In this day in age, many people are looking for birth information. How you go about getting that information will vary greatly depending on why you are looking and what you are willing to do to go about getting that information. Here we will discuss some basic strategies for getting the information you need.

Getting Birth Information on Yourself

Generally, there are two reasons you need birth information on yourself. Either you need a birth certificate for some legal purposes or you were adopted. We will start with the birth certificate.

Finding a Birth Certificate:
You will need a birth certificate if you are getting married, need a passport, getting a drivers license, or a few other legal reason. If you have lost the original, then you will need to apply for a copy.

This can only be done at the county courthouse in the county you were born. You will need to pay a fee and in most cases, you can expect to wait a few weeks. However, some counties are automated and can print it up immediately. Still, you will need to go in person.

Finding Birth Parents:
This is actually a whole other article. However, you can search online for your birth parents. Still, here are some tips to get you started in your search.

• You need to start by asking your friends and family everything they know about the adoption.
• Then you need to petition the adoption agency for non-indentifying information. This can give you information on the age of your birth parents, their ethnicity, the geological location at time of adoption and possible reasons of why they gave you up.
• Keep a journal of all the information you find along the way. You never know which piece of information or what date will lead you to your parents.
• Register with a national adoption registry. The largest one out there is International Soundex Reunion Registry ISRR. Your parents may be looking for you.

Getting Birth Information on Someone Else

Many times, you need a birth date to locate a person. Sometimes you are just being nosy and want to know how old someone is. It doesn’t matter why you are looking. Here are some tips to getting the birth date of someone you do not know.

• Voter Registration – Voter registration records have the birth date listed. Often times, these are easier to track down than birth certificates. You can walk into a voter registration office but you can’t write it down or you can search online.
• Marriage/ Divorce Records – Not only would it be on their marriage records, but it would be on the divorce records of the parents as well. This is a nifty trick when doing genealogy.

Of course, you can always search birth records for birth information. This only requires you have the name of the person you are looking for to do the search. Start your birth information search now and have the information in just a few minutes.

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Most states have birth certificate records that date back between 75 and 100 years, with some accuracy.  Although there are gaps in the record here and there, consistent records do exist.  Fires, floods, and other kinds of disasters have caused some data to disappear into the annals of time, but generally, you can search for your ancestor’s birth certificate with confidence.

Making a Birth Records Request
To acquire a birth certificate from the State, you will need to know the name of the individual, the date of birth, and the location as a minimum.  Any additional details, like the parent’s names or address can help as well.

The State will ask you to send along a letter or at least a paragraph explaining your relationship to the record you request and charge you a fee.  The fee varies from state to state.

Realize that genealogical searches aren’t exactly high priority.  People who need their own records will have a higher place in the pecking order.  It may take some time to dig up the record you want, especially if you don’t have complete birth information.  Still, this is a good way to get a certified copy of a birth certificate if you want one.

Another Route to Finding Birth Records
The truth is that you don’t need a certified copy of a birth certificate if you are merely establishing genealogy.  You just need proof of the birth.  With the same information (or even less) that you would give the State, an online search service can provide you with a scan of the certificate.

Quicker and easier than dealing with bureaucracy, search services help people find their roots.  Rapidly find birth certificate records without all the hassle today.

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If you have ever wondered why you need a specific vital statistics record, for example a birth certificate or marriage license, the answer is simple.  These documents are government approved ways of proving who you are.

You Can’t Do Anything without a Birth Certificate

A birth certificate is essential if you are planning to apply for a passport, a driver’s license, a social security card and many other things.  You should always have certified copies of documents like your birth certificate and marriage or divorce decrees available to you; you will find this practice makes your life simpler.

Documentation Provides Security

I’ll be the first to admit that as a child of people who survived WW II, I have a heightened need to have legal documentation at hand.  I, for example, never let my passport expire, and regularly renew documentation like a driver’s license long before it runs out.

For all my inherited paranoia, I have more than once found that I needed these, and other, documents, and have saved aggravation and time by having them on hand.  It may not seem like a big deal, until you actually need the papers.

If you find that you need these documents, but don’t have your own copies, and even worse, are unsure where to get them, let an online search service help you out.

Let a Search Service Do It For You

Each state has different requirements for releasing documentation, and finding the appropriate website and link can be challenging and time consuming.  If you chose to use a search service, they have already done the work for you.

For a nominal fee you get to use the service to dig up any documents, legal decrees, liens and public records that are in your name.  You can then choose to request certified copies from the local offices with ease.  Don’t underestimate the convenience of letting someone else do the footwork.  Try out a reliable search service and see what I mean.

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