Important Due to Covid-19, processing times for passports are taking longer than normal for both standard and expedited services.
Getting a U.S. passport can seem like a daunting task. It requires collecting a bevy of documents, which among other things, verifies your U.S. citizenship. Being a citizen of the United States is an obvious requirement for obtaining a U.S. passport. If you already have travel plans in the works, understand that obtaining an acceptable birth certificate, the most commonly submitted document as evidence of United States citizenship, can also add time to the process.
You may have copies of your birth certificate somewhere in your personal files, but keep in mind that there are very specific requirements for an acceptable birth certificate. The most important distinction is that your birth certificate is the long form version. The long form version not only shows your name, but the names of your single parent or both parents. The short form only has your name on it. The Department of State will only accept long form birth certificates. Your application will automatically be rejected if you don't adhere to this requirement.
In addition to submitting the long form version of your birth certificate, it also must be a certified copy.
Requirements for Certified Birth Certificate
- Issued by the City, County, or State of birth
- Lists bearer's full name, date of birth, and place of birth
- Lists parent(s) full names
- Has date filed with registrar's office (must be within one year of birth)
- Has registrar's signature
- Has embossed, impressed, or multicolored seal of registrar
- Photocopies and notarized copies are unacceptable
You can only get a certified copy of your birth certificate from the state or U.S. possession where it was originally filed. In most cases, states centralize vital records, and they can be obtained from a single source no matter where you were born in that state. The time it takes to receive a copy of your birth certificate can vary widely, depending on the agency that is preparing your document, and your chosen method of delivery. If you are pressed for time, it may be best to choose to expedite the process. Most agencies can process an express delivery within three to five days. Not using an expediting service, and choosing standard mail delivery can take up to 60 days for delivery, but this is worst case scenario.
It is important to note that in lieu of a U.S. certified birth certificate, there are only three other documents that are considered primary evidence of citizenship, each with their own separate process. If a child is born outside of the United States to U.S. citizens, an original Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA) must be requested from the U.S. embassy in the child's birth country. Submit Form N-600 with a foreign birth certificate and a certified translation, plus parents' birth certificates. An original document is prepared in the United States and sent to the U.S. embassy for you to collect there. This must be done immediately after birth to avoid future complications in establishing the child's U.S. citizenship. If you are a naturalized U.S. citizen, submit an official Naturalization Certificate. If your parents became U.S. citizens after your birth, but before you turned 18, submit an official Certificate of Citizenship. All original documents supporting citizenship are returned to you once your passport is processed.
If you already have a birth certificate that meets the requirements, you are ready to apply for a new passport. If you need to get a certified copy of your birth certificate first, you may be pressed for time when it comes to getting your passport. In this case, you can apply at a regional agency or authorize a third party to submit the application on your behalf. There are advantages to using an expediting courier service to obtain your passport expeditiously, the most obvious being that it speeds up the process. Another benefit is that you do not have to personally visit the regional agency thereby freeing you to do other things in preparation for your international trip. You can order online 24 hours a day from home simply and securely.
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Birth certificates can be the key to getting a US passport. The most important requirement to get a first time passport, a child’s passport, or a replacement for a lost, damaged, or stolen passport is original proof of US citizenship. For most of us, that’s going to be a birth certificate.
But not all birth certificates are acceptable proof of US citizenship to get a passport. Is your birth certificate the right kind?
Long Form Birth Certificates
Long form birth certificates are the gold standard for proof of US citizenship for passports. They may also be referred to as “official birth certificates” or “full size birth certificates.” The long form contains all the recorded details about your birth, including:
- Your full name
- Your date and time of birth
- Your precise place of birth (such as the hospital address)
- Your gender
- The name of the doctor or midwife who attended your birth
- Your parents’ full names, including your mother’s maiden name
- Your parents’ dates and places of birth
Long form birth certificates are issued by the Department of Vital Statistics in the state where you were born. Your official long form should bear a registration number and a seal. If you need to order a new copy of your birth certificate to get a passport, make sure to request a long form certificate!
Short Form Birth Certificates
There are many varieties of short form birth certificates, from ones that look very much like long form certificates to small cards the size of a driver’s license. In some states, such as Texas, short forms are the default form of birth certificate and are known as “standard size.” Short form birth certificates are also often called “abstracts,” because they only provide a portion of the information included on the long form. In essence, the short form serves as proof that a full birth certificate has been filed for you.
Most short form birth certificates can not be used to get a passport. In order to be used to get a US passport, your birth certificate must show your full name; gender; precise time, date, and location of birth; and your parents’ full names, dates of birth, and places of birth. Card-sized birth certificates can never be used to apply for a passport.
Hospital or Heirloom Birth Certificates
Many hospitals will prepare charming certificates for the parents of newborn babies to take home, often with baby’s tiny footprints inked on to them. Similarly, some states also offer “heirloom” birth certificates on special paper with decorative details. These certificates are suitable for framing or scrapbooking, but are not valid proof of US citizenship to get a passport.
Amended Birth Certificates for Adoptees
Were you adopted as a child? You may have been issued an Amended Birth Certificate that lists your adoptive parents as if they were your biological parents. These are absolutely acceptable for passport applications. On your passport application, you will also list your adoptive parents in the spaces for your parents’ information.
Consular Report of Birth Abroad
Did you know that the State Department also issues birth certificates? They do! If you are born outside the US to US citizen parents, you can be issued a Consular Report of Birth Abroad (Form FS-240). These are issued at the US Embassy or Consulate in the location where you were born. When you apply for a new US passport, you will need to submit the Consular Report of Birth Abroad instead of your locally-issued birth certificate.
Photocopied or Notarized Birth Certificates
The most important thing to remember is that the birth certificate you submit with your passport application must be an original document. You can’t use a photocopy or even a notarized photocopy.
In this case, “original” doesn’t mean first. It simply means that it is the official document issued by the government agency, not a photocopy or scan. It’s OK if you no longer have the first copy of your birth certificate that was issued right after you were born. You can get a new version of your long form birth certificate from the Bureau of Vital Statistics in the state where you were born, or you can order it online from VitalChek.com.
What Happens if You Don’t Have the Right Kind of Birth Certificate?
Any time you have to apply for a passport using Form DS-11, you will need to go to a Passport Acceptance Facility before you send your application to G3. If you don’t have the right kind of birth certificate, the Passport Acceptance Agent will tell you. You won’t be able to have your application prepared for submission until you return with an original long form birth certificate.
Not certain if your birth certificate will pass muster? We’re here to help. Just reach out to your G3 passport specialist to confirm if you have the right documentation to get your new passport.
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