When you submit your passport application, it's important to make sure that all your i's are dotted and all your t's are crossed, so to speak. One of the most common reasons for an application to be delayed or rejected is for an improper birth certificate, and the Department of State has recently added some new requirements to the mix. Here's how to make sure your birth certificate passes the test:
Step 1: Check Who Issued It
In order to be valid proof of citizenship, the birth certificate, whether it's an original or a copy, must have been issued by the state in which you were born. Hospital birth certificates may look official, but they are actually issued by the hospitals as keepsakes, and aren't considered primary proof of citizenship.
Step 2: Check the Seal
The next step is to check the seal on the birth certificate. If it's a state-issued original or certified copy, the seal will be raised, embossed, engraved or multicolored.
Step 3: Check the Information
For the Department of State to accept it, the birth certificate must have the following information: Your parents' names, the date you were born and the location where you were born.
Step 4: Check the Signature
To be considered valid, your birth certificate must be signed by a registrar.
Step 5: Check the Date It Was Issued
It's not your fault if your birth certificate wasn't filed in a timely manner after you were born, but it can still cause you problems when you apply for a passport. If your passport was filed more than a year after you were born, the Department of State may not take it unless you also submit secondary evidence of citizenship.
Delayed birth certificates may be accepted alone if they are signed by the birth attendant and list the documents used to create them. However, it's best to go ahead and submit secondary evidence of US citizenship if you have it. Secondary evidence of citizenship includes early public records and sworn affidavits from an older blood relative.
Submitting the correct documents will ensure that the passport application process goes smoothly for you, and will help prevent unexpected delays in getting your documents.
