by convivialdingo

Question by JorynLeigh: Copy of birth certificate to use to get a passport?
If I obtain a birth certificate from one of the online agencies (when I go into google and type “birth certificate”) will this be sufficient to use to get a passport? Also are these services safe to get a passport from?
I was born in Chicago, IL

what else will I have to bring with me?

Best answer:

Answer by Bozema
It’s much easier just to get one on your own and you don’t have to pay a service, which is a rip-off. Just contact the County Clerk of the county you were born in and they will tell you the process. Often you need to get a form notarized affirming you are who you say you are and pay a small fee to the county. Then they send you a certified birth certifcate stamped with the official county seal. You need a certified birth certificate to get a passport. Most counties put their procedure and often their forms on their websites.

You have to go through all these steps whether you use a service or not, so there’s no reason to use the service. Also, some services don’t get you an official certified copy of the birth certificate, which is useless for getting a passport.

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