Difference Between Long-Form Birth Certificates vs. Short-Form Birth Certificates

The birth certificate is an important document that helps you access many government facilities. It is a crucial proof of citizenship and nationality. Also, it is authentic proof of the identity and age of the person. A birth certificate provides certain details like their sex, name, age, time and birthplace, father’s name, and mother’s name. There are two types of birth certificates, the long-form birth certificate, and the short-form birth certificate.

How to Get a Birth Certificate?

Different states have different rules regarding the procurement of birth certificates. You can apply online for your birth certificate and pay the required fee for it. In case your birth certificate has been damaged or lost, replace it immediately by applying for a replacement. It is essential to have your birth certificate to avail of certain benefits from the government. Certain states require you to notarize your birth certificate. This means you have to sign it in front of a certified public notary.

This helps in proving your identity. While applying for a birth certificate you have a choice between obtaining a long-form or a short-form birth certificate. You should choose depending on your needs and requirements. However, both types of birth certificates are valid as proof of identity and citizenship. Both types of birth certificates contain important details like the time and place of your birth, your name, date, etc. Each state has a different version of the format for birth certificates. You should have the updated format for the state you are staying in while presenting your birth certificate.

Features of Short-form Birth Certificates

Short-form birth certificates are named appropriately as they are the concise version of the long-form birth certificate. The short-form birth certificate has important information such as the location and date of birth, the name assigned at birth, etc. However, certain details are featured in long-form birth certificates that are not mentioned in short-form birth certificates. The short-form birth certificate does not specify the particular facility/home/hospital where you were born or your parents’ birth dates. Birth certificates have a Birth Certificate reference number.

The particular formats used for short-form birth certificates are different for different states. They are called abstracts as they only contain some parts of the much more detailed long-form birth certificate. A standard-size short-form birth certificate format is different from an abstract short-form birth certificate format as some states require more information on their short-form birth certificates.

Features of long-form birth certificates

A long-form birth certificate is also known as the official birth certificate or the full-sized birth certificate as it is the exact copy of the original birth certificate. The long-form birth certificates contain all the necessary details such as the signature of the doctor or the midwife who assisted with the birth. They have certain details that are missing in the short-form birth certificates such as the nationality of your parents, a unique file number, and the date of filing.

Which birth certificate format should you have?

A birth certificate is essential to proof of citizenship and identity. Both the long-form birth certificate and the short-form birth certificate have this essential information. Different services offered by the government require you to prove your nationality by presenting your short-form birth certificate or long-form birth certificate. You can easily acquire a driver’s license, social security number, passport, and ID card by pressing either of the two types of birth certificates.

However, in some situations, the short-form birth certificate is not accepted. For example, if you want to adopt a child, most states require you to present only the long-form birth certificate as they do not accept the short-form birth certificate for this purpose. They need proof of essential information such as gender assigned at birth, full name, date, and place of birth, the exact location of birth, mother’s maiden name, and father’s name that are only available on the long-form birth certificates. A long-form birth certificate is required by genealogy experts as well because they believe you can get more authentic information about your parents through this format of birth certificate.

The short form and the long-form birth certificate are both valid. One can use them to obtain various government services. However, it is harder to obtain a long-form birth certificate in most states. You should contact your city hall or local government branch for more information regarding which birth certificate you should obtain for your needs. If you come across any confusion about which type of birth certificate shall suit you, it is best you ask someone.

Certificate of live birth

Some people confuse the certificate of live birth with the birth certificate. However, both are vastly different. The parents get the certificate of live birth at the time of the birth itself. It serves the main objective of data entry. The parents need to fill out the certificate of live birth and submit it to the local Vital Records Office to obtain a birth certificate. The live birth certificate is not equivalent to the long-form birth certificate. You cannot use it as a replacement for the original birth certificate.

The certificate of the live birth document has certain details and information about the baby who was born alive such as:

• Full name of the baby.
• Name of the doctor who assisted in the birth.
• Full names of both the parents.
• Specific hospital or facility where the birth took place.
• The exact date and time of birth.
• The sex and race of the baby.
• Full name of the person filling out the document.

 They note all this information and then there is a facilitation of hospital records. After this, the Vital Records Office receives the certificate of live birth. It issues a new birth certificate using the information in the certificate of live birth. After creating a new birth certificate, the Vital Records Office sends a copy of the original to the parents.

Conclusion

Both types of birth certificates are valid. However, in certain situations, you would witness the acceptance of only the long-form birth certificate. You should ideally have both the formats of birth certificates.