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Birth Certificate and Your History
The best place to start if you're seeking to
know your roots is your birth certificate. Not only does it contain the exact
names of your biological parents, but also the place where you were born, which
provides a great jump-off point for your search.
A birth
certificate contains all the pertinent information regarding a person’s birth,
like his or her name, date and place of birth, sex, birth registration number,
and legal parents’ names and occupations. The maiden name of the child’s mother
is usually used in a birth certificate.
A birth certificate is normally issued soon after the doctor or midwife
accomplishes and files the necessary documents to the appropriate government
record office, after a child’s birth. Thus, it is best to get in touch with the
mother and child unit of the hospital where you were born, in case of a lost
birth certificate. A
replacement can be obtained directly from the government records
office or indirectly through travel document agencies. Depending on the place, a
birth certificate replacement can take as short as two days to as long as two
weeks and usually costs less than $50.
For the most part,
getting a copy of a person’s birth certificate is not easy. Today however, there
are places where anyone can simply obtain a copy of your birth certificate by
paying a small fee.
A birth certificate can be in the
original, amended, or delayed category. Your original birth certificate is the
one issued at the time of your birth, while the amended ones are those with
revisions and/or corrections made some time after the actual birth. In the
meantime, a delayed birth certificate is usually issued due to the failure of
filing an original one, which can happen for various reasons.
Your birth certificate has a lot
of uses, and keeping a copy handy is advisable.
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For places where
citizenship is based on the birth location of individuals, a birth certificate
comes as easy proof of one’s citizenship.
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You can
authenticate your identity and nationality using your birth certificate.
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Birth certificates
are also important travel documents.
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It comes handy
when you’re trying to obtain a passport, driver’s license, or other
identity-related documents from the government.
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Original birth
certificates are crucial when establishing your genealogy or ancestry.
Forms of Birth
Certificates
While there is a
recommended standard birth certificate form given by the
National Center for Health Statistics, every state has the freedom to create its
individual forms.
Generally,
though, birth certificates come in long and short forms. Longs forms are
actually certified photocopies of the original birth certificate from the
hospital. The form contains all of your pertinent personal information, as well
as your parent’s information. Long forms are often signed either by the midwife
or doctor involved in your birth, or at least one parent.
Short forms,
on the other hand, are simply computer certifications and may not always be
available. Short forms are cheaper, but offer basic and limited information that
is also lifted from the long form. They are stored in a database and are easily
accessible during times when you’re pressed for time in producing a birth
certificate. Short forms are being issued in almost all states. They simply
prove that a long form or an original birth record exists.
Wallet-size short forms are also
available for convenience, while illustrated or exemplified birth certificates
are often presented before foreign government authorities. Some commemorative
certificates are also accepted as legal birth certifications.
Know more about the benefits and
uses of having your birth certificate handy by browsing around
RecordsSiteReview’s
Birth Records section.
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