't. We could have, we received the PP's and PP Cards about two weeks before the cruise we had a courtesy hold on - but I didn't want to chance it. We are booked on Ecstasy for Nov 27th, 5 day Western Caribbean.

 

2) "Raised Seal" is a misleading term. Mine had a big ol' raised golden seal - and it wasn't worth a dime for what I needed it for!

 

3) Even documents with words to the affect of "Official Document Issued by the State of Whatever, Dept. of Whatever", and even if it is in a form that cannot be altered (i.e. raised lettering on a credit card) - well, that might not be worth a dime either....

 

If anyone has a question as to what can or cannot be accepted, go down to a post office that issues Passports and ask them - they are experts!

Once again, ask an expert. I am NOT an expert, and I didn't stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night - ask the people who issue passports, and I bet there is one near you!

Check here:

http://iafdb.travel.state.gov/

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Kurbanfan

Kurbanfan

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Wow! Didn't think people had such a hard time understanding what a ceritified birth certificate was:confused:

This is a certificate which prooves your birth was recorded with the office of vital records........

Here is a little hint.......it has the signature of the registrar on it and stamped with a state or county seal....;) Wow!

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DryCreek

DryCreek

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Wow! Didn't think people had such a hard time understanding what a ceritified birth certificate was:confused:

This is a certificate which prooves your birth was recorded with the office of vital records........

Here is a little hint.......it has the signature of the registrar on it and stamped with a state or county seal....;) Wow!

Yup, just like the card issued to my wife 48 years ago. Wow.

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Kurbanfan

Kurbanfan

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My wife's "birth certificate", which has also served her well for 48 years was issued by the State Of Virginia, Bureau of Vital Statistics. It was the size of a credit card and had raised lettering and numbers. It even said that it was an official state-issued document right on it. That too was not sufficient.

 

Yup, just like the card issued to my wife 48 years ago. Wow.

 

I'm not sure you could get all the information that is on a certfied birth certificate on a card the size of a credit card......infact I know you can't......could have been something else....

 

Evidently it was:p

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