Often people make requests to the US Census Bureau for birth certificates. What people do not know is that they can get their birth records a lot closer like their own state or even their own community. In the following paragraphs, we will discuss methods for conducting a birth records search.
The United States maintains no centralized repository of birth records. The records are maintained at the state level by the state Health Department. Sometimes the records are maintained by the Bureau of Vital Statistics that is often a division of the health department. Sometimes the county or town where you were born maintains your birth records. If you are in your mid 70’s this is often the only place to look for birth records.
This is a dicy situation for the elderly. Often such records are lost because of local natural disasters like fires and floods. Sometimes a listing in the family bible is the only record there is. In some cases where the loss of official records is documented, such records have been accepted as a proof of birth.
Sometimes people think that the hospital where they were born maintains a copy of their birth certificate and can provide a replacement copy. This is not true. Hospitals may maintain a record of your birth but cannot provide you a replacement birth certificate. If you are middle aged it may be difficult to find a birth certificate record in the hospital in which you were born.
The state record center responsible for maintaining birth records in your state of birth is also responsible for issuing replacement birth certificates. In some cases this is not possible. In such cases you will have to talk to your state record center to know what to do.
To apply for a birth certificate you have to write out a request with your first and last names, birth date and place and your parents first and last names including your mothers maiden name. You also need to mention that the birth certificate is for you. Certificates are only issued to the person, spouse, parents, grandparents, siblings and legal guardians.
Additional information is required in official birth certificate replacement forms. Generally a letter explaining what you want and providing the requisite information is sufficient. The appropriate fee must be included.
You can check your states requirements online by searching with the terms – birth certificate + (name of your birth state).
jkwent :: Jan.28.2008 ::
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