What is a long-form birth certificate?

A long form birth certificate contains parent details and is used for official purposes. Unlike a short-form certificate, the long-form version (sometimes referred to as an A4  or 'full' certificate) is considered to be the preferred documentation by the vast majority of organisations and authorities. There are many reasons why you may be asked to present your long form birth certificate, some of the most common being:

• Applying for a passport
• Providing right-to-work evidence for a new job
• Registering to get married

The main difference is that details of who the child's parents are is recorded on a long-form certificate; parental details are not present on a short version. Short certificates are often obtained when the birth of a child is first registered as it is supplied free of charge at the time of registration. It can be useful to think of it almost like a souvenir - it is a commemoration of the day your birth was registered but is not applicable for any official purpose.

Vital Certificates only supply long form certificates so you don't need to worry about selecting which certificate type you need from us. To order a replacement UK Birth Certificate, Click Here.