what is a long form birth certificate

A long-form birth certificate is a copy of the original document that contains all the legal information, including signatures from the attending physician or midwife, and the nationality and birth dates of both parents. It is often referred to as the official birth certificate or full-size birth certificate. It is the gold standard for proof of US citizenship for passports. A long-form birth certificate is required for certain purposes such as starting an adoption process, applying for dual citizenship, or obtaining a passport. It can take longer to obtain a copy of a long-form birth certificate, but it provides more detailed information about the birth. On the other hand, a short-form birth certificate is a notarized document that states that the long-form certificate exists and is on file. It contains the most important information such as names, the date, and place where the birth occurred, but will not include any detailed information, like parents, birth dates, and the exact location where the birth occurred. Both long-form and short-form birth certificates are officially certified and valid, and can be used to establish identity and citizenship.