Live in TX how to get CA birth cert. FAST? Help

[lightnin]

We applied for our passports last Tues but I'm freaking that we wont get them by 9/14. We sail the Magic on 9/16. The passport office has our certified birth certificates. DH was born in Burbank california. Is there anyway we can obtain his birth certificate fast? We live in Texas. Your help is much appreciated!!!

[SadieN]

vitalcheck.com

[jonbgd]

http://www.cdph.ca.gov/certlic/birthdeathmar/Pages/default.aspx

[mondello]

We applied for our passports last Tues but I'm freaking that we wont get them by 9/14. We sail the Magic on 9/16. The passport office has our certified birth certificates. DH was born in Burbank california. Is there anyway we can obtain his birth certificate fast? We live in Texas. Your help is much appreciated!!!

You'll probably get your passports in time, especially if you paid the expedited fee.

[lightnin]

Jonbdj the website says 6 wks on the birth cert. Anyone know of faster method and what the processing time would be?

[Herfnerd]

As previously posted, if you paid for expedited service (no brainer at this late date), you SHOULD be getting it in time.....

[jonbgd]

Jonbdj the website says 6 wks on the birth cert. Anyone know of faster method and what the processing time would be?

Soory about that didnt check time

 

Here is SadieN answer http://www.vitalchek.com/

 

But I agree with others if you paid for expedited passport service you should get it in time

[Mom2JJandJ]

Try http://www.vitalchek.com/. They are very fast, especially if you pay to expedite.

 

Good luck!

 

Oh, and if you paid to expedite your PP, you should get it back in time. When they mail it back, it comes separate from your BC. You will get your PP first and the BC will come in a different envelope about a week later. You only need the PP if you don't have your BC, not both.

 

Good luck... hope it all works out for you!

[snorkelgirlca]

I am a CA based family law attorney. Even I have trouble getting birth certificates for clients. Unfortunately there is no fast way to obtain a birth certificate here in CA. Our privacy laws here are so tight that when I went to get a copy of my nephew's birth certificate for him (and we share the same last name) they would not give it to me even though I showed them my bar card and told them of his active duty military status overseas.

 

only the adult child or parent can obtain a copy of a california based birth certificate in person.

 

because the state is broke, it will take you six weeks to get a birth certificate out of sacramento by mail. You if your husband was born in LA COUNTY he can try the LA County Registrar's office to see if they can do something in an expedited way but no promises

 

FYI if you paid for the expedited passport service that should work in less than two weeks. It did for me in 2006 when I lost my passport and had to go to germany.

[ready2cruzagain]

I agree with others and say try vitalchek.com. Received one in a few days through them and it wasn't even expedited service.

[lola61]

You should be able to check the status of your passports on line. We expediated and it was like 2 weeks. Good luck, I have a feeling it will all work out :)

[Sargent_Schultz]

Once when I used vitalcheck, it took forever. I think it epends on the state you are dealing with.

 

You can check the status of your passport application online and even call them and ask.

 

as for CA

 

Authorized Copy

 

California law defines individuals who can obtain an authorized copy of a birth or death certificate as:

 

• The registrant (person listed on the certificate) or a parent or legal guardian of the registrant. A child, grandparent, grandchild, brother or sister, spouse, or domestic partner of the registrant.
  
• A party entitled to receive the record as a result of a court order, or an attorney or a licensed adoption agency seeking the birth record in order to comply with the requirements of Section 3140 or 7603 of the California Family Code.
  
• A member of a law enforcement agency or a representative of another governmental agency, as provided by law, who is conducting official business. (Companies representing a government agency must provide authorization from the government agency.)
  
• An attorney representing the registrant or the registrant's estate, or any person or agency empowered by statute or appointed by a court to act on behalf of the registrant or the registrant's estate. (If you are requesting a Certified Copy under a power of attorney, please include a copy of the power of attorney with the application form.)
  
• Any agent or employee of a funeral establishment who acts within the course and scope of his or her employment and who orders certified copies of a death certificate on behalf of an individual specified in paragraphs (1) to (5), inclusive, of subdivision (a) of Section 7100 of the Health and Safety Code.
  

[thetwirp002]

I used Vitalchek to get my son's and it took about a week. We are in Texas and he was born in Los Angeles.

[alreadypacked]

We applied for our passports last Tues but I'm freaking that we wont get them by 9/14. We sail the Magic on 9/16. The passport office has our certified birth certificates. DH was born in Burbank california. Is there anyway we can obtain his birth certificate fast? We live in Texas. Your help is much appreciated!!!

 

Do you have regular xerox copy of his birth certificate?

 

You don't need the original or certified copy in order to board the ship. A regular (legible) black and white copy of the birth certificate will do (along with a government issued photo ID) for closed loop cruises.

 

From the CCL website:

 

http://www.carnival.com/cms/faqs/default.aspx?faq=passport#q-36

[ArielsGrotto]

We applied for our passports last Tues but I'm freaking that we wont get them by 9/14. We sail the Magic on 9/16. The passport office has our certified birth certificates. DH was born in Burbank california. Is there anyway we can obtain his birth certificate fast? We live in Texas. Your help is much appreciated!!!

 

 

This is the link to the LA County Registrar Recorder/County Clerk

 

http://rrcc.lacounty.gov/Recorder/BDM_Records.cfm

 

If your husband has immediate family living in LA, they can obtain a copy for him and fed ex it to you. My sister lives in Costa Rica and I was able to get her Birth Certificate the same day.

 

I drove to the County Clerks office, They have kiosks set up so I typed in her name, DOB, parents name and city of birth. Followed the other steps and went to the window to pay the fee and within a minute her birth certificate printed and the lady at the window handed it to me. I then was able to mail it to my sister.

[MDSue]

I used Vitalchek to get my son's and it took about a week. We are in Texas and he was born in Los Angeles.

 

I used VitalChek also to get my Birth Certificate from California and it only took days- it was very fast and efficient.

[Essiesmom]

Do you have regular xerox copy of his birth certificate?

 

You don't need the original or certified copy in order to board the ship. A regular (legible) black and white copy of the birth certificate will do (along with a government issued photo ID) for closed loop cruises.

 

From the CCL website:

 

http://www.carnival.com/cms/faqs/default.aspx?faq=passport#q-36

 

Not, not, not true. It does not have to be the original birth certificate, but the copy has to be issued by 'a government agency: state/county/city'. A copy you made yourself will not get you onboard. EM

[alreadypacked]

Not, not, not true. It does not have to be the original birth certificate, but the copy has to be issued by 'a government agency: state/county/city'. A copy you made yourself will not get you onboard. EM

 

A legible "xerox" copy you made yourself of an "original" or "certified copy" of a birth certificate issued by the city, county, or state in which the individual was born does indeed work for closed loop cruises.

 

In fact, in cases where someone forgets their birth certificate at home, a copy faxed to the port by relatives back home is accepted.

[JLC@SD]

A legible "xerox" copy you made yourself of an "original" or "certified copy" of a birth certificate issued by the city, county, or state in which the individual was born does indeed work for closed loop cruises.

 

In fact, in cases where someone forgets their birth certificate at home, a copy faxed to the port by relatives back home is accepted.

This may have worked for others in the past .....but I would not bet my cruise on it. I would not want to risk the official looking at my document say it is not acceptable.

 

I would at least get an official certified copy of your BC .....we have passports which are absolutely acceptable.

[alreadypacked]

This may have worked for others in the past .....but I would not bet my cruise on it. I would not want to risk the official looking at my document say it is not acceptable.

 

I would at least get an official certified copy of your BC .....we have passports which are absolutely acceptable.

 

Agreed. I use my passport always, as I have for ten years of cruising.

 

I am not recommending or advocating the use of a copied birth certificate. I am merely letting others know that this will work still (in 2012) if that's all they have (government issued photo ID such as Drivers License is needed as well when using a birth certificate, of course).

 

I'd hate to see someone stay home and miss their cruise because they only had a "xerox" copy of their original, valid birth certificate and thought that wouldn't work.

[alreadypacked]

http://www.carnival.com/Funville/forums/t/227793.aspx

 

For cruises that begin and end in the same U.S port, ALL guests are required to carry proof of citizenship AND proof of identification.

 

Proof of Citizenship: A birth certificate or any of the WHTI-Compliant Documents listed below are acceptable.

 

Proof of Identification (I.D): A non-expired government-issued photo I.D is required of all guests 16 years of age and older.

 

Birth Certificate Information

 

 

The following are acceptable:

• An original Birth Certificate issued by a Government Agency (State/County/City) or the Department of Health and Vital Statistics
  
• A copy of a birth certificate issued by a Government Agency (State/County/City) or the Department of Health and Vital Statistics)
  
• A clear, legible, quality Xerox copy of a birth certificate that was originally issued by a Government Agency (State/County/City) or the Department of Health and Vital Statistics). The Xerox copy does not need to be notarized or certified.
  
• Birth Certificate Card
  
• A Consular report of Birth Abroad
  

In Regards to Birth Certificates: Guests may obtain a copy of a birth certificate by contacting: The Department of Health and Vital Statistics at: www.vitalchek.com. If the guest has laminated their birth certificate, it is acceptable.

 

AND

 

Photo Identification

 

 

A non-expired Government-Issued Photo I.D is required of all guests 16 years of age and older. The following are acceptable:

• 
  
  • 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)
    

For closed loop sailings this is all you would need for a US citizen. The birth certificate should say issued by dept. of Health and vital records or Statistics. Some are worded a little different. It can't be one issued by the Hospital.

I hope this helps

 

Mary Ruiz Online Community Specialist Carnival Cruise Lines Staff

[Herfnerd]

This may have worked for others in the past .....but I would not bet my cruise on it. I would not want to risk the official looking at my document say it is not acceptable.

 

I would at least get an official certified copy of your BC .....we have passports which are absolutely acceptable.

 

 

I had thought the same until I was corrected by a few posters - even Mary over at the Carnival site said a clear, legible photocopy of a certified BC is acceptable for cruise travel - at least on CCL.