[gopheraj]

My grandmother (born in Texas 1902) never had a birth certificate so when she applied for social security in 1960/61, she had to rely on witness statements and a copy of the family bible birth record to be eligible. That info was accepted.

[mamelukesabre]

My grandfather had a baptismal certificate issued when he was baptised by his church. He used that in place of a birth certificate his whole life. You couldn't read it though. It was written in german using gothic calligraphy script. But it was accepted.