Next to their social security card, your child’s birth certificate is their most important identifying document. They’ll need it if, for instance, they want to apply for government benefits, need a passport, or choose a military career someday.
Considering all the paperwork new parents have to fill out after their children are born, it’s the document we probably think about the least. But there are many things to consider that go beyond adding your child’s name and date of birth.
How to get your child’s birth certificate
If your child was born in a hospital, a nurse or midwife will give you the forms required to receive a birth certificate before you and your child go home. You’ll receive the needed documents from the midwife if the birth occurred at home or in a birthing center. If you had an unassisted birth, it gets a little more complicated: You’ll have to contact your state’s health department for guidance. Find your state’s contact information at the National Center for Health Statistics.
Don’t forget to bring a passport or driver’s license because, per Fatherly, both parents need to provide social security numbers, full name, mother’s maiden name, proof of identification, and mailing address. You’ll also need to purchase the birth certificate, which usually runs between $15 and $30. You should receive it in a few weeks.
What to do if you haven’t picked a name yet, or need to make a change
Picking a name can be difficult, especially if parents disagree. While you still need to choose your baby’s name to complete the certificate, you can change it within six months of filing their birth certificate with no questions asked. (To complicate things, your baby’s surname doesn’t have to match either parent’s surname, so you can make that up as well.)
What if you need to make other changes? The answer to this question varies by the state or county where the birth certificate was issued, with each one having its own laws and processes for what can be changed and how to make them. Typically a call to the state’s vital records office from where your child’s birth certificate was issued will correct any simple errors or answer any questions about what can be updated.
If you’re not married, here’s what to know about your rights
According to this article, both parents listed on the birth certificate have equal legal rights and responsibilities concerning their child, no matter their marital status. A birth certificate doesn’t designate custody, however. It’s the child’s best interests that ultimately decide that matter. Consult a lawyer who can help with your situation — laws vary among different states and countries.
Who needs to know about your child’s birth
While the United States has a standard birth certificate application, it doesn’t have a national birth registry like other countries, per Fatherly. This makes each state responsible for reporting its annual vital statistics data to the federal government. The information is gathered fo census data. If a child is born overseas, the federal government only collects birth data if both the parents are U.S. citizens.
Your employer might ask for your child’s birth certificate
If you’re taking maternity and paternity leave, your employer might ask you for a copy of your child’s birth certificate. They could be eligible for federal tax credits, per Newsweek, and will need it to document it as FMLA leave, even if you take vacation time to care for your newborn.
“While [an] employee may believe he did not take paternity leave, under the law, by taking vacation due to the birth of his child, he did,” explained Reid Wakefield, an associate attorney in the labor, employment, and employee benefits group at the Mirick O’Connell law firm, to Newsweek. “Using vacation time for a reason for which leave is required by law qualifies as protected leave.”
How to request additional copies of your child’s birth certificate
It’s surprisingly easy. Visit USA.gov to find a local issuing office and get a replacement sent to you in the mail.
