I had a similar problem getting my passport; I had a birth registration certificate, not my actual birth certificate which has my State's seal/imprint and is "official". Look at your short form; if there's no time/date on there and imprinted official/seal (not something someone could do themselves) and complete/"enough" information, it probably isn't much good anymore; my registration certificate was fine through school, etc. but after 9/11, things got much more intense.