no birth certificate - TravelPUNK Backpacker College Student Budget Travel Message Boards!

BoozMaster5000 · 07-19-2005, 06:24 PM

First off, I love the website. Now for the problem. I am leaving to spain in september for my backpacking debut. I have never had a passport and I have found out that you need a birth certificate. I lost it !@#%$#%^. Has anybody had any experience with expedited brith certificate/passport services over the internet or have any other ideas? Thanks for your time and any help you can give.

xanthuos · 07-19-2005, 06:37 PM

1- Where do you live right now? (City, County, State)
2- Where were you born? (City, County, State)

BoozMaster5000 · 07-19-2005, 07:04 PM

live in oklahoma and born in california

BoozMaster5000 · 07-19-2005, 07:07 PM

oklahoma city
anaheim, orange county

**omisan** · 07-19-2005, 08:17 PM

Hmm.. I didn't need a birth certificate to get my passport, but then, I'm an immigrant, so they wanted my naturalization certificate. Anyway, I guess that's irrelevant. Here's what the US State Dept says you need:

Quote:

If you do NOT have a previous U.S. passport or a certified birth certificate, you will need:

Letter of No Record
Issued by the State with your name, date of birth, which years were searched for a birth record and that there is no birth certificate on file for you.

AND as many of the following as possible:
Baptismal certificate
Hospital birth certificate
Census record
Early school record
Family bible record
Doctor's record of post-natal care
NOTES: These documents must be early public records showing the date and place of birth, preferably created within the first five years of your life.

You may also submit an Affidavit of Birth, form DS-10, from an older blood relative, i.e., a parent, aunt, uncle, sibling, who has personal knowledge of your birth. It must be notarized or have the seal and signature of the acceptance agent.

**beergal** · 07-20-2005, 08:55 AM

wow thats a hell of a lot of trouble for us guys over here we just go to our local registray office and pay for a new one about £7 i think

**MeTurk** · 07-20-2005, 09:03 AM

The hospital you where born in should still have a record.

**space virgin** · 07-20-2005, 09:12 AM

You can get a certified copy of it from the State of California. You *might* be able to get it from the county you were born in. Check around.

**SuDz** · 07-20-2005, 09:15 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by space virgin@Jul 20 2005, 11:11 AM
You can get a certified copy of it from the State of California.* You *might* be able to get it from the county you were born in.* Check around.*

Yeah call the town offices or town hall of the town you were born in. It is actually pretty common and they can get you pointed in the right direction.

How long until you need your passport, it might take a few weeks to get your certificate.

SuDZ

**LiveFreeorDie** · 07-20-2005, 09:20 AM

While your at it, make sure to get a couple of copies - since the ones from the state are certified. You may find you need it for something down the road.

Here is a link that will tell you how to order a BC from California:

Cali BC

xanthuos · 07-20-2005, 10:49 AM

Quote:

A copy of a birth certificate can be obtained by mail if the birth occurred in Orange County, unless there has been an adoption or a legal name change. Certified copies are $18 each and orders are normally processed within 5 to 10 working days.

Applications submitted by mail must also include a statement, sworn under penalty of perjury, that the requester is an authorized person. It must also be notarized. Applications are available at Online Forms (PDF form here) . Use a separate application form for each record you are requesting.

PLEASE NOTE: Only one notarized sworn statement is required for multiple certificates requested at the same time; however, the sworn statement must include the name of each individual whose record you wish to obtain and your relationship to that individual. Those who are not authorized by law (Click here to see who is authorized) to receive an authorized certified copy will receive a certified copy marked “INFORMATIONAL, NOT A VALID DOCUMENT TO ESTABLISH IDENTITY.”

Mail requests to:

* * Orange County Clerk-Recorder
* * Attn: Vital Records
* * P.O. Box 238
* * Santa Ana, CA 92702

Make checks payable to: Tom Daly, County Clerk-Recorder.

Once you receive your birth certificate (which, as LiveFreeOrDie suggested, you should order a few copies now if you can afford it), then you have to apply for your passport. Since it's getting close to the end of July, I'm going to guess you'll need to do it by expedited service. You HAVE to apply in person at a passport application acceptance location if this is your first passport. Here are the two locations in OKC:

Center City Station
305 NW 5th St.
Oklahoma City, OK 73102-9998
(405) 232-2198

Oklahoma County Court Clerk
320 Robert S. Kerr
Oklahoma City, OK 73102
(405) 713-2262

Fees will be $97 for regular service, or $157 for expedited. Again, if you're less than 6 weeks from your departure when you have your birth certificate (but more than 2 weeks from leaving), then go expedited...otherwise you risk not getting your passport in time.

Hope this information helps!

BoozMaster5000 · 07-20-2005, 10:51 AM

thanks a lot everybody. i'll see if i can recruit one of my family members back home to snoop around for me. i really hope this all works out. i guess this is what i get for waiting until the last minute, but that was the only way for me to actually get off my ass and get this trip going.

xanthuos · 07-20-2005, 10:54 AM

And also, WELCOME TO THE BOARDS

Enjoy your Spanish adventure, and be careful cause you might come home in love like the Godfather, travelpunk, did

**Joker** · 07-20-2005, 11:16 AM

When I had to get another copy of my BC, I had to stand in line, pay $24 and that was it. Show 'em my driver's license, and sign for it.

Now I have to get another copy of my Social Security card since it went thru the wash... Can't imagine the hassle thats gonna be....

But my new passport did come in last week!

(Though i heard somewhere that the new US passports were s'posed to have some kinda chip in them... doesn't look different from any other PP i've seen...)

Now, as for your problem-- I'd check into getting that BC ASAP! If it means that you have to spend $150 to fly Southworst out to CA to get it, then do it. Doubtful that you can have someone other than a legal guardian go to fetch it in person... So you may wanna get on the stick about it.

Then, do the expedited PP process, and get er done! :D

Kari · 07-20-2005, 11:26 AM

You should be able to get yuor passport at the local post office. That is were I got mine and I paid $150 for it and got it in least then a week. Good luck with the birth certificate..... I should be pretty easy to get..... Hopefully

xanthuos · 07-20-2005, 06:54 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Joker@Jul 20 2005, 11:15 AM
But my new passport did come in last week!

(Though i heard somewhere that the new US passports were s'posed to have some kinda chip in them... doesn't look different from any other PP i've seen...)

Actually, as far as I know Joker, the RFID passports aren't in production yet. Be thankful you got yours now, it'll be good for 10 years and you won't need to have it replaced (hopefully, unless we become MORE of a police state) with an RFID-equipped one when those come out.

I'm happy I got mine renewed in '04 so that it'll be good until 2014.

foofiter · 07-20-2005, 07:04 PM

FYI The US Dept of State sends back your certified birth cert. They do not keep it...they just need to see it. I got it back a week after I got my passport. If you do expedited service make sure to go to ups.com and sign up for an account. That way you can give the account number to them. You will pay for overnight fees both ways but it is a trackable carrier and a lot faster than mail.

Foo

**SuDz** · 07-21-2005, 11:17 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by xanthuos+Jul 20 2005, 08:53 PM--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(xanthuos @ Jul 20 2005, 08:53 PM)</div>

Quote:

<!--QuoteBegin-Joker

Quote:

@Jul 20 2005, 11:15 AM
But my new passport did come in last week!

(Though i heard somewhere that the new US passports were s'posed to have some kinda chip in them... doesn't look different from any other PP i've seen...)

Actually, as far as I know Joker, the RFID passports aren't in production yet. Be thankful you got yours now, it'll be good for 10 years and you won't need to have it replaced (hopefully, unless we become MORE of a police state) with an RFID-equipped one when those come out.

I'm happy I got mine renewed in '04 so that it'll be good until 2014. [/b]

Joker,

With the size of RFID chips you won't actually notice them anyhow. They are pretty much undetectable by look and feel in most things and they are already in some clothing at stores. Your passport unless they change the actual design would have thick enough covers to slip them in without really noticeable differences.

SuDZ

**Joker** · 07-21-2005, 01:05 PM

Heh, I dunno, the RFID stuff thats out is pretty damned small now...

FTR, my BC was in the envelope with the PP...

BoozMaster5000 · 07-25-2005, 04:57 PM

AAHHAHAH! I got my birth certificate! I used vitalchek.com. They specialize in marriage licenses, death and birth certificates. It cost me about $50 and I got it 5 days later. All I need is my passport and I'll be in Spain ladies and gentlemen. Thanks again for all your help. After this trip I won't be such a ghost in these boards anymore. I'll actually have some experience.