USC Birth Certificate Advice Please

[ELW 5]

Well, I live in CA and ordered my birth certificate online from the PA Health Records site (official one). I just took it for granted that I would get the so-called “long form”. But what I got was the small certificate with only my name & birthplace on it – no parent’s names! Just some fake-looking stamps and no signatures.

So I made a phone call and said I wanted the LONG FORM, and specified that it’s the one with both parents’ names on it. The lady on the phone assured me that all I had to do was write a letter, include the birth certificate, and I would get a long form mailed back to me for no additional charges.

So I did that and the other day, after about 6 weeks, I received back the SAME SMALL SHORT TINY FORM, identical except now my parent’s names are neatly typed on there! It doesn’t look right, somehow.

Since I got it direct from the correct place – is this all they are giving now? Should I just keep it and give up? Or…???

I have my passport so maybe I will never need anything else (I forgot if the foreign consulate asks for the USC long form?), but I felt bad that my mom lost my actual birth certificate.

[Nanusia & Lukaszek 0]

After you turn 18, the format you are getting is considered the "long format". Since you are an adult, they take off the parents info. When I requested mine, I told them it was for immigration purposes, and said the request takes a little longer, because they have to do a different format to follow to include parents names & their birthdates I think.

[ELW 5]

Thanks for the answer!

Wow you guys will soon be together - a big CONTRATS! to you both!

[Kez/JWolf 6]

I went to the State of MA dept for births, deaths and marriages to get a copy of my husbands birth certificate.... short version was free long form was $10

I was told not to use on-line sites to get the certificate no mater how real they look...

Kez

Here is the link to find your local county office where the birth was registered...

http://www.dhs.ca.gov/hisp/chs/OVR/LocalRe...rar/default.htm

Edited January 31, 2007 by Niagaenola

[BettyAndMe 0]

I didn't know if I had a short form or a long form -- it looked pretty short to me. So I copied it anyway and also sent a copy of my passport just in case. Our NOA-2 came through faster than most CSC filers and with no RFE's.

YMMV

[Kinsey 0]

What are you collecting your birth certificate for? Isn't it the beneficiary who needs a long form (if available) for the interview? If you, the US citizen, sent that short one in with your packet, and they didn't request a different version (which they shouldn't have) then you only need to bring that original to coincide with the copies you included.

Well, I live in CA and ordered my birth certificate online from the PA Health Records site (official one). I just took it for granted that I would get the so-called “long form”. But what I got was the small certificate with only my name & birthplace on it – no parent’s names! Just some fake-looking stamps and no signatures.

So I made a phone call and said I wanted the LONG FORM, and specified that it’s the one with both parents’ names on it. The lady on the phone assured me that all I had to do was write a letter, include the birth certificate, and I would get a long form mailed back to me for no additional charges.

So I did that and the other day, after about 6 weeks, I received back the SAME SMALL SHORT TINY FORM, identical except now my parent’s names are neatly typed on there! It doesn’t look right, somehow.

Since I got it direct from the correct place – is this all they are giving now? Should I just keep it and give up? Or…???

I have my passport so maybe I will never need anything else (I forgot if the foreign consulate asks for the USC long form?), but I felt bad that my mom lost my actual birth certificate.

[Knobby_Wheezer 0]

I went to the State of MA dept for births, deaths and marriages to get a copy of my husbands birth certificate.... short version was free long form was $10

I was told not to use on-line sites to get the certificate no mater how real they look...

Kez

Here is the link to find your local county office where the birth was registered...

http://www.dhs.ca.gov/hisp/chs/OVR/LocalRe...rar/default.htm

Is there one of these sites for Wyoming? How would I find it?

[KarenCee 3]

The beneficiary needs the USC's birth certificate when the interview takes place, at least that's what my husband said. It needs to have all the information that the long form has. The OP probably needs to physically go to the Birth Certificate department and tell them what she needs.

[ELW 5]

Nanusia & Lukaszek said <<After you turn 18, the format you are getting is considered the "long format">>

So I was going to drop it and just live with what I got. Or is it different in different states? Anyone get a long form after age 18?

<<What are you collecting your birth certificate for? Isn't it the beneficiary who needs a long form (if available) for the interview?>>

Well Kingsey, I had heard from different places that the USC birth certificate is needed at the interview. I didn't send my BC in with the I-129F, just my passport.

<<I went to the State of MA dept for births, deaths and marriages to get a copy of my husbands birth certificate.... short version was free long form was $10>>

Yep Niagaenola, I had gone to the official website of the state I was born in, Pennsylvania. I live in California so can't just walk in and get one. The fees were $10 online just like you did – but I only got the short form.