passports for minors question

[jrobertson82]

Question about getting passports for my 2 kids...

I am divorced. My ex still has my last name.

My kids birth certificates list their Moms maiden name, not my last name.

Is that going to be a problem? We are able to go in together to get the passports and all, but as for the part about proving we are the parents, is it going to be a problem that all her identification lists a different last name than what is listed on the kids birth certificates? We have been divorced for a while, old marriage certificate is long gone... I just dont want to show up at the post office to get all this done, only to be turned away cause we dont have right documentation. This is for my 2 kids, age 15 and 11. We plan to travel more often, so I want to get passports, please don't reply telling me I can show up with just birth certificates, I want to get actual passports for my kids.

[LHT28]

In Canada  we have B/C long forms  that have both parents names on them

Do you have that option where you live?

 

[zqvol]

1 hour ago, jrobertson82 said:

Question about getting passports for my 2 kids...

I am divorced. My ex still has my last name.

My kids birth certificates list their Moms maiden name, not my last name.

Is that going to be a problem? We are able to go in together to get the passports and all, but as for the part about proving we are the parents, is it going to be a problem that all her identification lists a different last name than what is listed on the kids birth certificates? We have been divorced for a while, old marriage certificate is long gone... I just dont want to show up at the post office to get all this done, only to be turned away cause we dont have right documentation. This is for my 2 kids, age 15 and 11. We plan to travel more often, so I want to get passports, please don't reply telling me I can show up with just birth certificates, I want to get actual passports for my kids.

 

If both of you go and you are listed as the father then there should be no trouble. Mom just has to prove her maiden name. The easiest way is for her to bring her BC.

[EMOSEA]

If you are both there and have all of your ID for everyone, you should be fine to get a passport. 

When you travel without your ex, make sure she has a notarized letter stating that she approves that you take the kids out of the country, with her contact information on the letter.  

[Essiesmom]

One suggestion:  wait until the oldest is 16 to get the passport, as under 15 passport is only good for 5 years.  16 and above are good for 10 years.  EM

[SimplyMarvie]

I'm going to disagree with everyone else here and say that you're probably going to have trouble unless Mom has some sort of ID connecting the name on the birth certificate of the children with the name on her current ID. Her birth certificate is absolutely no use, because it it's only proof of citizenship and not ID and there's no definitive connection between the person on the birth certificate and her ID. Your divorce decree might work, if it mentions her maiden name. Or, if your kids have had passports before it's possible that the Passport Agency (not the post office) can check the records and see if the document was presented then. Otherwise, I'd write to the state in which you got married and see if there's a way to get an expedited copy of the marriage certificate. If you don't have it, they'll probably put the kids application on hold until it's provided.

 

The State Department takes two parent consent issues very, very seriously -- as they should! -- so they need to be sure that the person in front of them presenting ID matches the person on the birth certificate, or they can see a paper trail to match them up. 

[jrobertson82]

Was hoping to get this done soon, so we are going to try this...

My ex has her old teaching certificate from before we got married, which has her maiden name. It also has her SSN # on it. She has a newly issued SSN Card with new last name from after we got married. IMO, that establishes a connection, just a matter of if the government will accept that as proof. I also have the divorce papers, which includes her new last name, and also the names of the kids, yet another link showing she is their mom. So we will see if that is acceptable. If not, I guess we will have to go back after I order a copy of marriage cert online. This is way more complicated than I expected it to be....

 

Anyone out there who has had to go through this process of getting passports for minors and having to prove parantage when BC shows maiden name of the mother?

[EMOSEA]

29 minutes ago, jrobertson82 said:

 

 

Anyone out there who has had to go through this process of getting passports for minors and having to prove parantage when BC shows maiden name of the mother?

I think you only need birth cert, marriage cert, or divorce decree, and photo ID, and you both have to be there (for under 16). 

I never changed my last name and had no problem proving I was the mother with my kid's BC (that had my name on it). If there is a name change, the person who changed their name only needs the marriage cert or divorce decree that shows the name change. 

Edit: Link - https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/apply-renew-passport/under-16.html

Edited August 12, 2019 by EMOSEA
link

[Essiesmom]

I am confused...Are you not listed at all on the birth certificates?  Were you married at the times the children were born?  Birth certificates always list the mother by her maiden name....

Are these the legal birth certificates, or the ones given by the hospital, often with footprints, that are only a souvenir?  EM

[jrobertson82]

5 minutes ago, Essiesmom said:

I am confused...Are you not listed at all on the birth certificates?  Were you married at the times the children were born?  Birth certificates always list the mother by her maiden name....

Are these the legal birth certificates, or the ones given by the hospital, often with footprints, that are only a souvenir?  EM

 

I am on the birth certificate. But to get a minor a passport, BOTH parents have to prove they are the parents. My ex wifes legal last name is my last name, from when we were married. All her legal identification has that last name. That is NOT the same name that is listed on the kids birth certificates. They show her Maiden name. The issue I am having is, how does my ex wife prove that she is the same person who is listed on the BC, since the last name is different than what is on her drivers license. 

 

Make sense?

 

I am not cruising till March 2020, so I have time to figure it out, just want to be on top of it so I am not rushing and paying fees to expedite at the last minute.

[ducklite]

21 minutes ago, jrobertson82 said:

 

I am on the birth certificate. But to get a minor a passport, BOTH parents have to prove they are the parents. My ex wifes legal last name is my last name, from when we were married. All her legal identification has that last name. That is NOT the same name that is listed on the kids birth certificates. They show her Maiden name. The issue I am having is, how does my ex wife prove that she is the same person who is listed on the BC, since the last name is different than what is on her drivers license. 

 

Make sense?

 

I am not cruising till March 2020, so I have time to figure it out, just want to be on top of it so I am not rushing and paying fees to expedite at the last minute.

The actual term of what you are looking for is "Bridging Documents."  You want to know what documents will be acceptable to build a bridge between your children's mothers maiden and current name.  Her birth certificate proves her maiden name--and that name should match what is on the children's BC's.  Your divorce decree will have her married name on it and is a VALID BRIDGING DOCUMENT per the US Dept of State as long as it is the original or a certified copy.  

[brillohead]

You're way overthinking this.  

Show up together to get the passports.  Bring the children's birth certificates, the mother's driver license and two photocopies of the license (to be sent with each application), and the father's driver license and two photocopies of the license (to be sent with each application).

You'll be fine. 

[jrobertson82]

11 hours ago, brillohead said:

You're way overthinking this.  

Show up together to get the passports.  Bring the children's birth certificates, the mother's driver license and two photocopies of the license (to be sent with each application), and the father's driver license and two photocopies of the license (to be sent with each application).

You'll be fine. 

 

That is exactly what we did. Filled out the forms, printed them, brought birth certificates, copies, both mine and my ex's drivers licenses with copies, and checks. Took pictures on site. They didn't even question anything, just got it all put together and we were on our way. I definitely over thought it.

[CPT Trips]

Good! 

Better to overthink and have too much documentation.

[brillohead]

14 hours ago, jrobertson82 said:

 

That is exactly what we did. Filled out the forms, printed them, brought birth certificates, copies, both mine and my ex's drivers licenses with copies, and checks. Took pictures on site. They didn't even question anything, just got it all put together and we were on our way. I definitely over thought it.

 

Glad to hear it all went smoothly.  Happy sailing!

[Hlitner]

17 hours ago, jrobertson82 said:

 

That is exactly what we did. Filled out the forms, printed them, brought birth certificates, copies, both mine and my ex's drivers licenses with copies, and checks. Took pictures on site. They didn't even question anything, just got it all put together and we were on our way. I definitely over thought it.

Yep, although your concerns were certainly valid.  But you need to keep in mind that there is another issue when traveling out of the country with minors, if both parents are not present.  Technically, the accompanying parent should have a NOTARIZED letter from the other parent (listed on the Birth Certificate) granting permission for the minor to travel.  Most cruise lines have specific instructions about such a letter and some even have their own forms.  In practice, it is very unusual for anyone to ever ask to see this documentation, but it might happen and the lack of such a letter may prevent you from being able to take the child out of the country.  When we used to travel (internationally) with my step daughter we always had her legal father sign such a permission letter and we also carried a medical power of attorney to be used in case the single accompanying parent was absent or unable to function.   Parents can find the formats of such permission letters and powers of attorney online.  Getting this kind of documentation can be a real pain, but pales by comparison to the pain if a cruise line or airline refuses to carry the child.

 

All that being said, in all the years we traveled with my step daughter nobody ever asked to see any of these documents.   But it can happen and I am aware of one parent that had an airline demand such a document for an International flight.

 

Hank