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In depth
A short-form birth certificate (also called a 'birth card' or 'abstract') is a simplified birth certificate showing only the child's name, date and place of birth, and file number. It does not include parents' information.
Short-form birth certificates are typically not accepted for CBD applications because they do not establish the parent-child relationship. CBD applications require long-form birth certificates.
If you only have a short-form certificate, you can obtain a long-form certificate from the vital records office of the state/province/country where the birth was registered.
Related terms
A long-form birth certificate is a detailed birth certificate that includes the child's and parents' full information, required for most CBD applications.
A vital record is a government-recorded document that certifies a vital event — birth, marriage, divorce, or death — and is the primary evidence in CBD cases.
A certified copy is a copy of a document that has been verified as a true and accurate copy by the issuing authority, typically required for CBD applications.
A marriage certificate is a vital record that certifies a marriage, required for CBD cases to establish the legitimacy of the descent line.
A death certificate is a vital record that certifies a death, sometimes required for CBD cases to confirm that the ancestor is deceased.
A divorce decree is a court order that dissolves a marriage, sometimes required for CBD cases involving remarriages in the citizenship chain.