Posted by Megan Rowlands on 5/8/06 9:17pm
Msg #118435

URGENT!! Los Angeles County Notaries please help!

I am a Pennsylvania notary in DIRE need of obtaining a copy of my birth certificate (I was born in LA County) by this friday!

I am traveling to Bermuda for my best friends wedding this sunday and was just informed by our imbicile travel agent that I need my birth cetificate to board the cruise ship. I don't have the original or any copies -and she just dropped this information on me today!

Please, no lectures!!

All the research I've done shows it takes 5-6 business days to get a copy, and this will NOT do!!

Does anybody have ANY advice at all?! I am desperate here. Please help.

megan

Reply by Leon_CO on 5/8/06 9:26pm
Msg #118437

I'm not a LA County Notary, but hopefully this will help.

http://www.vitalchek.com/provider_overview.asp provider_id=16268&California_Birth_Certificate

Good luck.

Reply by Leon_CO on 5/8/06 9:27pm
Msg #118438

Let's try that link again. It got clipped off.

http://www.vitalchek.com/provider_overview.asp?provider_id=16268&California_Birth_Certificate

If this doesn't work, just paste the URL in your browser.

Reply by Megan Rowlands on 5/8/06 9:29pm
Msg #118439

Thanks Leon -

I've already been to that site, it just won't be quick enough!

Reply by Shane_OH on 5/8/06 10:22pm
Msg #118444

Got my INFO in 24 Hours....

Hey Megan

That Vital site that was posted is fast. I found myself in somewhat the same situation, and I ordered thru that website. I expected it to take up to 7-10 day for the State of Florida. I ordered it at 10am on a Tuesday, and the following day a Fed Ex package was delivered to me with my birth certificate in it....24 hour turn around, when I was expecting it to take at least a week....

Reply by Megan Rowlands on 5/8/06 10:27pm
Msg #118446

Re: Got my INFO in 24 Hours....

that IS fast, but then again it is florida and not CA. CA is the hardest state to get birth/death certificates from. thanks for the advice though

Reply by SusanOH on 5/9/06 10:38am
Msg #118567

Re:www.vitalchek.com

Megan
I just ordered mine and the website is www.vitalchek.com
They have all states, so you should be good to go. They also have express ordering.

Good Luck

Reply by BarbaraL_CA on 5/8/06 10:16pm
Msg #118443

Check out this site: http://www.lavote.net/RECORDER/BDM_Records.cfm


They have procedures for emergency requests.

Reply by Megan Rowlands on 5/8/06 10:26pm
Msg #118445

Yeah, I checked this out too. I'm just worried b/c it says 5-7 days and I need it in 3 days! Apparently LA County is one of the hardest to get birth/death certificates?

I have a copy of my BC, just not a certified copy or the original. I just can't imagine not being able to go on this trip because of this..

Reply by CaliNotary on 5/8/06 10:38pm
Msg #118449

If it's that much of an emergency, why haven't you already ordered it from one of these sites already?

You can continue to look for a quicker way to get it into your hands, but at the very least you have the possibility of it showing up in time if nothing else works out. Instead it sounds like you just let yourself lose another day that you don't really have to spare.

Reply by ZLee_Califia on 5/8/06 10:47pm
Msg #118450

Megan,

Try this site: http://www.usbirthcertificate.com/google/

Good luck to you, hope it works.

Z

Reply by Joan_OH on 5/8/06 11:48pm
Msg #118460

"I just can't imagine not being able to go on this trip because of this.."

My sister flew from Florida to Hawaii for a cruise not realizing she needed a passport with it being a Hawaiin cruse and all. They would not let her on the boat because they were stopping at one non-US island even though she begged to be locked in her room that day.

No refund either. They were there for a week and had to find a hotel, pay for meals, rent a car, etc. Doublely expensive.

Do not attempt to get on the boat without proof of citizenship. I cross the Detroit river twice a month into Canada and they ask for my Birth Certificate every time.

I hope you are able to find a way to get it. Reminds me that I need to get my passport......we all do if we want to travel after 1/1/07.

Joan-OH

Reply by dickb/wi on 5/9/06 11:15am
Msg #118584

do you have a pass port?.... n/m

Reply by Marlene/USNA on 5/9/06 11:17am
Msg #118585

Megan, if you still need this, call the LA County Registrar and ask them if they will fax you a copy of your birth certificate - if that will do.

If all you need is an Affidavit of Citizenship, any PA notary can do that for you. We just wrote an article about this, call/email for more info.

Marlene Miller
United States Notary Association
412-281-0678 x130
[e-mail address]
www.enotary.org

Reply by Joe Ewing on 5/8/06 11:04pm
Msg #118452

Megan you can do that over the INTERNET at the county clerk website but you still have to send a Notarized affidavit.

Will the cruise line accept a notarized affidavit of citizenship?

Reply by LkArrowhd/CA on 5/9/06 9:21am
Msg #118510

Re: URGENT!! Yes the cruise line will accept an affidavit

of citizenship. I had a recent experience and this indeed will be accepted.

Reply by notarypa on 5/8/06 11:14pm
Msg #118455

I was able to obtain my sister's for her same day in NJ. Call the office of vital records and see if they offer a a service where someone can pick it up on your behalf if you send them the required forms and documents.......good luck!

Reply by Colonel_IA on 5/9/06 10:36am
Msg #118562

This is NOT a rew requirement for Bermuda. 20 years ago when

I made my first trip to Bermuda a passport or birth certificate was required then. And Bermuda customs also required you to show a return ticket to prove you had a way to leave the island.