Book Review: International Vital Records Handbook, Births Marriages Deaths – Application forms and ordering information for the vital records you need for driver’s licenses, passports, jobs, social security, proof of identity, etc. – 5th Edition; by Thomas Jay Kemp (better known as Tom)
I have owned every edition of Tom Kemp’s International Vital Records Handbook since the First Edition years ago, and sold hundreds more. I find the book handy, as it has the instructions and rules for all the states, provinces, and foreign countries – as well as the forms to order the documents. I know – I can order a lot of this stuff online – and the book gives you that information too – but I still find the book easier for just getting the facts. Besides, that, although I live in front of a computer, my library is just 15 feet away, and I still collect as many good genealogy books as I can.
Besides the United States and Canada, which are broken down by state & province, the volume covers nearly 200 other countries. Some have forms, others do not, but the basic (and sometimes not-so-basic) information is given that the researcher will need to obtain their documents. The book is 602 pages in total, making a big book!
The following is from the GPC website.
At one time or another all of us need copies of birth, marriage, or death certificates for driver’s licenses, passports, jobs, social security, family history research, or for simple proof of identify. But the requirements and fees needed to obtain copies of vital records vary from state to state and from country to country, often requiring a time-wasting exchange of correspondence before the appropriate forms can be obtained. The International Vital Records Handbook puts an end to all that, as it offers complete, up-to-date information on how and where to request vital records. It also includes copies of the application forms, where available, thus simplifying and speeding up the process by which vital records are obtained.
This new 5th edition of the International Vital Records Handbook contains the latest forms and information for each of the fifty states and also furnishes details about records that were created prior to statewide vital records registration. In addition, it identifies vital records collections, online databases, and institutions of interest to genealogy researchers. Then, in alphabetical sequence, it covers the other countries of the world, giving, where available, the current application forms and instructions, as well as the key addresses of repositories or embassies that might help you obtain copies of vital records.
If you are doing genealogy research and are not eligible to access a restricted record, you may be able to obtain an “informational copy” of the record, which will contain all of the information found on the certified copy but will have a statement stamped on it saying that the document is for informational purposes only and cannot be used to establish identity. When a state does provide an informational copy for research, it is noted in this book. A number of searchable, free databases containing vital records are now available online, and many of these too have been noted in this book, as have specific repositories containing vital records collections that are accessible by genealogists.
I recommend that every serious genealogist have a copy of Tom’s latest volume. As for libraries, it’s a must…
International Vital Records Handbook, Births Marriages Deaths – Application forms and ordering information for the vital records you need for driver’s licenses, passports, jobs, social security, proof of identity, etc. – 5th Edition; by Thomas Jay Kemp; 2009; Soft Cover, Perfectbound; 8.5×11; 602 pp; ISBN: 9780806317939; Item number: GPC3148; $49.95 plus $5 p&h (media mail). Order from Genealogical.com
