Certified Birth Certificates

[jmeans23970]

The certified birth certificate is the BC you get from vital stats right? My brother and sisters doesn't actually say birth certificate. It just says Certificate of Live Birth, and has a raised seal on the bottom and a paragraph saying this is a true copy etc...

 

 

Few days before the cruise and I am a nervous nellie for everyone!

[hfweather]

The certified birth certificate is the BC you get from vital stats right? My brother and sisters doesn't actually say birth certificate. It just says Certificate of Live Birth, and has a raised seal on the bottom and a paragraph saying this is a true copy etc...

 

 

Few days before the cruise and I am a nervous nellie for everyone!

 

 

Last time I cruised Carnival, I used exactly what you are talking about. I got it from the Vital Statistics and it says "Certificate of Live Birth",along with my drivers license. I didn't have a problem at all. I hope you have a wonderful cruise.

[bruins1125]

There is another thread about this subject and they are saying they were denied boarding with the "Live Birth" cert, better check it out and definitely call Carnival before you get to the port.

[jmeans23970]

There is another thread about this subject and they are saying they were denied boarding with the "Live Birth" cert, better check it out and definitely call Carnival before you get to the port.

 

 

Yeah I have been reading the post, but every single BC i have gotten for my bros, sisters, and mom who were all born in AL, none of them say "birth certificate". They all say certificate of live Birth. There is a raised seal, and it comes from a gov agency. Just wondering.

[5waldos]

I would fax a copy to Customer Service and request a written confirmation that it would be accepted. And if it is not you will need to find something else.

[jmeans23970]

I would fax a copy to Customer Service and request a written confirmation that it would be accepted. And if it is not you will need to find something else.

 

 

I have tried calling Customer Service. They aren't much help. They also won't put anything in writing. Cruise Critic is the best I've got! I called the port, and I am still waiting for someone to call me back.

[Ken076]

There is another thread about this subject and they are saying they were denied boarding with the "Live Birth" cert, better check it out and definitely call Carnival before you get to the port.

 

I believe the issue was that the poster had a "Birth Record" as issued by the Hospital versus the required Government issued "Birth Certificate"..

ken

[Cruzinbabe06]

You are correct. The birth certificate you have thru "Vital Records" is all you will need and a drivers license.

As long as you are sailing on a "closed loop cruise" you are fine. Check Carnival's website. If you feel more at ease, print it out.

I just don't get all the uproar. We all no passports will be the "ONLY" way to go in the future. But, as of right now, on closed loop cruises, for US citizens, there are alternatives.

Enjoy your cruise.

[schmoozin]

OP, yours is exactly what is required. It is issued by the Dept. of Vital Statistics. My kids certs from Ga say the exact same thing. Mine from Fla. says Certification of Birth and NY says Certified Transcript of Birth. As some posted earlier, what is NOT accepted is the record from a hospital which is a memento.

[futaba951]

If they have the raised seal of the issuing dept. they are official and you are good. Both of my sons have the same BC issued by Mobile county with the raised seal. I have a Japanese BC hand written in Japanese with an attached, typed transcript added by the US consulate in Tokyo. I also have to carry my certificate of naturalization with my BC because no one can read the BC. My CON was issued when I was 2yo so the photo is VERY outdated, but, it doesn't seem to matter. I don't think you have anything to worry about.

[jmeans23970]

Thanks everyone!

[manmtnmike]

Hi,

 

A few years back, we misplaced our BC's and all we did was google the county of birth, called the specific county clerk .

 

We were instructed to send in $15 with a letter containing:

SS #, current address, birth parents name, self-address stamped envelope and reason for needing a new "original" BC.

 

We received a BC, within 2 weeks, saying "original copy" also showing a raised stamp imprint from county of birth.

 

There are internet sites that will charge around $40 or more to do this for you, and expedite the return in a few days.

 

Mike

[Litewait]

That is the key~ They look at them, look for the seal and your good to go. No seal... They take it as not official:(

[QTPieRye]

Sounds like you and I share in the same confusion from the other thread.... not from what the OP posted, but somebody chimed in stating that a CERTIFCATE OF LIVE BIRTH HAS NEVER BEEN A LEGAL DOCUMENT.......or something like that.

 

Obviously that person was mistaken, as I got all 5 of ours out last night and they are all CERTIFICATE OF LIVE BIRTH issued by the Vital Records!!!!

[QTPieRye]

The post I am referring to was by SIXGUN8.....

 

A certificate of Live Birth has NEVER been a legal document. You cannot use it on an I-9 or use it to get your DL(least not in Kansas) and it basically is nothing more than a ceremonial document for framing. I'm surprised Carnival ever accepted it as proof of ID? Not flaming just saying.

 

That's what confused me.... has nothing to do with living in Kansas. I believe just mis-information that caused me to panic!

[dan40]

Yeah I have been reading the post, but every single BC i have gotten for my bros, sisters, and mom who were all born in AL, none of them say "birth certificate". They all say certificate of live Birth. There is a raised seal, and it comes from a gov agency. Just wondering.

 

 

Check where you can apply for a passport in your area. Usually the county court house or a post office. Take your certificate there and see if it qualifies to get a passport. If so it should qualify for boarding. OR Get a passport while you're there.

[Kurbanfan]

That's what confused me.... has nothing to do with living in Kansas. I believe just mis-information that caused me to panic!

 

There has been alot of mis-informations here.....

 

Check where you can apply for a passport in your area. Usually the county court house or a post office. Take your certificate there and see if it qualifies to get a passport. If so it should qualify for boarding.

 

Yes yes yes.......this is what I have been saying........in a round about way:D

[WAHMto5]

 

Obviously that person was mistaken, as I got all 5 of ours out last night and they are all CERTIFICATE OF LIVE BIRTH issued by the Vital Records!!!!

 

 

All of ours (dh, myself, & 5 children) say the same as well. Six of them are from Illinois and 1 from Arizona.

[QTPieRye]

Can you imagine all of the CC members that were checking birth certificates last night and were worrying for no reason at all........ sort of funny thay 1 thread can send us all into a frenzy!!!!

[Warm Breezes]

Can you imagine all of the CC members that were checking birth certificates last night and were worrying for no reason at all........ sort of funny thay 1 thread can send us all into a frenzy!!!!

 

Not only that, but it brought out the "GET A PASSPORT IF YOU KNOW WHAT'S GOOD FOR YOU" posters in droves. Certified Birth Certicates and Government Issued ID's (for those 16 and older) are all that are required on Closed Loop US cruises....PERIOD.

[TaraLynne]

The certified birth certificate is the BC you get from vital stats right? My brother and sisters doesn't actually say birth certificate. It just says Certificate of Live Birth, and has a raised seal on the bottom and a paragraph saying this is a true copy etc...

 

 

Few days before the cruise and I am a nervous nellie for everyone!

 

If it has a raised seal you are fine. Some states no longer do raised seals. A friend of mine had one from VA that had a seal on it that wasn't raised, but it said "The State of VA no longer offers raised-seal birth certificates" on it and he didn't have a problem getting on the ship.

 

Certificate of Live Birth = Birth Certificate ;)

[jmeans23970]

Can you imagine all of the CC members that were checking birth certificates last night and were worrying for no reason at all........ sort of funny thay 1 thread can send us all into a frenzy!!!!

 

I was one of these people, hence the OP :o

[valandemmy]

Too Funny... @ 1030pm last night I was on the phone with carnival, where I was told what I had would get me denied boarding, ... I explained that this is the same thing I used last year..blah blah blah.. yuou will be denied, the lady said if it says certificate of live birth...

 

@ 11pm I was on the phone with the department of homeland security (because I was told by carnival, it wasnt there rule but homeland security)... the lady there told me, birth certificates have not been allowed since 6/1/2009.. I TRIED in vein to explain the "closed loop cruise" WHTI initiave and got an attitude from this lady who told me, she was reading the rules from the website and what did I want her do to do about it... I figured I would stop while I was ahead... why piss of a goverment agency, that has the right to wire tap my phone, ...lol

 

This AM, i spoke to my PVP, who told me NOT to worry, that as long as it was not a photo copy or one of the birth certificates they give you at the hospital as a momento (with the footprint, birth weight, ect) that we would be fine.. Vital statistics with a raised seal... THE WORDING AT THE TOP DOESNT MATTER.....

[Rasberryrum]

I get this question from clients all the time. Here is the wording on Carnival's travel agent website, as of today. Please note that Carnival states in its contract that it is not responsible for advising on documentation.

 

Cruises that begin and end in the same U.S port (referred to as a closed-loop cruise)

For cruises that begin and end in the same U.S port, ALL Guests are required to carry proof of citizenship (such as a birth certificate) and guests 16 years of age and older are required to have a government-issued photo ID. Any of the WHTI-Compliant Documents listed below are also acceptable.

Birth Certificate Information

 

• An original Birth Certificate issued by the Department of Health and Vital Statistics
  
• A suitable, quality copy of a state, county or vital statistics issued birth certificate
  

o A clear and readable Xerox copy is acceptable (document does not need to be notarized or certified)

o Birth Certificate Card is acceptable

o Guests may obtain a copy of a birth certificate by contacting: The Department of Health and Vital Statistics at: www.vitalchek.com

 

• A Consular report of Birth Abroad
  

Photo Identification

 

• A Government-Issued Photo I.D is required of all guests 16 years of age and older. Sources of Photo I.D:
  
  • Driver’s License
    
  • Driver’s Permit
    
  • School/Student I.D (acceptable for guests 16/17/18 years of age)
    
  • Government-Issued identification card (city/state/federal)
    

[MochaZen]

This is by no means a , "Get a passport or else" post, but just a question out of curiosity. If you are going to invest $$ in a cruise vacation, why not invest in a passport which you know every cruise line and governtment will accept and save the worry of....will the cruise line except my documents?

 

I, too, read the thread about being denied boarding because someone had a "certificate of live birth" and it was unfortunate. This seems kind of crazy because what says BIRTH CERTIFICATE more than a Certificate of Live Birth! LoL

 

It just seems that it is left up to personal interpretation, on the part of Carnival, as to whether people are allowed to board with this document.