Anonymous wrote:Along as it has the state seal, you are fine. Many hospitals give out a "certificate of birth" that is a lovely keepsake, but useless as an official document.

For sure, although my work wanted that to approve parental leave, as did my husband’s work, so definitely get that.

Along as it has the state seal, you are fine. Many hospitals give out a "certificate of birth" that is a lovely keepsake, but useless as an official document.

Anonymous wrote:I just went to get my passport and they did not accept my birth certificate for the passport because it was half a sheet and horizontal. They said I needed to get a new one that is paper long and vertical. Is that what you were talking about OP?

That makes no sense. My children’s birth certificate came from the state of Virginia as half a sheet of paper. These are the original birth certificates.

I just went to get my passport and they did not accept my birth certificate for the passport because it was half a sheet and horizontal. They said I needed to get a new one that is paper long and vertical. Is that what you were talking about OP?

I love asking for advice in these forums and getting a side of snark to go along with it. Thanks all!

Anonymous wrote:Of course that’s a birth certificate. What else would a CERTIFICATE of live BIRTH be? They look different in different states and countries. Please, OP, get some coffee.

+1

Certificate of live birth in dc just means that your baby was born alive. If you’d had a late term still born, it wouldn’t say live birth.

???
Not sure why vertical vs horizontal makes a difference. And yes, certificate of live birth = birth certificate.

Well I have seen them horizontal and vertical. Just be happy yours is vertical. My birth state does them diagonal

Of course that’s a birth certificate. What else would a CERTIFICATE of live BIRTH be? They look different in different states and countries. Please, OP, get some coffee.

My kids’ do birth certificates are vertical.

Thanks! Still can't find what the DC one is supposed to look like/what the difference is between that and 'certificate of live birth'. I'll have to call them when they open

My DH, DD, DS and I were born in four different states, and our birth certificates are all really different.

Here's the info for MD, but you can google for other states as well: https://health.maryland.gov/vsa/Pages/certbirthcert.aspx

Hi! I just ordered my baby’s birth certificate from vital records (I specified I need it for his passport). The document I got is vertical (I thought they’re usually horizontal?) and is titled “certificate of live birth”. Is this the actual birth certificate or something else?