No Birth Certificate...Help please!!!

[tracie]

I just got our Docs and when I got all of our papers together I was told by a friend who cruises all of the time that what I have is not an original birth certificate. What I have is a hospital certificate..I thought it was fine since it has a seal and everything, but I am told that it is not. I am also told that I cannot get a copy of my birth certificate for at least 4 weeks. Well, that is past the time that my ship sails. Help please...I feel so stupid...I have never left the country so this has never been an issue.

 

Tracie

 

Tracie

[jleq]

There are companies that FedEx documents like this in a matter of days. They can be found on the Internet. Check under expedited birth certificates. In addition, tell whoever you talk to on the phone about why you need the certificate. Chances are those weeks will decrease.

[Travelitis]

Tracie,

 

I worked international check-in for a charter airline, and I often just went through the crowd checking I.D. to locate those with problems. Then I had to help them solve the problem. What you describe was the most common mistake. We called those certificates "footsies" because they frequently have the footprints. Since they aren't issued by the govt., they aren't valid I.D., but there are options.

 

1st - call the court house that has your b.c. and nicely explain the situation in a way that will garner you sympathy. Don't take the I HAVE to have this now attitude, but head down the begging for help path. Maybe if you send your request and payment via Priority Mail (2 day deliv for $3.85) along with a pre-paid Priority mailer for the return, they'll expedite it for you.

 

2nd - Look for a photocopy of the original to have notarized. The notary seal takes the place of the raised seal. Not all states have raised seals. Think about places that might have it (schools, job) and then ask. What about parents?

 

3rd - Call Carnival and see if you get a notarized affadavit stating your name, d.o.b., and birthplace, if they will accept that with the hospital certificate.

 

4th- Look for expedited passport services. You might have to gather everything you can for I.D. plus take someone who has valid I.D. to sign an affadavit, but I've heard of it being done.

 

I've seen people address these issues at the airport and still be able to travel, so all is not lost. Good Luck!

[Chudley]

Hi, the same thing happened to my sister. She made a phone call and had her certified birth certificate within a week. Good luck and enjoy your cruise, Chud :)

[tngirl1979]

If you go to a health department in your state, you will be able to get a birth certificate. My husband and I are going today because we recently moved and misplaced our birth certificates.

[madelinerose]

Next time, get a passport. It simplifies your life. ;)

[hdawson]

I don't think you said when you sail but this just may be your salvation.

 

http://www.vitalchek.com/?clicked=1

[Legend]

go to http://www.vitalcheck.com and order one they can deliver it almost overnight. A notarized copy won't do.

[Mom4Nana2]

I went to our local county health center and had DH & mine in 5 minutes. They just print it out and stamp it with the raised seal right there. We are in MO so don't know if all states do that or not. Just had to fill out a form with names, dates, parents names, place of birth, and reason that you wanted it. Oh yes one other thing: you have to have been born in the state that you are applying in.

[psw]

I cruised several times with the one from the hospital with no problem before I sent away for a certified copy. It has all the same info as my certified including the seal..

[L2J]

Check online. There are tons of places that will get birth certs for your state - I had mine in less than a week. Of course the reason that I needed it was to get a passport.

[phinfan63]

I, too, only had the hospital certificate and went online and searched for birth certificates illinois, found the site, applied online and had my certificate within the week. I think it cost me around $43.00.

 

Happy Sailing!

[mysticalblues]

I know this is a little off topic, but isn't it a little scary how easy it is to get a copy of your birth certificate. My uncle was able to walk into our county admins office and ask for it. They didn't even ask for ID!! That means anyone could have walked in and used his name and taken his identity.

 

In this day and age, you would think they would make the process a little more secure.

 

Thanks,

Pam

[kathy7558]

go to http://www.vitalcheck.com and order one they can deliver it almost overnight. A notarized copy won't do.

 

I used this service in June - ordered online - and had the copy in less than a week.

[tracie]

Thank you to all of you....I got so lucky just now...I got a person on the phone at the vital records office in New York, BTW I am in Arizona...anyway, she was awesome and I should have a certified copy in about a week. I am sending all the info Fed-X and she is going to Fed-X it back to me. Everyone I talked to in that same office yesterday told me that it would be at least 4 weeks. I guess I just had a cruise angel on my side and she happened to answer the phone at vital records this morning. Now, I can really do the Doc Dance......Actually I am doing it right now...YEAH YEAH!! Thanks again...all of you are so wonderful. 25 days and counting....Now, I just need the hurricanes to get out of my way.

 

Tracie

[paralegal]

The same thing happened to me last August. For the past several years I had been using what I thought was my birth certificate. I had taken several cruises and even went to Jamaica. Well, I found out about a month before my cruise that it was not birth certificate. I went to the internet and found some forms to fill out. I filled them out, printed and faxed to the Health Department. I received my birth certificate the next day.

[serene56]

I know this is a little off topic, but isn't it a little scary how easy it is to get a copy of your birth certificate. My uncle was able to walk into our county admins office and ask for it. They didn't even ask for ID!! That means anyone could have walked in and used his name and taken his identity.

 

In this day and age, you would think they would make the process a little more secure.

 

Thanks,

Pam

 

 

Pam I would think its a little bit more involved then that. You would need to know the parents name and mothers maiden name and the date of birth. So anyone looking in the phone book directory could jsut lift a name and get documetns for that person. Kinda scarey they didnt ask for a photoo id. When requesting one using the mail we needed to forward a phot id with the address the birth certificate was going to.

[L2J]

Pam I would think its a little bit more involved then that.

 

When requesting one using the mail we needed to forward a phot id with the address the birth certificate was going to.

 

 

Not to mention a SSN.

 

I don't understand the logic in this?

[SevenVII]

So you can use the hospital one as well as the certified?

[huskergirl13]

I leave on Friday 9/17 for Florida (Glory Cruise 9/18) and suddenly I'm worried that what I have is not the proper birth certificate either.....its an original, and its one I used to cruise in Jan of 2000 w/RCCL and had no problems.....its got all the usual info and it has a raised state seal, but not sure if it is a hospital cert or not.....NOW I'm worried too!!! HELP! Is there a way to tell a difference??? AND because I used it on a cruise prior to 9/11, I'm not sure if the rules have changed???? uhoh.......:confused:

[Reneei]

The one with the raised seal is the one you take with...it should have on there 'county recorders office' or words to that effect.

[DebBrown]

Check online. There are tons of places that will get birth certs for your state - I had mine in less than a week. Of course the reason that I needed it was to get a passport.

Hmmmm, a passport, now why didn't I think of that!! ;)

[betsyrossapk]

About a month ago there was a thread about a cruiser having a birth certificate problem. I decided to check my & my husbands. My husbands' was the black microfiche type & at the bottom it said it was NOT a certified copy. Now we have been using this for years, our last Cruise & several trips to the Bahamas & Canada. So.... I went online to bureau of Vital Statistics in Tenn where he was born & printed out a form, filled it out & mailed away for a new one. Did not need any form of pic ID or parents info. Just his name, birthdate & city where born. Took about a week to 10 days. Just this morning I packed the ID's in our suitcases so I am good to go. 50 days & counting!

[kitty9]

betsy, I hope you meant to say you packed your ID's in your carry ons and not in your luggage. Boy, would that be a problem if they were in your luggage. :eek:

 

SevenVII, you absolutely cannot use a hospital certificate as your ID to board a cruise ship. That fact is stated very plainly in all cruise brochures and in your cruise documents.

[angie2003]

I work at a town hall here in RI and our Town Clerk's Office is always happy to assist - if you call the town hall in the town you resided at birth, they should be able to get an original certified birth certificate to you immediately. Just some information - good luck and have a great trip :)