USAF Vet Wants To Cruise..No Birth Certificate

[KY Transplant]

I'm trying to help a 90 year old gentleman who wants to take his first cruise.

He is a US citizen and a retired US Air Force vet with 32 years of service to his country. Problem is he has no birth certificate in which to obtain a passport and a statement from the State of Mississippi to that effect.

Reading from the Homeland Security's website you can present the Statement that no birth certificate exists and supporting documents but problem is that no supporting documents exist except for family bible records which are handwritten (by his Grandmother) and are really not verifiable. Would Homeland security actually accept that?

I will be contacting Homeland Security and Carnival concerning this but in the interim I was wondering if anyone has experienced this sort of thing?

He has a Photo ID and his military documents. There just has to be a way to cut through the red tape so this elderly vet who spent so many years of his life defending the United States can enjoy a cruise. I just dread talking to Govt bureaucrats but then again I may be pleasantly surprised.

Again, anyone here who may have encountered this?

Thanks!

[PelicanBill]

He will be able to get a passport with that, it will just take longer.

[Ken076]

The best way is telephone contact the County Records where he was born and ask what he needs to do to get a certified Birth Certificate (with the raised stamp) you may have to have him on the phone with you. Many counties will expedite this process. - I'm betting this will be easier than dealing with Homeland Security. ken

[ammo4343]

If he was in the Military they should have some kind of Documentation.

I would check with the Base Legal Office at the nearest Military Base.

If they can't help you they may be able to point you in the right Direction.

[trock]

I'm trying to help a 90 year old gentleman who wants to take his first cruise.

 

He is a US citizen and a retired US Air Force vet with 32 years of service to his country. Problem is he has no birth certificate in which to obtain a passport and a statement from the State of Mississippi to that effect.

 

Reading from the Homeland Security's website you can present the Statement that no birth certificate exists and supporting documents but problem is that no supporting documents exist except for family bible records which are handwritten (by his Grandmother) and are really not verifiable. Would Homeland security actually accept that?

 

I will be contacting Homeland Security and Carnival concerning this but in the interim I was wondering if anyone has experienced this sort of thing?

 

He has a Photo ID and his military documents. There just has to be a way to cut through the red tape so this elderly vet who spent so many years of his life defending the United States can enjoy a cruise. I just dread talking to Govt bureaucrats but then again I may be pleasantly surprised.

 

Again, anyone here who may have encountered this?

 

Thanks!

 

 

Hope this helps and I hope he enjoys his cruise!

(He may have to apply in person...)

 

 

http://travel.state.gov/passport/get/first/first_830.html

 

 

If you do NOT have a previous U.S. passport or a certified birth certificate, you will need:

1. Letter of No Record

Issued by the State with your name, date of birth, which years were searched for a birth record and that there is no birth certificate on file for you.

1. AND as many of the following as possible:

• Baptismal certificate
  
• Hospital birth certificate
  
• Census record
  
• Early school record
  
• Family bible record
  
• Doctor's record of post-natal care

NOTES: These documents must be early public records showing the date and place of birth, preferably created within the first five years of your life. You may also submit an Affidavit of Birth, form DS-10, from an older blood relative, i.e., a parent, aunt, uncle, sibling, who has personal knowledge of your birth. It must be notarized or have the seal and signature of the acceptance agent. If you were born abroad AND do not have a Consular Report of Birth Abroad or Certificate of Birth on file, you will need:

1. If you claim citizenship through birth abroad to one U.S. citizen parent:

• Foreign birth certificate,
  
• Proof of citizenship of your U.S. citizen parent, AND
  
• An affidavit of your U.S. citizen parent showing all periods and places of residence or physical presence in the United States and abroad before your birth.

1. If you claim citizenship through birth abroad to two U.S. citizen parents:

• Your foreign birth certificate,
  
• Parent’s marriage certificate, AND
  
• Proof of citizenship of your U.S. parents and an affidavit of your U.S. citizen parents showing all periods and places of residence of physical presence in the United States and abroad before your birth.

Click here for additional information on documentation of U.S. citizens born abroad who acquire citizenship at birth NOTE: The following are NOT proof of citizenship

• Voter registration cards
  
• Army discharge papers

Information on foreign-born children adopted by U.S. citizens. NOTE: If you travel extensively, you may request more Visa pages in your passport at no additional cost. To do so, please attach a signed request for additional Visa pages to be added to your application. 48-page passport s are no longer available in the U.S. or abroad.

[docs wife]

Military Service Record should have information needed as his security clearances had to be verified with info that is similar to, if not more than is needed for a passport.

[firefly333]

There was a lady on our news about his age they spent about a year helping her get a passport. She was born at home and no birth certificate and wanted to cruise. It can be done, but not fast... and not without a lot of red tape, even with the power of a news station behind it, it took a while.

[copvet]

If he spent 32-years in the U.S. Military they will have all the documentation you will need for a U.S. Passport. He can go to the following site and request all his military records:

http://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records/get-service-records.html

[G'ma]

I'm trying to help a 90 year old gentleman who wants to take his first cruise.

 

He is a US citizen and a retired US Air Force vet with 32 years of service to his country. Problem is he has no birth certificate in which to obtain a passport and a statement from the State of Mississippi to that effect.

 

Reading from the Homeland Security's website you can present the Statement that no birth certificate exists and supporting documents but problem is that no supporting documents exist except for family bible records which are handwritten (by his Grandmother) and are really not verifiable. Would Homeland security actually accept that?

 

I will be contacting Homeland Security and Carnival concerning this but in the interim I was wondering if anyone has experienced this sort of thing?

 

He has a Photo ID and his military documents. There just has to be a way to cut through the red tape so this elderly vet who spent so many years of his life defending the United States can enjoy a cruise. I just dread talking to Govt bureaucrats but then again I may be pleasantly surprised.

 

Again, anyone here who may have encountered this?

 

Thanks!

 

Issuing birth certificates didn't come into being until early in the 20th century and then was haphazard at best. Many who were born at home were never "registered". My entire family, Grandmothers, my Mother, Aunts, Uncles, Grandfathers were in this position.

 

This gentlemen must apply for an "Affidavit of Birth". It is an onerous process and will be doubly difficult for him because of his age. Most affidavits require statements from "those who remember his birth", usually a parent, aunt or older relative. In this fellow's case, I'd assume that isn't an option due to his age.

 

I'm sure bible records and census records could be used in his case. However, he'll need some legal help on this unless he has someone in his family willing to start searching websites for old census records from where he was born.

 

In any case, he's not going to be able to travel outside the U.S. unless he can prove he's a U.S. Citizen. Serving in the military, unfortunately, won't do it. Many hundreds and thousands of resident immigrants have served in our armed forces...and still are today.

 

When my family applied, they did it all at once. It took about 4 months for all papers to be processed and the affidavits issued.

 

You can access an application online to see what information is required. If you Google it, there is a lot of information..... Here's a link to the application from the State Department:

 

http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/79954.pdf

 

Good luck.

[spleenstomper]

I know what you are going through, and yes he needs a passport.

 

Dh's 91 year old GP is going with us on this cruise... thank goodness no passport is needed yet for where we're going. Pawpaw was born at home on Easter Sunday, but since I guess the office was closed on Monday, they filed on Tuesday.... so his birthday is April 8 and his DL says April 8, but his BC says April 10. lol.

 

My PVP at Carnival had to get his grandmother's passport without a BC.... he said it was a pain, but she did get one.

[noblepa]

It may be a long shot, but check out the Mormon church's geneology centers. They are open to non-members and contain a LOT of information. They collect birth records and baptism records from all over the country and the world.

 

I believe that it is a tenet of their faith that they must search their geneology and baptize their ancestors retroactively, into the Mormon church. As such, they collect all such records that they can find.

 

Their centers have become some of the primary sources for a lot of people researching their own geneology.

[wrp96]

Do you have a local elder services agency? They may be able to help you out as this is not an uncommon occurrence among the elderly. And with the new rules requiring proof of citizenship to receive most government services, it can be an issue.

 

Just an FYI, being in the US military is not proof of US citizenship as you can join the US military without being a US citizen.

[Snorkel2Much]

Do you have a local elder services agency? They may be able to help you out as this is not an uncommon occurrence among the elderly. And with the new rules requiring proof of citizenship to receive most government services, it can be an issue.

 

Just an FYI, being in the US military is not proof of US citizenship as you can join the US military without being a US citizen.

I was just about to mention this. For most Carnival sailings, (there are exceptions), a passport isnt needed. In this situation, it would be even more prudent for that proud Veteran to have one.

[donaldsc]

I respect the fact that the gentleman spent a good part of his life serving his country. It is also great that he wants to cruise and it is a real problem that he is having difficulty getting the proper paperwork to make the cruise.

 

However, there are a lot of people who may have the same paperwork problems who did not serve in the military and the fact that he did has and should not have any relationship to his travel problems.

 

Should they be treated any differently because they are not ex-military?

 

DON

[spleenstomper]

It may be a long shot, but check out the Mormon church's geneology centers. They are open to non-members and contain a LOT of information. They collect birth records and baptism records from all over the country and the world.

 

I believe that it is a tenet of their faith that they must search their geneology and baptize their ancestors retroactively, into the Mormon church. As such, they collect all such records that they can find.

 

Their centers have become some of the primary sources for a lot of people researching their own geneology.

 

That's not exactly it. They baptize the dead into the Mormon religion because they believe if you aren't mormon, you don't get into heaven. It's an offensive practice AND they do it for anyone. They collect obits and without permission, baptize people of other religions into their religion. They have been sued before about this.

 

I dont' think this makes a hill of beans difference in obtaining a passport.

 

Family Bibles ARE admitted as "proof".... and it's the State Department you need to call, not homeland security.

[NAMVET]

When are you wanting to go on the cruise? You may want to check out the roll call board for Carnival Valor for 8 Nov 2009:D That would give him plenty of time to get the necessary information