PA birth certificate

[sunset785]

We are headed on the Enchantment on March 16th. Parents first cruise and they just have DL and birth certificates. My family has passports we travel with. Anyways I looked at my Dads birth certificate today from PA and it is short form and does not have his parents name but IT IS issued from vital statistics and is a true birth certificate. Google gives me all kinds of different answers so I don't know if he will be able to board or not. My mom is looking for another copy and will be calling Royal here soon. Anyone have any experience with this? Will he be able to board?

[sunset785]

Ok just got off the phone with Royal. They said it needs full name, birth date, city and state of birth place. It has all those. Phew.

[cb at sea]

Phew! As long as it's issued by the STATE, you're good. If it's issued by the hospital, then that's a "no go".

[sunset785]

Ok just got off the phone with Royal. They said it needs full name, birth date, city and state of birth place. It has all those. Phew.

[sunset785]

It is issued by state!

[Janet524]

Be sure the birth certificate has a RAISED SEAL of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

[imjoyful2]

Be sure the birth certificate has a RAISED SEAL of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

 

Yes THIS!!!! Many moons ago when hubby & I went to head out on our honeymoon, I had a passport and he had his "supposed" birth certificate. Long story short, his evil mom intentionally did NOT give him his state issued BC but only hospital one. The whole process was awful. (it was her fault too:mad: )

 

Anyway, all that to say, make SURE their BC are PA issued with the raised seal and not hospital issued.

[majarosh]

My story was just as bad...not hospital certificate. ..but short form vs the needed long form. ..thank you N.J. for over six months of CRAP and stupidity...I pray no one has to deal with the NJ office of vital statics

[sunset785]

Yes THIS!!!! Many moons ago when hubby & I went to head out on our honeymoon, I had a passport and he had his "supposed" birth certificate. Long story short, his evil mom intentionally did NOT give him his state issued BC but only hospital one. The whole process was awful. (it was her fault too:mad: )

 

 

 

Anyway, all that to say, make SURE their BC are PA issued with the raised seal and not hospital issued.

 

 

That would be terrible! Did you get to go on your honeymoon?

 

He has the state issued one with the seal that says commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

[Discindy]

I just went through the process to get a passport for an upcoming cruise. I had the short form issued by the state with the raised seal without my parents name and they rejected it. Did you tell them it doesn't have their parents name and they still said it was okay? Just make sure they know that. I live in PA but was born in CT. I could get it right away if I lived there but had to handle it by mail and they were really quick even though they said it could take up to six weeks. I got it back in just over a week. Good luck and have a great cruise.

[imjoyful2]

That would be terrible! Did you get to go on your honeymoon?

 

He has the state issued one with the seal that says commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

 

Yes we still got to go but we lost a day as he had to get it notarized. :( This was back in 1998 so fortunately he was still able to fly.

[SarahInPA]

I Live in PA and was a social worker, I have taken people directly to the office of records and had a birth certificate given to them on the spot. You may have to wait a little in line, but it was a lot less painful than i expected. I think its about $13 or so. Id be safe rather than sorry.

[majarosh]

It might be fine with Royal...the check in folks ...are not ROYAL...can someone confirm please ?

[majarosh]

Same issue with me...living in Florida and having to deal with NEW JERSEY VITAL STATICS. ..6 months later and DIRECT intervention from FLORIDA Senator Marco Rubio ' s office....

[Janet524]

It might be fine with Royal...the check in folks ...are not ROYAL...can someone confirm please ?

 

I don't think it matters who if the check in people are with RC or not. It is a U.S. government requirement (can't say if it's Immigration, Customs, or which department) and must be complied with.

[majarosh]

That's my thinking....first cruise...novice ...showed up at the pier raised seal short form....what I had to go thru to get on the ship I wouldn't wish on anyone.....I was the LAST person permitted on the ship

[jmrothermel]

I definitely would NOT travel with that. I had to scramble to get a replacement for my mother in law because she had the short form and it was rejected! And the office of vital statistics sent it to me too! I had to get the long form WITH parents names.

[Iamthesea]

I don't understand what you mean by short form versus long form? :confused:

 

My adult daughter's BC is from the state of SC. It's a card sized BC that is certified by the state and has two raised seals at the top. There are no parents listed. She has used this birth card for all our cruises and never had any trouble. Has something changed this year that I do not know about? We last used the BC this time in 2014.

Edited March 6, 2015 by Iamthesea

[SLPmom]

We traveled last April with "short forms" also. Wondering if rules have changed. I'm planning on traveling again in April with these and now am a little worried.

[mollyeilis]

The passport people now need the BC to have spots for both parents' names. Not all states used to issue this. If you have a BC without spots for both parents' names, you're going to need the new BC to get your passport.

 

I have no idea why it would be difficult for NJ.

 

http://www.state.nj.us/health/vital/start.shtml

 

"How do I know if the copy of my birth certificate is acceptable for the Division of Motor Vehicles, Passport or for proof of age or citizenship? Your record must be issued by the local office of vital records where the birth occurred or the Office of Vital Statistics and Registry and must contain a raised seal. Some entities require the document to have been issued within the last two years."

 

Now, this is interesting; maybe the two people above were from Jersey City or Hudson County: http://www.state.nj.us/health/vital/jerseycity.shtml

 

"Birth certificates previously issued by the Jersey City/Hudson County Office of Vital Statistics (with the raised seal from Hudson County):

• Are no longer accepted by the federal government when applying for a U.S. passport;
  
• May not be accepted by other federal agencies; and
  
• May not be accepted by the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission, depending on year of birth."
  

Wee!

 

 

"You must get a new certified copy of your birth certificate from the New Jersey Office of Vital Statistics and Registry."

 

 

 

 

So...the ones previously issued by that office (wow, wonder what happened?) aren't now accepted, but there's a way to get a new one.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Regarding the OP....I, personally, would want to travel with one that's good enough to get a passport with. If they still live in PA, go to a Vital Records office and get a new version. That's what I would do, just to make SURE.

[sunset785]

Ok I called Royal and so did my mom. Spoke to two different people. The agent my mom spoke to pulled out a handbook and read straight from that and it didn't say anything about including parents names as long as it was certified (which it is) and the guy I spoke with said the same. He almost laughed at me for being concerned and said that he has traveled with a credit card size BC with no issues on a cruise.

 

We aren't in PA anymore to easily get a new one. We live in FL. So we will go by what the agents for RCL said and keep you updated.

[majarosh]

That's a BINGO ! PLUS the fact that I'm adopted. ..Why NJ issues....They are idiots unprofessional and uncaring.

[Clancy14]

Ok I called Royal and so did my mom. Spoke to two different people. The agent my mom spoke to pulled out a handbook and read straight from that and it didn't say anything about including parents names as long as it was certified (which it is) and the guy I spoke with said the same. He almost laughed at me for being concerned and said that he has traveled with a credit card size BC with no issues on a cruise.

 

We aren't in PA anymore to easily get a new one. We live in FL. So we will go by what the agents for RCL said and keep you updated.

 

If anything changes, and you need help from LUZERNE County, I'll keep an eye out here till you sail! Good luck!

 

- Miriam

[fred30]

You should be fine. Your parents have state issued birth certificates and photo drivers licenses.

 

From: RCCL Website:

 

U.S. citizens on closed-loop cruises (cruises that begin and end at the same port in the U.S.) will be able to enter or depart the country with proof of citizenship, such as a government-issued birth certificate and laminated government issued picture ID, denoting photo, name and date of birth. 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, a Consular Report of Birth Abroad issues by DOS, or Certificate of Naturalization issued by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

 

Note: Baptismal papers and hospital certificates of birth are not acceptable. Voter registration cards or Social Security cards are not considered proof of citizenship.

[Iamthesea]

The passport people now need the BC to have spots for both parents' names. Not all states used to issue this. If you have a BC without spots for both parents' names, you're going to need the new BC to get your passport.

 

 

OK, now I see what the confusion is. If I am correct...there are two different conversations going on in this thread. The OP asked about using a specific BC to CRUISE with. Someone else piped in saying that this long form is needed, but he is really talking about needing a long form to get a PASSPORT.

 

SLPmom - I think you and my daughter are fine with what we have been traveling with. ;)

 

And before someone starts in about needing a passport in case something happens on the cruise, I/we are well aware of that. My daughter does not wish to get a passport ate this time. She does not travel too often, and our upcoming cruise will probably be her last for awhile. When she does get to the point where she will need a passport to either cruise of fly out of the country, then she will do so. ;)