Most of the people may not realize that their birth certificate is much more than a piece of paper, with their names printed on it. A birth certificate is literal proof that a person is a valid citizen of the country where he/she is living. Without having a birth certificate, it could be quite difficult to do basic things such as to prove citizenship for employment or to receive passport for travelling. The first thing, which is required to replace birth certificate, is to contact with the vital records office of the state in which a person was born. Many vital record offices propose their service through online websites, but most of the offices can be contacted through mail, in person or on phone.

Once a person has found the office where one can receive his/her birth certificate, he/she has to order a certified copy of birth certificate. Before requesting for the record, one will need to show the name, which would appear on the birth certificate, the place of birth, date of birth, name of father and mother's maiden name. The fee for the certificate will cost according to the state. Then the office will either send a certified birth certificate or one can pick it up in person. Occasionally, people think that a copy of their birth certificate is recorded in the hospital where they were born and they can replace birth certificate, but that is not true. Though the hospital records may have a record of birth of a person, even then they cannot replace birth certificate.

An issuance of a replaced birth certificate can be done by the state recorder center, which maintains the birth records of the state. However if the state recorder center is not able to issue a copy of birth certificate to replace birth certificate, then one can contact with State Record Center to know about what to do in that situation.

For requesting a copy of birth certificate to replace lost or misplaced certificate, it is required that one submits a request in written form with complete information related with his/her birth. One also needs to confirm that the birth certificate is for his/her own use, as it can be issued only to a person, spouse, parents, grandparents, siblings and/or legal guardians.

According to eligibility rules, a person born in United States can apply for a replacement of his/her US birth certification. The individual, who was born in US, but is living in non-US states, can also apply for certificate. Such child is referred to as an anchor baby, at the time of his/her birth. The parents and the guardians of that child may immigrate to the United States later, with American born child. In most of the cases, a person, who is of other country but born in US, automatically receives the dual citizenship at birth. In the same way, the child, who takes birth in any other country but his/her parents are American is also eligible for the American citizenship.