Births From 1866 Thru 1897
The city of Brooklyn started keeping birth records in 1866. At the time, the towns of Flatbush, Flatlands, Gravesend, New Lots, and New Utrecht were not a part of Brooklyn. These towns reported their births starting in 1881 to the New York State Department of Health until they were annexed by Brooklyn.
STEP ONE: Find Birth Information
An online index for Brooklyn births from 1880 thru 1897 does exist. Births from earlier time periods are available on microfilm. If you do not find your ancestor’s birth or if you want order a copy of the certificate, contact the New York City Municipal Archives.
| Try 1st: |
See list of restrictions for ordering birth records
If you do not want to order the birth record, you can search other records with birth information.
PART B: You don’t know the year or have a certificate number
If you do not know the exact year and certificate number, the New York City Municipal Archives will search for the record for a fee.
See list of restrictions for ordering birth records
If you do not want to order the birth record, you can search other records with birth information.
Births in Flatbush , Flatlands , Gravesend , New Lots , and New Utrecht
STEP ONE: Find Birth Information
STEP TWO: Obtain the Certificate
With an exact date , you can order a copy of the birth record for a fee from the following locations:
| To Order Birth Certificates |
See list of restrictions for ordering birth records
New York State Birth Records That Were Not Issued In Nyc
All birth records issuedoutside ofthe five counties of NYC can be obtained from the New York State Department of HealthVital Records SectionPO Box 2602 Albany,NY 12220You may also get your documents directly from the local registrar or town clerk of the city, town or village where the birth occurred.
Who Can Request Your Birth Records
Certified copies of birth can be requested only by the person named in the birth certificate if they are 18 years or older. Also, parents and legal guardians or representatives can apply for them. Depending on the state, additional family members may be eligible to apply on behalf of the individual in need of the vital record.Check who can apply here.
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Ordering A Copy Online Through Vitalchek
New York State Vital Records
An apostille or authentication for New York State is issued by the New York State Department of State. For further information and instructions on obtaining an apostille or authentication, visit the New York State Department of State web site.
If you are ordering a certificate from us and you need an apostille for it, we can help by forwarding yourcertificate to the Department of State which will return the certificate with apostille to you.
In order for us to forward your certificate to the Department of State, you must order by mail and pay for expedited processing by check or money order payable to the New York State Department of Health.
Enclose a check or money order for $10.00, per certificate to be apostilled, made payable to the New York State Department of State . You must also include a letter telling us for which country the apostille is needed .
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What Is An Apostille Or Authentication
An “Apostille” or “Authentication” is a means of certifying the authenticity of the signature of the issuing authority, the capacity in which the signer was acting, and the identity of any stamp or seal attached to the document. This provides countries with a means of verifying documents issued by a local authority in another country.
If you will be presenting your vital record to a government agency in another country, you should contact the consulate of that country to determine what the requirements are to have your record accepted. You may need an apostille or authentication for the record. You may also be required to have the record and supporting documents translated.
New York City Department Of Health And Mental Hygiene: More Recent Birth And Death Certificates
More recent collections of birth and death certificates in New York City are maintained by the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene .
After a certain period of time, these records are transferred from DOHMH to the DORIS and stored at the Municipal Archives, where they can be accessed by any member of the public.
Currently, records are transferred to DORIS and made fully public on the following schedule:
- Birth Certificates: 125 years after the event
- Death Certificates: 75 years after the event
Researchers should note that this is a new rule that was passed relatively recently and took effect in 2019if youre interested, read more about our efforts to fight against it, and how we were able to secure an amendment to the rule.
Vital certificates that are still at the Department of Health can be accessed, but not by everyone.
Individuals with one of the following relationships to the subject of the certificate can obtain copies of birth records from DOHMH :
- Spouse/domestic partner
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How Do I Get My Birth Certificate Copy From New York State
Getting an authorized copy of your birth certificate is now a much easier process, as you are no longer required to go in person to a vital records office. If you live in a different state other than New York, but you were born in this state, applying for your birth certificate online will save you a lot of time and hassle.
If you were born in New York State, it is likely that the original copy of your birth certificate is at a vital records office. New York State has vital records offices, they are located in: Suffolk County, Nassau County, Westchester County, Erie County, and, Monroe County.
New York City and its five boroughs have vital records offices, as well as the cities of Buffalo, Rochester, Yonkers, Syracuse.
If you need to get an authorized copy, you can do so by applying online and completing all mandatory sections on the application form.
Death Of A Us Citizen Abroad: How To Get Death Records
When a U.S. citizen dies in another country, the U.S. embassy or consulate should get a death certificate or notification from the foreign government. It will then issue a Consular Report of Death Abroad . Use the CRDA in the U.S. as proof of death for closing accounts and handling legal tasks.
- You can get up to 20 certified copies at the time of death for free.
- Order more copies of the CRDA from the State Department.
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Ordering Vital Records In New York
Before starting the process to request a certified copy of a birth certificate, marriage certificate, or death certificate, it is important to understand that you will have to provide some sensitive information in order to obtain your records. It is also important to know about the requirements, processing times, and other relevant information for the New York government agency. Read below to understand more about some of the most frequently asked questions.
Before you start the process to order a certified copy of a birth certificate, marriage certificate, or death certificate, you should know some important information about the requirements, processing times, and other useful information required by the state of New York.
Processing times differ between offices, but you should expect to receive your vital records in New York 12 to 14 business weeks.
In order to complete the online application, the New York Health Department requires applicants to prove their identity by including a photocopy of their ID. It varies depending on the type of certificate, but commonly people can use the drivers license or a state photo ID. Check other acceptable IDs per certificate needed: New York Birth Certificate Requirements New York Marriage Certificate Requirements New York Death Certificate Requirements
New York City Vital Records Offices
Below you will find a complete list of all County Clerks offices and Health Department office who can provide Birth Certificate copies in New York City.
Note that County Recorder Offices may not be near you, although they can sometimes process the requests faster.
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851 Grand Concourse, Room B131 Bronx, NY 10451.
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210 Joralemon Street, Room 205 Brooklyn, NY 11201
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141 Worth Street, Attn: Record Room New York, NY 10013
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120-55 Queens Boulevard, GF, Room G-100Kew Gardens, NY 11424
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State Island Borough Birth Certificates
Staten Island Borough Hall10 Richmond Terrace, Room 311Staten Island, NY 10301
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Obtain An Original Birth Certificate
When an adoption is finalized, the state issues a new birth certificate to the adoptive parents. The adoptees original birth certificate is then sealed and kept confidential by the states vital records department. Half the states in the U.S. require a court order to unseal an original birth certificate. However, many states allow access to original birth certificates through:
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A request from the adult adoptee
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A request by the adoptee unless the birth parent filed an affidavit denying access
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Establishment of eligibility to obtain identifying information with the state
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A record of consent from both birth parents
Not Born In New York State
To change the name of someone who was not born in New York State you can use any document that proves when and where the person was born. An official birth certificate should be on file in the place of birth. These records are filed permanently in a State vital statistics office or in a city, county, or other local office. To get a certified copy of the birth certificate, write or go to the vital statistics office in the state or area where you were born. The National Center for Health Statistics has a list of state agencies that keep vital records on their website.
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Births From 1853 Thru 1897
Manhattan started keeping some birth records in 1853. In 1866, a more complete law was passed requiring that all births be recorded. Records from this time period have been microfilm by FamilySearch and the original records are held by the New York Municipal Archives.
STEP ONE: Find Birth Information
An online index for Manhattan births from 1880 thru 1897 does exist. Births from earlier time periods are available on microfilm. If you do not find your ancestor’s birth or if you want order a copy of the certificate, contact the New York City Municipal Archives.
| Try 1st: |
See list of restrictions for ordering birth records
If you do not want to order the birth record, you can search other records with birth information.
PART B: You don’t know the year or have a certificate number
If you do not know the exact year and certificate number, the New York City Municipal Archives will search for the record for a fee.
See list of restrictions for ordering birth records
If you do not want to order the birth record, you can search other records with birth information.
Access Adoption Records Through Consent
In some states, you may be able to access identifying information through a mutual consent registry. Using these registries, all involved in an adoption can declare what information may be disclosed. Some states may require the consent of both the birth parents and adoptive parents for the release of records. However, the release of information varies by state.
If your state does not maintain a mutual consent registry, there are other ways to obtain records through consent. Public or private agencies can locate birth parents in some states. When an agency contacts birth parents, they can find out identifying information through:
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Confidential Intermediary System The court gives permission to a court-certified confidential intermediary. This permission grants them access to sealed adoption records. They can also contact the birth parents to obtain consent for the release of identifying information.
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Affidavit System – Birth parents can officially file their consent or refusal to be identified or contacted.
Use the Child Welfare Information Gateway to find out about how your state allows access to your adoption records.
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Not Born In The United States
To change the name of someone born outside the United States, most, but not all, foreign countries have records of births and deaths. Most foreign countries will give certifications of births. You can contact the Embassy or the nearest Consulate in the U.S. from the country where you were born. Addresses and telephone numbers for these offices can be found online.
If you cant get a certified copy of your birth certificate, the Judge may permit a copy of the birth certificate, baptismal certificate, passport, or other legal documents which show the date and place of your birth.
Who Can Apply For A New York Birth Certificate
The following people are able to apply for an authorized copy of a birth certificate from the state of New York:
- The certificate holder, a parent or legal guardian of the certificate holder.
- A child, grandparent, grandchild, sibling, spouse, or domestic partner of the certificate holder.
- A member of a law enforcement agency or a representative of another governmental agency, as provided by law, who is conducting official business.
- A party entitled to receive the record as a result of a court order, or an attorney or a licensed adoption agency seeking the birth record.
- An attorney representing the certificate holder or the certificate holders estate, or any person or agency empowered by statute or appointed by a court to act on behalf of the certificate holder or the certificate holder’s estate.
If you need to get your drivers license, apply for a passport, get married, register for school, you will need a certified copy of your birth certificate.
Remember that what differentiates this type of birth certificate copy is the official state registrars raised, embossed, impressed or multicolored Seal of New York, the registrars signature, and the date the certificate was filed with the registrars office.
All those born in the state of New York that need to request a certified copy of their birth certificate will need to include a clear photocopy of both sides of one of the forms of photo ID listed below along with a completed application form:
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Getting Your Birth Certificate Apostille
PLEASE NOTE: NOTARIZED DOCUMENTS ACCEPTABLE FOR APOSTILLE ARE DOCUMENTS NOTARIZED BY A NYS NOTARY PUBLIC WHICH MUST CONTAIN A PROPERLY EXECUTED NOTARIZATION WHICH INCLUDES THE JURAT IN ORDER TO BE ACCEPTABLE FOR AN APOSTILLE.
New York counties served: Albany,Allegany, Bronx, Broome, Cattaraugus, Cayuga, Chautauqua, Chemung,Chenango, Clinton, Columbia, Cortland, Delaware, Dutchess, Erie,Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Genesee, Greene, Hamilton, Herkimer,Jefferson, Kings , Lewis, Livingston, Madison, Monroe,Montgomery, Nassau, New York City, New York , Niagara, Oneida,Onondaga, Ontario, Orange, Orleans, Oswego, Otsego, Putnam, Queens,Rensselaer, Richmond , Rockland, Saratoga,Schenectady, Schoharie, Schuyler, Seneca, Steuben, St. Lawrence,Suffolk, Sullivan, Tioga, Tompkins, Ulster, Warren, Washington,Wayne, Westchester, Wyoming, Yates
Requesting A New York City Birth Certificate In Person
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