Where can I get copy of my grandmother's birth certificate?

Question

My grandma cannot find her original copy of her birth cert. She was born and raised in richmond or warner, virginia, now she lives in new jersey. Where can I get a copy in New jersey?

Answer 1

www.vitalcheck.com

Answer 2

New Jersey will not have it since she was not born there.  This is what she needs to do.  Contact the Department of Vital Statistics / Dept. of Health for Virginia.  They are located in Richmond.  They will send you the proper forms for her to fill out.  Then she will need to mail the forms back, along with a xerox copy of her driver's license or state ID if she does not drive, and a check for $12.  In a few weeks, they will mail her a new official birth certificate.  The official copy has changed over the years, so it will not look like her original one did when she was younger.

The phone number is [phone].  I would provide an address and website for them, but I am having difficulty getting onto their website this morning.

In regards to someone else's response, you do not need a POA because she is still living and can sign the paperwork herself.  You can fill it out if she has difficulty seeing well, but she can certainly sign it, and since you have to send a photocopy of her ID back with it, that is proof to them that she is the one requesting it.  Plus, the check will be in her name, from her account, which is also proof to them that she is the one requesting it.  And, the fee is $12 for someone living requesting a copy of their own certificate.  And it does not take months.  If you were actually in Richmond, you could walk into their office and walk right out with the certificate.  I have done that.

The website someone else gave of www.vitalcheck.com is useful, but personally I would prefer to deal with the Virginia Dept. of Vital Statistics myself and not go through this 3rd party website.  So, call them at the above phone number.  They are very helpful.

Answer 3

You will have to contact the County Courthouse in the state where your grandmother was born.  New Jersey will not have her information.

Good Luck

Billee B

Answer 4

You have to get your grandmother to give you power of attorney to act for you. It can be a very limited power of attorney, for only this one purpose. A notarized statement saying "I authorize my granddaughter [your name] to act for me in securing for me a copy of my legitimate birth certificate from the State of Virginia." may do it, but see on its website if the state of Virginia has a form it prefers. Make several copies of your notarized statement in case one gets lost. You don't need a lawyer for this kind of thing; you just have to act sensibly and maturely, with a sense of the legal system. Your bank should notarize something for your for free, but your grandmother will have to sign the certificate and accompany you to the bank.

I'm assuming you're in New Jersey near your grandmother. As long as she is alive and mentally competent, she has to be aware and approve of what is happening.

Then, enclosing the POA, write to the Country Clerk at the Courthouse in Warner or Richmond, Virginia, explaining what you want. I would start with Richmond, since it is the capital and the administrative center of the Old Dominion.You can have the certificate mailed directly to your grandmother in New Jersey.

I think the cost is $25 in Virginia. I have done this in this state, but so long ago that I cannot remember the fees, which may have changed anyway. It can take a few months. However, you must have that permission first or the state of Virginia will not deal with you--too much identity theft out there.