1. Understand the Situation

• If your documents are from your home country:
  You usually cannot get them from U.S. offices. You’ll need to request them from your country’s government (civil registry, embassy, or consulate).
   

• If your home country’s government is unsafe or you cannot contact them:
  U.S. refugee and asylum laws recognize this. You may instead use alternative identity evidence (e.g., refugee travel documents, I-94, asylum approval, or affidavits).
   

 

2. Refugees’ Options for Identity Documents

a) Birth Certificate from Home Country

• Contact your embassy or consulate in the U.S. to request a replacement copy.
    Find embassies in the U.S. here: U.S. Department of State Embassy List
   

• Some countries allow online civil registry requests through government websites.
   

• You may need:
   

  • Passport or refugee travel document (if available)
     

  • Personal details (full name, date & place of birth, parents’ names)
     

  • A processing fee
     

 Note: If you are an asylee or fear persecution from your home country, talk to an immigration lawyer before contacting your embassy—contact with your home government could be risky.

 

b) If You Cannot Safely Contact Your Home Government

• Refugees and asylees may instead use:
   

  • Form I-94 (Arrival/Departure Record from DHS)
     

  • Refugee travel document (Form I-571, issued by USCIS)
     

  • Employment Authorization Document (EAD)
     

  • Asylum grant or refugee approval letter
     

These documents are often accepted in place of a birth certificate for:

• Social Security Number (SSN) applications
   

• Medi-Cal or benefits
   

• Employment and school enrollment
   

 

c) U.S.-Issued Identity Documents for Refugees

• Social Security Number (SSN): Apply with USCIS documents (I-94, EAD, asylum approval). SSA Refugee Page
   

• State ID / Driver’s License: Apply at California DMV with refugee documents. CA DMV – Residency Documents
   

• Refugee Travel Document (Form I-571): If you can’t get a passport, you can apply through USCIS. USCIS Travel Document Info
   

 

3. Steps to Take 

1. Collect what you already have: I-94, asylum approval, resettlement agency letters.
    

2. Decide if it’s safe to contact your home government: If yes, go through your embassy. If not, avoid it.
    

3. Work with a refugee resettlement agency (like IRC, HIAS, or local Catholic Charities)—they often help request or substitute missing documents.
    

   • Example: IRC in California
      

4. Consult an immigration legal aid group if you are unsure (CARECEN, Legal Aid Foundation, or your county’s refugee support office).
    

 

Important Notes

• For legal status and immigration applications, USCIS understands that many refugees cannot obtain birth certificates. They allow secondary evidence (church records, affidavits from relatives, UNHCR documents).
   

• Never risk contacting your home country’s embassy if it could endanger you or your family. 

• You can work with a refugee resettlement agency (like IRC, HIAS, or local Catholic Charities)—they often help request or substitute missing documents.
   

  • Example: IRC in California
     

Or consult an immigration legal aid group if you are unsure (CARECEN, Legal Aid Foundation, or your county’s refugee support office).