Birth certificate copies are available to anyone though the office of vital statistics of each state and commonwealth of the U.S. Note that birth certificate copies are not just given to anybody who requests them. Only the person who is named on the birth certificates, their closest family, or the legal guardian or other legal representative of that person may receive duplicate birth certificates.
This ensures the privacy and safety of individuals. In these days of rampant identity theft, governments must safeguard sensitive personal information such as birth certificates. This is because birth certificates are an important document instrumental in gaining access to other privileges of U.S. citizenship.
Obtaining Birth Certificate Copies
These privileges include driver's licenses, possession of a U.S. passport for travel abroad, and other privileges. Unfortunately, as we in the post-9/11 world know all too well, these privileges can be used not only to inflict harm on individuals, but on a larger scale as well. This is why state governments take the precautions they do when fulfilling orders for birth certificate copies.
A new, convenient way to obtain copies of your birth certificate, and avoid the hassle of dealing with the state bureaucracy, is by going online. Many services now exist that do all the researching for you to obtain a copy of your birth certificate. The turnaround time for the arrival of your document spans from just a few days to a couple of weeks, depending upon the situation at the particular state government office that houses your birth records.
