lynn Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 I gathered my information for my passport, look at my birth certificate and it has not seal or embossed seal. Therefore it will not be accpeted.:crying: So, there is no way to get a certified copy in time to get my passport in time to take this trip. I have used this bc for 42 years and now it's an issue. I am going to make an effort but the info on the website is very specific about seal or colored embossed something. :confused: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WTMindy Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 That stinks!! I would see if you can pay extra to expidite the new birth cert. In only took our passports less than two weeks to arrive once we turned all our stuff in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jann in TX Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 I had the SAME issue when I went to apply for my passport last year (kicking myself the whole time for letting my first one expire...). In my case I needed a California birth certificate and I live in Texas... I paid a service to rush mine and I had it in about a week. I had my passport 2 weeks later. You can also have passports 'rushed' or 'hand carried' by a service if you live too far from a processing center. Most birth certificate and passport processing centers will do just about anything for a price! I think I ended up paying about $125 total for both services--but it was worth it so I could go on my Africa trip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hillary in KS Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 When I ordered birth certificates last summer, there was an option to pay extra for a *rush* order. Does your state have that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pqr Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 You can expedite passports, it costs a little more but can be done. Try and get a real person on the phone, many who work in the passport office are actually quite helpful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandalwood Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 I gathered my information for my passport, look at my birth certificate and it has not seal or embossed seal. Therefore it will not be accpeted.:crying: So, there is no way to get a certified copy in time to get my passport in time to take this trip. I have used this bc for 42 years and now it's an issue. I am going to make an effort but the info on the website is very specific about seal or colored embossed something. :confused: Do you have a local PO close that could look at it and tell you if it was ok? Last year, I had to order one for my husband (he didn't have one) but I took my 43 yr. old scrap-of-paper one up there that was literally a piece of paper with like an old time black zerox copy of what the hospital gave my mom & it was stamped by a notary public but I think that was it. It was fine. I figured I'd have to get another one, but I didn't. We have one PO out of several here that has a full time passport office. Also, the others are right. You can most definately rush your passport. It cost more, but you can do it. We took a trip in May last year and got our passport stuff together and ordered in Jan. and and had it by March and that was in the busy-season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynn Posted April 20, 2009 Author Share Posted April 20, 2009 Another unexpected crazy issue. I was born at a hospital in Methuen Ma and my bc is issued from New Hampshire where we were living at the time and the town clerk in Salem told me I'd have to call Methuen town clerk even though it is issued from NH ?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LMA Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 Another unexpected crazy issue. I was born at a hospital in Methuen Ma and my bc is issued from New Hampshire where we were living at the time and the town clerk in Salem told me I'd have to call Methuen town clerk even though it is issued from NH ?? Yes, to get a birth certificate in MA, you have to contact the town clerk of the town in which you were born. My husband was born in Arlington and he had to get his bc from that town. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TraceyS/FL Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 The last person i know that had to renew a passport had it only take 2 weeks! Hopefully you can get it in time, i had to order a copy of a marriage license online - it took from friday to monday to get fed ex. Wasn't even supposed to ship out until tuesday, but they were quick! Hopefully it works out for you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In The Great White North Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 Quote: Originally Posted by lynn Another unexpected crazy issue. I was born at a hospital in Methuen Ma and my bc is issued from New Hampshire where we were living at the time and the town clerk in Salem told me I'd have to call Methuen town clerk even though it is issued from NH ?? Yes, to get a birth certificate in MA, you have to contact the town clerk of the town in which you were born. My husband was born in Arlington and he had to get his bc from that town. That does sound odd. Is the form from Salem a registration of Live Birth (as opposed to a Birth Certificate)? They should certainly be able to re-issue whatever they issued in the first place. If the hospital was in Methuen though, I'd call there anyway. I'm betting that the real thing is in Methuen. BTW, we just had to get a rush passport for dd. We had to have an appointment, proof of a flight within two weeks, all the paperwork, go personally to the processing center in Boston, pay for expedited service, pay for them to overnight it back to us (you can't just wait for it anymore). By the time we got done with all the fees, gas and parking, it probably cost more than $200. All in all, it took a week and a half. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delighted3 Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 You can get it from this website. http://www.vitalchek.com/express-vital-records.aspx Otherwise, you have to send a request with a check. Mine took 10 days to get it back. The cost for the direct service was $15 compared to $50 online, but I wasn't in a rush, so I went with the check. I think if you use the online site, you can get it in as little as 3 days. HTH, Joy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jackie in AR Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 You can get it from this website. http://www.vitalchek.com/express-vital-records.aspx Otherwise, you have to send a request with a check. Mine took 10 days to get it back. The cost for the direct service was $15 compared to $50 online, but I wasn't in a rush, so I went with the check. I think if you use the online site, you can get it in as little as 3 days.HTH, Joy We used the VitalChek service earlier this month for dd's bc. Dh ordered online on Friday the 10th, paid for Express Courier, and paid with a credit card. The bc arrived at our home on Tuesday the 14th. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynn Posted April 20, 2009 Author Share Posted April 20, 2009 This bc thing is getting weirder. I called mother to ask her about my pink not stamped copy and she said that before we left Mass she went to the town hall and picked up all 5 of our birthcertificates white with a gold seal. She does not understand how or why I have a pink one and thought I was joking. She insists we all have a white copy with a gold stamp. Anyways the passport lady looked at the birthcertificate and proceeded with the application process. DH thinks it could still get rejected. :glare: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynn Posted April 20, 2009 Author Share Posted April 20, 2009 That does sound odd. Is the form from Salem a registration of Live Birth (as opposed to a Birth Certificate)? They should certainly be able to re-issue whatever they issued in the first place. If the hospital was in Methuen though, I'd call there anyway. I'm betting that the real thing is in Methuen. You are right it is a registration of a live birth. I always thought it my birth certificate and this is what I have used for everything through the years. SS card, marriage license, drivers license, school registrations etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FloridaLisa Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 We just got a passport for our minor son (which has a few extra steps). We overnighted the paperwork on a Monday, the company walked it through a customs office and we had it back by Saturday. They had actually promised a 4-day turn-around, but layoffs had affected passport processing a bit. HTH, Lisa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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