A birth certificate is a legal document that serves as proof of an individual's birth and identity. It contains information such as the person's full name, date of birth, place of birth, parents' names, and sometimes other details like gender or weight at birth. The certificate is usually issued by the government agency responsible for vital statistics in the country or state where the birth occurred.
A birth certificate serves several purposes, including: 1) providing proof of identity when applying for a passport, driver’s license, or social security number; 2) establishing citizenship and eligibility for certain benefits and services; 3) supporting personal records such as family trees and genealogy research.
In summary, the phrase "birth certificate" refers to an official document that serves as evidence of a person's birth and identity, which is issued by the government agency responsible for vital statistics in the country or state where the birth occurred.