Birth Certificate Information

To prove your U.S. citizenship, you must submit a certified birth certificate.

- Official copies contain either a raised or color seal from the issuing authority (either the town, city, county or state governmental office issuing the document).

- The birth certificate must include your given name and surname, date and place of birth, date the birth record was filed, and seal or other certification of the official custodian of such records.

- Photocopied birth certificates, even when notarized, are UNACCEPTABLE.

- Hospital birth certificates or birth records are UNACCEPTABLE.

- Applicants born in California or Texas MUST submit a Long Form Birth Certificate; short forms or abstract birth certificates are UNACCEPTABLE.

- All official copies of documents are returned with the new passports.