Baby born in Charlotte: the documents, in order
If you plan to take your baby to India, the papers come in a fixed order, because each one needs the one before it. Here is the order, the fees and where to go in Mecklenburg County.
Facts checked Oct 25, 2026
Get the SSN at the hospital while you fill in the birth certificate paperwork, order certified birth certificates ($10 each in Mecklenburg), apply for a US passport in person with both parents using Form DS-11, then apply for the baby’s OCI through VFS once the passport arrives.
- Birth certificate$10 a certified copy in Mecklenburg.
- Social Security numberEasiest at the hospital, with the birth paperwork.
- US passportDS-11 in person with both parents.
- OCI cardApply through VFS after the passport arrives.
Birth certificate
Mecklenburg County Register of Deeds charges $10 per certified birth certificate; online orders add $4 plus card processing. The Office of Vital Records at the Health Department also charges $10.
Source: deeds.mecknc.gov ↗as of Oct 25, 2026
- Mecklenburg Register of Deeds ↗
- Mecklenburg Office of Vital Records ↗In person, mail or online, Mon to Fri 8:30 to 4:30
Social Security number
The simplest way to get a newborn’s SSN is at the hospital while completing the birth certificate paperwork (Enumeration at Birth). US-born children are eligible whatever the parents’ status.
Source: ssa.gov ↗as of Oct 25, 2026
US passport
A child under 16 applies with Form DS-11 in person, with both parents or guardians. Fees: $100 to the State Department plus a $35 execution fee to the acceptance facility; expediting adds $60. The passport is valid 5 years and cannot be renewed by mail.
Source: travel.state.gov ↗as of Oct 2026
OCI card
See the OCI guide for fees and the VFS address.
Once the US passport arrives, apply for the child’s OCI through VFS for your mission.
Source: indianembassyusa.gov.in ↗as of Oct 24, 2026
The Embassy’s VFS services also include registration of birth, birth certificate and an affidavit for a child’s passport.
Source: indianembassyusa.gov.in ↗as of Oct 25, 2026
Add the baby to your health plan
A birth lets you enroll in or change a Marketplace plan up to 60 days afterwards. Employer plans set their own window, often shorter; ask HR.
Source: healthcare.gov ↗as of Oct 25, 2026
Questions people ask
How much is a birth certificate in Mecklenburg County?
$10 per certified copy at the Register of Deeds or the Office of Vital Records, as of October 25, 2026. Online orders add $4 plus card processing.
What order do I get my baby’s documents in to travel to India?
Birth certificate and SSN first, then the US passport (DS-11 with both parents), then the OCI card through VFS.