Childhood name change issue

[flumpybumble]

So I just received my birth certificate to apply for a passport, and have now been met with the news that my mother changed my last name sometime after my birth.

The birth certificate does not match my social security or drivers license, and I do not have any official name change documents from my mom.  She will be no help in this matter.  Does anyone have any ideas for ways around this to either somehow get a new name change document or how to successfully take my cruise?

Any help appreciated, really lost using google 

[crystalspin]

41 minutes ago, flumpybumble said:

Any help appreciated, really lost using google 

Welcome to Cruise Critic! I'm glad you found us; I don't have an answer, but people will be around with suggestions.

 

When is your cruise? and where does it sail?

 

P.S. I read your dilemma to my husband -- he thinks a lawyer will be necessary. Something like a "general lawyer", or call around. Obviously not a criminal lawyer.

 

Edited January 3 by crystalspin

[flumpybumble]

Thank you for the reply! The cruise is roundtrip in the US from CA and is in March 17

[StollyBolly]

I had a similar issue when I applied for my first passport years ago.  I had my mom make a statement that for personal reasons I used a different name from my Birth certificate. I had it notarized and have never been questioned on anything as my passport seems to be a definitive document for citizenship.  Good luck.  I hope your mom helps.  I know it’s stressful. 

[StollyBolly]

Looking at the comment above, I believe a lawyer friend of mine did advise on either the  wording or notarizing.  

[flumpybumble]

3 minutes ago, StollyBolly said:

I had a similar issue when I applied for my first passport years ago.  I had my mom make a statement that for personal reasons I used a different name from my Birth certificate. I had it notarized and have never been questioned on anything as my passport seems to be a definitive document for citizenship.  Good luck.  I hope your mom helps.  I know it’s stressful. 

Oh thank you! So you just submitted this form with your passport application?

[flumpybumble]

9 minutes ago, StollyBolly said:

Looking at the comment above, I believe a lawyer friend of mine did advise on either the  wording or notarizing.  

Was it something like this?

https://eforms.state.gov/Forms/ds60.pdf

[mom says]

Are you saying that your mother changed your name legally, but you don't have the documents, or she changed it illegally? If the former, can't you access the records from the state that granted the change? 

[StollyBolly]

It was a personal reason, not a change through courts.   The affidavit wasn’t as long as the form you show, but if that works then you’ll get the same result.  Hope it all goes smoothly.   Bright side.  You should only need to do this once! 

[Mum2Mercury]

Something like that happened in my family too:  When my grandfather died, my grandmother saw his birth certificate for the first time ever ... and she had no idea his name wasn't really Robert.  There's no one left to ask how it came to pass that his "real name" was dropped.  His driver's license, etc. all said Robert.  

 

In past decades names just weren't "as official" as they are now.  My grandmother was born at home /never had a birth certificate.  She made it past 50 before needing a birth certificate, and she had to take the family bible and a relative who could swear she remembered the day of her birth, and they created her a "retroactive birth certificate" (my wording, not the real name).  Thinking about it, she never liked her long, old-fashioned name /always used a shortened nickname ... I wonder why she didn't take that opportunity to make the nickname official!  

 

Good luck with this odd situation, and please let us know how it works out!  

Edited January 4 by Mum2Mercury

[ldubs]

19 hours ago, flumpybumble said:

So I just received my birth certificate to apply for a passport, and have now been met with the news that my mother changed my last name sometime after my birth.

The birth certificate does not match my social security or drivers license, and I do not have any official name change documents from my mom.  She will be no help in this matter.  Does anyone have any ideas for ways around this to either somehow get a new name change document or how to successfully take my cruise?

Any help appreciated, really lost using google 

 

Interesting.  Name changes happen because of marriage, so I can't see why they can't happen for other reasons too. I hope you keep us posted on how this is resolved. 

 

I think my first stop would be to ask the folks at the passport agency to see what they advise.  The primary contact number is 1-877-487-2778 (don't hold me to that).     

 

 

[mammajamma2013]

We are in New Mexico, so this is how we handled it here. This may not be any help to you because the circumstances are different, but it may. 🤷‍♀️

 

Husband's name on birth certificate is Antonio Rafael. He's been called Ralph Anthony since birth; all of his legal records, including his driver's license, social security account, and passport, are under Ralph Anthony. Because he was renewing his driver's license to a Real ID, he had to either legally change his name to Ralph Anthony, or change everything with his name to Antonio Rafael. We figured it would be easier to do a legal name change, which took about two months, a publicly posted notification in our local newspaper, and a phone interview with a judge (this was just after COVID restrictions were easing). Oh, and about $20 or so in fees. He does have a matching birth certificate now, so that's good.

 

As I said, this may not help you, but it may give you something else to consider.

[mjkacmom]

1 hour ago, Mum2Mercury said:

Something like that happened in my family too:  When my grandfather died, my grandmother saw his birth certificate for the first time ever ... and she had no idea his name wasn't really Robert.  There's no one left to ask how it came to pass that his "real name" was dropped.  His driver's license, etc. all said Robert.  

 

In past decades names just weren't "as official" as they are now.  My grandmother was born at home /never had a birth certificate.  She made it past 50 before needing a birth certificate, and she had to take the family bible and a relative who could swear she remembered the day of her birth, and they created her a "retroactive birth certificate" (my wording, not the real name).  Thinking about it, she never liked her long, old-fashioned name /always used a shortened nickname ... I wonder why she didn't take that opportunity to make the nickname official!  

 

Good luck with this odd situation, and please let us know how it works out!  

When my grandmother was in her 20’s, she changed her name slightly (Anna to Ann), documented by comparing previous censuses. My mom didn’t even know until I named my daughter after her, but told her I was calling her Anna. She told me it’s a horrible name, and her real one.

[flumpybumble]

This community is so kind and helpful!

I am going to try the route with the ds60 notarized document and apply for the passport.  Thank you @StollyBolly for sending me in the affidavit direction.  I can't find much discussion of the ds-60 form on the internet, but reading it looks like it is what I need since I can't locate any official court documents for the change.  I will remember to update how it goes!

[sparks1093]

When we applied for DW's passport there was nothing indicating that additional documentation was necessary to support a name change. We sent in her naturalization certificate with her maiden name and a copy of her drivers license with her married name and the passport was issued in her married name. As I recall the only discussion about a name change was when one was changing the name on a previously issued passport and in that instance supporting documents were required. So I would probably be inclined to just submit the documents required by the website and then let State reach out if additional documents were necessary.