notarized birth certificate copy question about raised seal

[JollyDad]

I'm sailing 12/26 on a closed loop from Miami on Oasis with my 3 teens and I can only find notarized copies of my kids birth certificates.   The copies do not have a raised seal and I want to make sure these are okay.  My travel agent said to check with US dept of homeland security.  I have a call in to Royal Caribbean also. My state does not make expedited birth certificate copies.

 

I have my passport and I know Passports for them would be better and it's irresponsible I cannot find their original certificates which I have used for many cruises before.  The combination of COVID (which I work in) and being a single dad sometimes is a lot.  I am still hopeful they will turn up.  I must not have returned them to their usual place when a kid got a driver's license this year.

 

The RCCL information just lists a notarized birth certificate copy and ID for kids 16 and older.  It does not mention that the copy needs to have a raised seal, but I am nervous it should.  Does anyone have any experience with this?

[spiritkat090909]

I would be nervous too.  If it is the official STATE ISSUED copy, it doesn't have to have a raised seal. If it is just a copy you did yourself and notarized at a bank... no good.

[binro01]

An official state birth certificate is required. Notarized copies are not accepted.

[Ferry_Watcher]

As someone who checks in cruise passengers (Alaska bound), let me tell you what probably will happen.  Assuming that the notarized birth certificates are gov't issued (not hospital/footprint certificates), the check-in agent may call over a supervisor to approve the documents and then complete the embarkation.

 

The reason I say that you will most likely be okay is that we have passengers show up at the pier without the correct travel documents everyday (example - someone who believes that just their Real ID diver's license is enough documentation to get on board).  In these situations, the passenger is asked to contact someone at home to find and electronically send a photo of their gov't  issued birth certificate to the pier.  Our office prints it out, a copy is given to the passenger to present upon returning back to the US and and all is well.

 

While I can't speak for what they do in Miami, I do know that the cruise lines will do everything legally to get you on the ship.  Your embarkation may take a bit longer, and you and your party may be asked to step aside while a supervisor, or two, and maybe the ship's documentation officer makes the final decision.  I doubt it would go that high, but as I said, I don't know what the protocol is in Miami.

 

I would though, if you are traveling without the children's mother, I would make sure that you have a signed letter from her acknowledging that you have her permission to take the kids on the cruise.

 

Let us know what happens.

 

And, yes, get the kids their passports!  ;  )

 

 

 

[pcur]

From this RCCL web site page (colored emphasis is mine below):  https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/minor-identification-forms

 

A U.S. citizen under the age of 16 will be able to present either an original, notorized or certified copy of his or her birth certificate

[boscobeans]

37 minutes ago, pcur said:

From this RCCL web site page (colored emphasis is mine below):  https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/minor-identification-forms

 

A U.S. citizen under the age of 16 will be able to present either an original, notorized or certified copy of his or her birth certificate

Can I Notarize A Vital Record?

Customers most commonly ask if Notaries can certify a photocopy of a vital record. Unfortunately, Notaries cannot do this. The reason is that a copy certification requires the Notary to certify that the copy is a true and accurate reproduction of the original document. However, original vital records documents are kept by the government agency that issues them. Only that agency is authorized to issue certified copies of the vital record in question — Notaries are not authorized to make copies or certify copies of vital records.

[topnole]

This doesn’t apply to the OP,

who is leaving soon.  But I’m thinking I now may want passports for the kiddos in case a Covid issue happens and we had to fly home from a port (foreign country).  That reality seems more likely in a post Covid era and getting home without one with Covid could be a real headache.  Still a small chance, but I recall a lot of folks always saying to not do a cruise without passports for the entire family.  

[Cutigerlady]

Are you sure you can't get a copy of your children's birth certificates from the Health Department?  I found myself standing at the courthouse with my husband, kid, and all the other documents and was missing my son's birth certificate.  I turned the house upside down and couldn't find a single copy!  The courthouse representative told me that the Health Department could reprint it for me on the spot.  I got extremely lucky that they have an outbranch very close to my house and I managed to get there just in time before they closed for the day.  I had them print 10 copies and the lady looked at me like I was crazy.  I told her I would never lose a copy again!  

 

My older son's birth certificate doesn't have a raised seal, but it was signed by the person who printed it out.  My younger son's certificate doesn't have any seal or signature.  Both of them if you try and make copies, it is very clear it is not official.  It's possible the copy you have would work if that is how your state use to issue them.  

 

I hope it all works out and you have a great laugh about it on your cruise!  

[JollyDad]

Good news!!  I found them today.  I searched hours yesterday including the 'drawer' multiple times and went back to same drawer they were supposed to be in today and the envelope slipped under a drawer organizer.   I only found it by taking the drawer out and completely emptying the drawer.

 

I looked at my notarized copies and they are copies of the original certificate and notarized.  The date is just before our first cruise 10 years ago.  I wonder if I used them on that first cruise.  

 

Things I learned:

1. I have duplicates and triplicates of their birth certificates but they were all in one place.   I am going to split them up in my house and make sure a relative has official copies also.

2.  I should have really checked on this sooner than a week before the cruise.

3.  I suspect like Ferry_Watcher suggested that we might have gotten on but I wouldn't want to risk it.   I talked to someone at Royal who said notarized copies are fine as long as they have a a 'seal'.  He couldn't elaborate on what 'seal' meant and it is vague enough to worry me.

4.  Passports are silly not to have.  The cost is small compared to the cost of cruising and for the piece of mind they can give.  

 

Thank you for all the responses and the motivation to bust my butt and get home from work early to find those documents.  

[mek]

13 minutes ago, JollyDad said:

Good news!!  I found them today.  I searched hours yesterday including the 'drawer' multiple times and went back to same drawer they were supposed to be in today and the envelope slipped under a drawer organizer.   I only found it by taking the drawer out and completely emptying the drawer.

 

I looked at my notarized copies and they are copies of the original certificate and notarized.  The date is just before our first cruise 10 years ago.  I wonder if I used them on that first cruise.  

 

Things I learned:

1. I have duplicates and triplicates of their birth certificates but they were all in one place.   I am going to split them up in my house and make sure a relative has official copies also.

2.  I should have really checked on this sooner than a week before the cruise.

3.  I suspect like Ferry_Watcher suggested that we might have gotten on but I wouldn't want to risk it.   I talked to someone at Royal who said notarized copies are fine as long as they have a a 'seal'.  He couldn't elaborate on what 'seal' meant and it is vague enough to worry me.

4.  Passports are silly not to have.  The cost is small compared to the cost of cruising and for the piece of mind they can give.  

 

Thank you for all the responses and the motivation to bust my butt and get home from work early to find those documents.  

Glad you found them.  Have a great cruise.

[pcur]

3 hours ago, boscobeans said:

Can I Notarize A Vital Record?

Customers most commonly ask if Notaries can certify a photocopy of a vital record. Unfortunately, Notaries cannot do this. The reason is that a copy certification requires the Notary to certify that the copy is a true and accurate reproduction of the original document. However, original vital records documents are kept by the government agency that issues them. Only that agency is authorized to issue certified copies of the vital record in question — Notaries are not authorized to make copies or certify copies of vital records.

I was just copying and pasting what is on RCCL's web site.  No judgement call from me.

[boscobeans]

18 minutes ago, pcur said:

I was just copying and pasting what is on RCCL's web site.  No judgement call from me.

No judgement here either.

 

Just a clarification.

[RedIguana]

2 hours ago, JollyDad said:

Good news!!  I found them today.  I searched hours yesterday including the 'drawer' multiple times and went back to same drawer they were supposed to be in today and the envelope slipped under a drawer organizer.   I only found it by taking the drawer out and completely emptying the drawer.

Do yourself a favor and pick up a small fireproof/water proof box/safe.  The small one are under $50.  Great place to keep Birth certificates, passports, vaccination cards, wills, and any other important documents. And you always know where they are at. 

[topnole]

13 hours ago, RedIguana said:

Do yourself a favor and pick up a small fireproof/water proof box/safe.  The small one are under $50.  Great place to keep Birth certificates, passports, vaccination cards, wills, and any other important documents. And you always know where they are at. 

Now the issue is losing the key.  😂😂

[boscobeans]

32 minutes ago, topnole said:

Now the issue is losing the key.  😂😂

Manual combination lock. Keep the combination on phone, computer or scribbled on the garage wall.. LOL

[topnole]

51 minutes ago, boscobeans said:

Manual combination lock. Keep the combination on phone, computer or scribbled on the garage wall.. LOL

I have a file for each of my 3 kids with birth certificates, immunization records, etc.  Then I also have a file with travel docs like passports and birth certificates.  So I have the birth certificates in two places for each kid.  A safe is a good option too.  I guess when you don’t use a doc in seemingly forever it is easy to forget where you put it or the file.