|
Childbirth > Post childbirth > Birth Certificate Birth Certificate Birth Certificate
In most countries, a birth certificate is a vital record usually containing most of the following information:
- Name at birth
- Date and time of birth
- Sex
- Place of birth
- Birth registration number (NHS number in UK)
- Legal parent(s) (in some countries including parents' occupations, places of birth, and maiden name of the mother)
The certificate is issued shortly after a person's birth, usually after the mother's physician files the required forms with the appropriate government agency. To obtain a birth certificate for a newborn is normally compulsory.
The official birth certificate is usually stored at a government record office, and certified copies of the original are issued when requested.
A person can obtain a copy of their own certificate, and in many places, a member of the general public can obtain a copy of anyone else's birth certificate upon paying a small fee.
The birth certificate can be used to authenticate one's identity and nationality, and assist with obtaining government-issued identity documents such as a passport or driver's license.
Holding a birth certificate makes it easier to prove citizenship in nations where citizenship depends upon location of birth. For family historians, the detail of the parents (including mother's maiden name) included on a full certificate is very useful in linking between generations. In some countries with advanced population registration systems, the birth certificates are only issued for foreign use: all authorities have direct electronic access to central population database which includes all personal details of all present and former citizens and residents.
Please add your own tips about "Birth Certificate" below:
(0)
· No comments yet, be the first to comment
Related Childbirth Resources:
| 
