Michigan Birth Certificates Sealed

Over 25 million Italians have emigrated between 1861 and 1960 with a migration boom between 1871 and 1915 when over 13,5 million emigrants left the country for European and overseas destinations.
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JohnJohn
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Michigan Birth Certificates Sealed

Post by JohnJohn »

My grandmother was born in Michigan. I asked her if I could request a copy of her birth certificate and she said no! Apparently in Michigan birth certificates can only be requested by the person themselves while they are still living.

It's hard to believe someone else can block me from claiming Italian citizenship. Am I screwed?
Cristina319
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Re: Michigan Birth Certificates Sealed

Post by Cristina319 »

Well, I just checked since I couldn't believe that a state had such a law, and sure enough, you can't get the birth certificate of a living relative from Michigan unless you are the parent, legal guardian, atty of record, or have POA.

I have no idea how old your grandmother is, but I can tell you that once I started looking into my family's records (My parents, grandparents, and aunts/uncles are all dead.), a lot of what we were told about the family turned out to be less-than-true.

Here's what the Michigan site states about those eligible for requesting a birth certificate:

□ Person named on the record
□ Parent named on the record Note: If adopted, only adoptive parents are eligible
□ Legal guardian of the person named on the record (Copy of court documented guardianship papers required)
□ Legally licensed attorney of subject of the record . (Letter on official letterhead required: Must provide state bar number and the name of the person you represent) )

□ Heir of the deceased person named on the record, and
• Relationship to decedent:
• Decedent’s name at time of death:
• State where death occurred:
• Date of death (Year):
If not a Michigan death, must provide death certificate
□ Court of competent jurisdiction (Court order & fee required)
□ Birth record is at least 100 years old (no photo ID required

My suggestion is to call the state, explain why you need the certificate, and see what they say.

Buona fortuna,
Cristina
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mler
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Re: Michigan Birth Certificates Sealed

Post by mler »

Actually, Michigan’s requirement is not unusual at all, and I believe it is a standard requirement in every state. It is a matter of privacy and a way of minimizing the potential for identity theft. I would be quite concerned if NY would send an official copy of my birth certificate to anyone who requested it, and my guess is most people would feel the same way.

I understand that it is discouraging to discover that your grandmother’s unwillingness to provide her birth certificate complicates your quest for Italian citizenship, but realistically and legally your grandmother has total control of her personal records.

Is your grandmother in the direct citizenship line? If not, you may find her birth record is not required. If she is in the direct line, the missing record becomes more problematic. You may want to explain to your grandmother how her birth certificate will be used and try to allay any fears she may have about how your application affects her status.

When I applied, my father was quite concerned that my application would affect his own citizenship, and I needed to explain that his birth certificate would only be used to document my ancestry and that the document would be secure. Only after he was convinced that his record would be safe and his status as an American citizen would not be affected, did he provide me with a notarized authorization and proof of his identity so that I could obtain his birth certificate.

So try again with your grandmother, and you may be successful. If not, you will have to present to the consulate the documents you do possess and hope that they will be sufficient.
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