Ahhh MIL can't get a copy of her Birth Certificate

[MnAsMom]

My MIL decided to book a cruise with us (somewhat last minute, we leave at the end of April) and figured she would have enough time to obtain a Birth certificate and pay for the rush on her passport. She contacted the records facility to get a BC and her birth name is one but she has gone by another very similar name almost all of her life... but never legally changed it. She has a drivers license and a marriage certificate with her name on it (not her birth name). The person in her NY couldn't get her a Birth certificate issued. She is stuck. The last thing she heard was that it could be a month or more to attempt to have it looked over by a judge to determine. She is a US citizen, born here, has tons of documentation showing she is who she is. What do we do? We've spent so much time sitting on hold trying to get someone on the line with the Passport Offices. Wondering if she should attempt to make an appointment to go to the passport offices in the federal building and see if anyone there can do anything for her. This woman has never really left this country.... we finally got her to commit to a cruise with her family and her grandchildren and now she is trying to jump through hoops to get this worked out and be able to go. The last phone call we got from her she was in tears and totally frustrated. Worst thing is that since it is so close she made full payment... will she be able to recover any of it?Haven't bought travel insurance yet. Ahhhhh ....

 

Anyone have any suggestions on how to deal with something like this? Anyone BTDT or know someone who has? Thanks in advance for any suggestions or advise you can offer

[39august]

I don't believe any travel insurance would cover this. It is too bad, but she must have a certified copy of her birth certificate. If the cruise is a closed loop, leaving and returning from the same port, she only needs the BC and drivers license, no passport. Can she not go personally to the state Health Department( or whatever state office in her state) to obtain the BC? I don't understand why she can't get the BC. Is her real name not listed on the BC?

[BND]

I have never gone by my real first name. I go by my middle name, but I always made sure I used my real first name on everything so it would never be a problem. How do you get a driver's license without a bc? I think the judge is probably her only route to obtain a bc. A lot of people use aliases (nicknames, maiden names) throughout their lives, but remembering to use the real name on legal documents and official paperwork keeps this from being an issue. How different is her real name from the name she goes by? To be who she says she is, she needs to be able to prove that she is the same person on her dl and bc. Her social security card should be the same as her bc since you need a bc to obtain a ss card if you are a US citizen, unless you are a newborn in which case they are issue at the same time nowadays.

[TEXASMUNK]

You are postig fro california, so try:

 

Your US Representative, let them now you have anotorized statement from at least two people who can vouch for her.

Next, your state rep, your state senator, your governor, a county judge.

 

 

Or if she is not from Calif., does she have any contacts in her birth state?

 

There are also private companies that can work to get documents very quickly...

 

Good Luck!

[waterbug123]

She contacted the records facility to get a BC and her birth name is one but she has gone by another very similar name almost all of her life... but never legally changed it. She has a drivers license and a marriage certificate with her name on it (not her birth name). The person in her NY couldn't get her a Birth certificate issued.

 

ARe you saying she can't get her birth certificate period, or that she can't get it issued with the name she has always gone by? Seems like she should be able to get her birth certificate with her real, legal name she was born with, and then use that to get her passport in the same real, legal name she was born with. That would be her legal name for travel, and socially she can continue to go by whatever name she wants to be called.

[ntengwall]

ARe you saying she can't get her birth certificate period, or that she can't get it issued with the name she has always gone by? Seems like she should be able to get her birth certificate with her real, legal name she was born with, and then use that to get her passport in the same real, legal name she was born with. That would be her legal name for travel, and socially she can continue to go by whatever name she wants to be called.

 

 

That's what I was going to say. Have her get her birth certificate with her real name and then she can get a new license and/or passport with that.

[katiel53]

I don't believe that there is much that can be done. Insurance wouldn't pay even if you had it. How much different is her legal name from the name she uses? If she got a birth certificate with her legal name, how much different is that from her driver's license?

 

I know many people use nicknames, but for legal purposes use their true names. I know I use my nic on most things and even my social security card has my nic on it. My DL also has my nic on it. When I applied for my passport though, I had to send in my birth certificate so it shows my legal name.

 

If the names are close, as mine are, you might be able to get the birth certificate and use the DL, but if they are very different, I don't think there is much hope. Sorry.

[MnAsMom]

Her birth name is Linette and she has gone by Linda since she was quite young. I suppose she must have had a Birth certificate at some point but doesn't have it anymore. Her CA Drivers license shows Linda (as does most paperwork/bills etc.) She was born in New York. No state will issue a birth certificate unless you are the person or a parent/guardian/family member. BUT I thought maybe my husband could obtain it but his birth certificate shows Linda (not Linette). I know it's weird!

 

My husband called the passport line again today and got a very nice woman on the phone who said we should call the NY office again and ask for them to search for a BC in the name she is using. None will be found and they can issue a letter stating so. Then she will need to make an appointment with the Passport office to attempt to bring that letter and anything else to vouch for her name being Linda. She spoke with her Aunt (the last remaining sibling of her mother's) who will write a letter as well. Finger crossed we can get it all done in a timely manner and get things sorted out so she can stop stressing and get back to looking forward to her first cruise and 1st vacation with her grandkids! :)

 

Thanks everyone!

[novalab]

Her birth name is Linette and she has gone by Linda since she was quite young. I suppose she must have had a Birth certificate at some point but doesn't have it anymore. Her CA Drivers license shows Linda (as does most paperwork/bills etc.) She was born in New York. No state will issue a birth certificate unless you are the person or a parent/guardian/family member. BUT I thought maybe my husband could obtain it but his birth certificate shows Linda (not Linette). I know it's weird!

 

My husband called the passport line again today and got a very nice woman on the phone who said we should call the NY office again and ask for them to search for a BC in the name she is using. None will be found and they can issue a letter stating so. Then she will need to make an appointment with the Passport office to attempt to bring that letter and anything else to vouch for her name being Linda. She spoke with her Aunt (the last remaining sibling of her mother's) who will write a letter as well. Finger crossed we can get it all done in a timely manner and get things sorted out so she can stop stressing and get back to looking forward to her first cruise and 1st vacation with her grandkids! :)

 

Thanks everyone!

 

My husband was sort of in the same fix. He goes by another name than what is on his birth certificate ever since he was a little boy. However, he was able to get a cert. copy of his birth certificate from the county records dept in the state he was born in.

 

Over the years, he has had his SS#. drivers license, and military ID papers all issued in the name he has used since a child...not his birth name. We took all of these papers, plus a few more, down to the local passport office when we applied for his passport this past Jan. They took copies of his SS card & drivers licence and the originals of his military discharge papers, & our marriage lic. & submitted them all (they will send your orig. documents back to you when the passport is sent out, in a separate envelope)

 

It worked! His passport came back in the name he has used all these years, not his birth name. I think if you can gather up these types of legal papers, plus a letter stating that no BC exists, along with some of the other good advice given here, & apply for an expedited passport, you might be pleasantly surprised at the outcome. Important: there is a place on the passport application for your e-mail address, just in case they have any questions, they will e-mail you. They will also e-mail you when it goes to process & when it is completed with the estimated delivery time. Very helpful.

 

Good Luck!

[aloha of the seas]

What might work would be showing the municipal clerk some religious document that documented her birth. A baptismal certificate often has the parents as well as the child's name. Even though this is not a legal document it would help the clerk locate the original copy of the birth certificate that you need a copy of. It must exist somewhere, so the object is to offer some proof that your MIL is that person. Good Luck in your quest.

[cruznjan]

I don't know how long this will take, but maybe you could use a copy the census record of the year closest to your birth year. They might accept it. My mother did that when she applied for Social Security.

[Langley Cruisers]

Her CA Drivers license shows Linda (as does most paperwork/bills etc.)...

 

Curious - when one gets their very first driver's license, don't they show their original birth certificate? It's pretty much standard procedure, yes? How can it be different than her real, legal name?

 

Sorry for all you are going through; I hope it all works out and you can enjoy your cruise.

[X]

maybe go to the passport office and give them everything - driver's license, bills, etc. IF worst comes to worst, she does get some refund back if she cancels. Here's the page that shows what refund she would get if she cancelled:

 

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/customersupport/faq/details.do;jsessionid=0000ApJKrMRtKW_9yIKwsy4sURO:13hldil87;jsessionid=0000Pw4rFXwmwlVl06pXUBWXTqi:12h3g0fq2?pagename=frequently_asked_questions&pnav=5&pnav=2&faqSubjectName=After+You+Purchase&faqId=227&faqSubjectId=323&faqType=faq

[EVALUATOR]

Her birth name is Linette and she has gone by Linda since she was quite young. I suppose she must have had a Birth certificate at some point but doesn't have it anymore. Her CA Drivers license shows Linda (as does most paperwork/bills etc.) She was born in New York. No state will issue a birth certificate unless you are the person or a parent/guardian/family member. BUT I thought maybe my husband could obtain it but his birth certificate shows Linda (not Linette). I know it's weird!

 

My husband called the passport line again today and got a very nice woman on the phone who said we should call the NY office again and ask for them to search for a BC in the name she is using. None will be found and they can issue a letter stating so. Then she will need to make an appointment with the Passport office to attempt to bring that letter and anything else to vouch for her name being Linda. She spoke with her Aunt (the last remaining sibling of her mother's) who will write a letter as well. Finger crossed we can get it all done in a timely manner and get things sorted out so she can stop stressing and get back to looking forward to her first cruise and 1st vacation with her grandkids! :)

 

Thanks everyone!

If it helps a little, you can get a passport without a birth certificate. My dad had a lot of trouble getting his, but eventually did. He didn't have the time constraints you are under, so he didn't make it a priority, so he could have gotten it in less than the year and a half that it took. If anything could go wrong with his paperwork, it did.

 

He was born in Oklahoma, before it was a state (only a territory).

Oklahoma did not start keeping accurate records for births until around 1940, several years after he was born.

Oklahoma didn't even issue driver licenses when he started driving.

When they did, they just gave them to people that said they could drive.

He was born at home, without hospital records.

The doctor that delivered him kept records, but kept them in his office.

The doctor could have vouched for him, but died in a fire, that also burned up all the birth records.

The bible keeping the family birth records was buried with his mother.

I know they did a lot of things to get it including driving from Massachusetts (home), to Florida (us), to California, (where his mom lived), to Oklahoma (where he was born), and lots of places in between.

He was in the military twice, but discharged with the wrong spelling on his name on one set of discharge papers.

He eventually got something from Oklahoma to forward to the passport office to get a passport.

I am sure we could have helped get it quicker for him but he was pretty stubborn about doing it himself. I also think he used it as an excuse to drive all over the country.

Good Luck.

[PattyG12]

have you tried http://www.vitalchek.com/express-birth-certificates.aspx

 

may be able to help you!

[JerseyGem]

Her birth name is Linette and she has gone by Linda since she was quite young. I suppose she must have had a Birth certificate at some point but doesn't have it anymore. ....................... Then she will need to make an appointment with the Passport office to attempt to bring that letter and anything else to vouch for her name being Linda. She spoke with her Aunt (the last remaining sibling of her mother's) who will write a letter as well.

Thanks everyone!

 

In addition to bringing religious documents (baptismal, confirmation, Cradle Rolls, etc), she should bring any school records from her early years (old report cards, etc- all that would show that she used Linda as a child). If she was born prior to 1930, check the census record for her name (you can do this online or find a friend who does genealogy- or post here for help).

[Pat.bz]

Sorry to be a "Debbie Downer" but, having gone through a similar issue with a family member, sometimes these things can be very complex to resolve and Government red tape can be daunting (especially with passports and National Security). I would be very surprised if she gets everything in place for an April cruise. I would see if she couldn't get a credit for a cruise at least 6 months out.

[CruisinGerman]

The U.S. Passport authorities have developed a procedure for this exact situation. I reproduce it below. Obviously this makes it more tedious in that you have to apply in person and gather several documents and affidavits, but it is possible to obtain a passport in your country without a birth certificate.

 

Kind regards,

 

Gunther and Uta

 

Secondary Evidence of U.S. Citizenship

 

 

If you cannot present primary evidence of U.S. citizenship, you must submit secondary evidence of U.S. citizenship. Determine what form of secondary evidence is most appropriate for your situation based on the descriptions below. Each application is handled on a case-by-case basis. The scenarios below are intended as general guidance.

 

Early Public Records

 

If you were born in the United States and cannot present primary evidence of U.S. citizenship, you may submit a combination of early public records as evidence of your U.S. citizenship. Early public records must be submitted together with a birth record or Letter of No Record (see below). Early public records should show your name, date of birth, place of birth, and preferably be created within the first five years of your life. Examples of early public records are:

 

Baptismal certificate

Hospital birth certificate

Census record

Early school record

Family bible record

Doctor's record of post-natal care

Early Public Records are not acceptable when presented alone.

 

Delayed Birth Certificate

 

If you were born in the United States and cannot present primary evidence of U.S. citizenship because your U.S. Birth Certificate was not filed within the first year of your birth, you may submit a Delayed U.S. Birth Certificate. A Delayed U.S. Birth Certificate filed more than one year after your birth may be acceptable if:

 

It lists the documentation used to create it (preferably early public records) and

It is signed by the birth attendant or lists an affidavit signed by the parents

 

If your Delayed U.S. Birth Certificate does not include these items, it should be submitted together with Early Public Records (see above).

 

Letter of No Record

 

If you were born in the United States and cannot present primary evidence of U.S. citizenship because you do not have a previous U.S. passport or a certified U.S. birth certificate of any kind, you must present a state-issued Letter of No Record showing:

 

Your name

Your date of birth

The years for which a birth record was searched

Acknowledgement that no birth certificate was found on file

 

A Letter of No Record must be submitted together with Early Public Records (see above).

 

Form DS-10: Birth Affidavit

 

If you were born in the United States and cannot present primary evidence of U.S. citizenship, you may submit Form DS-10: Birth Affidavit as additional evidence of your U.S. citizenship. You may be requested to submit Early Public Records when submitting Form DS-10: Birth Affidavit. The birth affidavit:

 

Must be notarized

Must be submitted in person with Form DS-11

Must be submitted together with early public records

Must be completed by an affiant who has personal knowledge of birth in the U.S.

Must state briefly how the affiant's knowledge was acquired

Should be completed by an older blood relative

 

NOTE: If no older blood relative is available, the affiant may be the attending physician or any other person who has personal knowledge of the birth

[katiel53]

I thought of something else. When I was going to apply for my passport, I needed a copy of my birth certificate. I received it and my last name was spelled differently. It had one letter different that my last name. I called to Pennsylvania and was told that I needed some kind of proof that I had used the name spelled as we spelled it. They suggested a high school diploma or something.

 

I sent them my high school diploma, (even though I had graduated many years ago) and they sent me a birth certificate with the correct spelling on it. I am wondering if she they have one on file with the name Linette, if she could prove she has used Linda, if they would correct the birth certificate as they did mine. Just a thought.

[jerin]

Here's another idea to get things to match -- if she can get a copy of her birth certificate listing her as Linette, could she get her driver's license changed to reflect that her legal name is Linette, not Linda? This is something that would be handled on a much more local level and might be quicker. Then when she gets back from the cruise, she'll have time to get her name legally changed to Linda and she can get things switched back. (I wouldn't apply for a passport with the 'temporary' name if you're on a closed US loop unless you think there's any probability of her needing to fly home.)

[cruznjan]

Curious - when one gets their very first driver's license, don't they show their original birth certificate? It's pretty much standard procedure, yes? How can it be different than her real, legal name?

 

Sorry for all you are going through; I hope it all works out and you can enjoy your cruise.

 

When I got my license in NY (many years ago :)) they accepted a birth or baptismal certificate.

[newcrew42]

My husband was sort of in the same fix. He goes by another name than what is on his birth certificate ever since he was a little boy. However, he was able to get a cert. copy of his birth certificate from the county records dept in the state he was born in.

 

Over the years, he has had his SS#. drivers license, and military ID papers all issued in the name he has used since a child...not his birth name. We took all of these papers, plus a few more, down to the local passport office when we applied for his passport this past Jan. They took copies of his SS card & drivers licence and the originals of his military discharge papers, & our marriage lic. & submitted them all (they will send your orig. documents back to you when the passport is sent out, in a separate envelope)

 

It worked! His passport came back in the name he has used all these years, not his birth name. I think if you can gather up these types of legal papers, plus a letter stating that no BC exists, along with some of the other good advice given here, & apply for an expedited passport, you might be pleasantly surprised at the outcome. Important: there is a place on the passport application for your e-mail address, just in case they have any questions, they will e-mail you. They will also e-mail you when it goes to process & when it is completed with the estimated delivery time. Very helpful.

 

Good Luck!

 

maybe go to the passport office and give them everything - driver's license, bills, etc. IF worst comes to worst, she does get some refund back if she cancels. Here's the page that shows what refund she would get if she cancelled:

 

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/customersupport/faq/details.do;jsessionid=0000ApJKrMRtKW_9yIKwsy4sURO:13hldil87;jsessionid=0000Pw4rFXwmwlVl06pXUBWXTqi:12h3g0fq2?pagename=frequently_asked_questions&pnav=5&pnav=2&faqSubjectName=After+You+Purchase&faqId=227&faqSubjectId=323&faqType=faq

 

My mom's story is similar to these. Her birth ceritficate name spelling doesn't match her social security card or driver's license, etc. She didn't have trouble getting a copy of her birth certificate, but was delayed at the passport office. She had to produce more documents such as marriage cert, bills, etc.

 

Perhaps if the vital statistics office has more than 1 person that works there, your mom can try again to get a copy of the birth certificate. If she knows the correct spelling of her birth name, use that when submitting the paper work. I know some offices ask to see your DL and some do not. See if that will work.

 

Some workers are more helpful than others. It may be that an inexperienced worker didn't know what to do in this situation and turned your mom away.

 

I would be sure to tell my mom NOT to mention the prior problem when she went in the next time. My mom has a bad habit of saying things like, "I bet you can't give me a birth certificate since my birth name doesn't match my driver's license." And sure enough, she would be denied. I ended up having to take her and told to be quiet and not to mention that her name is not a match at both the vital statitistics office and passport office.

 

We were able to retrieve the BC, and we brought additional documents as listed at the passport office and had no problem once I took my mom and told her to quit bringing up how her documents do not match and making such a big deal about it.

 

This may not be the case here, but just thought I would share. If you can produce enough of the appropriate documents, you should be fine.

[SherriZ366]

You are postig fro california, so try:

 

Your US Representative, let them now you have anotorized statement from at least two people who can vouch for her.

Next, your state rep, your state senator, your governor, a county judge.

 

 

Or if she is not from Calif., does she have any contacts in her birth state?

 

There are also private companies that can work to get documents very quickly...

 

Good Luck!

This is good advice; I work for a state senator and I have also worked on Capitol Hill. In both types of offices there are constituent service people who cut through red tape. If she was born in another state, the Congressonal office may be able to help her locate her Congressman/woman. She should start with her current Congressman and then follow the staff's advice. If she does not know her Congressman/woaman's name, go to http://www.house.gov and enter in her zip code.

[vacation luvver]

Someone upthread said that his/her father was born in Oklahoma before it became a state. Oklahoma became a state in 1907, so the father was born a very long time ago.

 

My late father was born in New York in 1912. He always used a different name than the one on his birth certificate. He always said that the name on his BC was a mistake, that it wasn't the name his parents intended to give him. The name he chose to use was on his Social Security card, his military discharge papers, his driver's license, etc. When he applied for a driver's license, he didn't have to show his BC. At that time, they took people's word for what their names were and how old they were.

 

He never had to get photo ID (New Jersey, where he lived, didn't require drivers to have their photo on their driver's license until my father became too old to drive), and I wondered what he would do in the event he needed to get a passport or travel on Amtrak (which requires a photo ID). I decided that his best bet would be to get his name legally changed from the one on his BC to the name that he used. But this was never necessary.

 

I would suggest that the MIL get hold of her BC and change her name legally to Linda.