HUGE problem...

[dolly68]

My fiance is adopted and needed a copy of his birth certificate to get a new driver's license for NY state. He used VitalChek and did it online, no problems. He used his original birthplace but gave his adoptive parents' names. I don't recall exactly how long it took to receive his new BC but it wasn't too long and could probably be expedited if you wanted to pay for faster mailing.

 

It is possible that he is wrong about his birthdate - my fiance was! He thought he was born in July - turned out to be in Sept. (This happened when my fiance sent for his birth certificate ~the first time~ ... to get his driver's license!!)

 

Hope this helps!

[letsgocruz1]

I can not agree with Cruise3 any more than I do! Listen to this advise.. Once you get the copy with the raised seal, look into correcting it when you get home... This one minor correction may turn into months or even years of back and forth agravation!

 

Ditto that!!

 

Cruise3, what if the boyfriend took the new BC and went to the DMV and had them change the driver's license to match the BC?? The the OP could rest easy.

 

(and OP, I still would check into getting it all straightened up afterwards, but NOT before the cruise).

 

BTW, is he sure he wasn't born a year earlier? Same thing happened to my Mom's friend, only she got to take a year OFF of her age!! (long story...)

[Bobug]

Ya'll know that eventually everyone is going to need a passport, why don't folks just get passports and be done with all the worry about birth certificates. Using a passport you have one document instead of two to keep track of.

 

That's what they said over 2 years ago when we got ours.

[berls088]

ok so it gets worse. yes WORSE!!

 

his adoptive mom just told him that he never was legally adopted so the last name he has now isnt his real one. he has to find his adoptive mother (if shes alive) and go with her to the adoption place or wherever and sign him over. his real father died before they got the chance.

 

now what??????????????

[benvan2]

My dad's birthday is wrong on his bc. He has been on three cruises with us and it was never even mentioned by anybody. And on the last cruise, I realized the night before that he didn't have a current DL, I panicked and called carnival and they said is veteren's id card would work. But the picture was one of those digital pictures and all faded out. So he brought his old DL that had expired in 2004. We gave them the BC and expired DL and they never said a word and neither did we. I haven't tried to get him a passport because I think it would be a problem.

[lilypi314]

if he was born in RI, he can go to the office of vital records in providence. it's right near the statehouse. it's 15 dollars, and you get the certificate right then.

 

thank u... im mostly nervous because it has the wrong birth year thats what im having a nervous breakdown about! i didnt know u could go 25 years without having a corrected birth certificate!!! how do u get into kindergarten? i live in rhode island and he was born here too...

 

i have a miller lite in my hands and he is drinkin heavily behind me on the couch... great advice :)

[berls088]

if he was born in RI, he can go to the office of vital records in providence. it's right near the statehouse. it's 15 dollars, and you get the certificate right then.

 

 

i can see the state house outside my window..lol

 

but if he goes there, his last name will be different then on his dl and baptismal...and the birthdate and last name on the 2 wont match

[trock]

We could probably make you a new baptismal certificate in Photoshop ...

 

 

LOL

Perhaps we can just photoshop the 'years'.... LOL

[lilypi314]

not if he brings the xeroxed birth certificate and his license. does he have a social security card? all i had to show to get my birth certificate at that office was the license and social security card. they're really NOT that picky, and whatever they have on file will be found with the info on the BC copy that he has.

 

 

i can see the state house outside my window..lol

 

but if he goes there, his last name will be different then on his dl and baptismal...and the birthdate and last name on the 2 wont match

[Beagle2]

OK, we are all big kids and we like to travel. If you drive a nail, you need a hammer, not a pair of pliers. So, travel, you want to travel, then get a PASSPORT and save yourself a lot of trouble.

 

 

Just trying to be helpful, really.

 

 

Beagle2

[jp2001]

OK, we are all big kids and we like to travel. If you drive a nail, you need a hammer, not a pair of pliers. So, travel, you want to travel, then get a PASSPORT and save yourself a lot of trouble.

 

 

Just trying to be helpful, really.

 

 

Beagle2

 

As some people already mentionned, you need a BC to get your passport.

[berls088]

ok beagle how do u suggest gettin a passport without a valid birth certificate or a LAST NAME for that matter????

[lilypi314]

all your BF needs to get his (although erroneous) official BC is:

 

To obtain a certified copy of a birth, death or marriage record you will be expected to present an acceptable picture identification. An acceptable picture identification is defined as one issued by a governmental organization. These identifications will most likely fall into one of the following types: 1. Driver's License, 2. Passport, 3. Military Identification, 4. Certificate of naturalization, 5. Alien Registration Card. If making the request in person, the applicant must present an original of the above stated forms of identification. If the request is made by mail, a readable copy of one of the above forms of identification is required. The copy will not be returned to you. If the application or request is received without the above stated identification, the request will not be processed and it will be returned to you.

 

this is from the RI vital records website. i realize that there are a lot of problems to fix, but as others have suggested this is best tackled AFTER your cruise. just send him to vital records with his license and $20 (they raised the price!) and have him use the info that's on his xeroxed BC to fill out the request. he'll be fine!

 

 

ok beagle how do u suggest gettin a passport without a valid birth certificate or a LAST NAME for that matter????

[MDSue]

ok so it gets worse. yes WORSE!!

 

his adoptive mom just told him that he never was legally adopted so the last name he has now isnt his real one. he has to find his adoptive mother (if shes alive) and go with her to the adoption place or wherever and sign him over. his real father died before they got the chance.

 

now what??????????????

I think you need more advice than can be gained here, but I know I easily got a certified copy of my birth certificate from Vital Check. This is where my passport office directed me when I discovered after 50 years that I never had a valid birth certificate. I had used a hospital certificate my entire life for everything, including getting a drivers license, social security card and also 2 cruises. I never new it wasn't the real thing until I went to get a passport. Anyway it sounds like the best thing for your boyfriend to do is try and get a certified copy of his birth certificate and then to get his drivers license straightened out. It's quite possible the passport office might be able to give you good advice. Good luck:)

[berls088]

i called vital records this morning and they couldnt find him..then i learned tonight that i was looking for the wrong last name. so his bc and license have different names and birthdates on them. so if we go there they will say its not him... he never knew that his last name wasnt what it really is...

[Slimpickins]

Ummm ... some states (such as PA) us VitalChek as their online service provider as opposed to running it through their own systems. It's perfectly safe.

 

Same here, KY uses that site for their BC.

[SociallyAwkward]

Huh? You are on CruiseCritic, have done a couple of cruises, and you don't need a passport in the forseeable future?

 

Please don't say that you are done with cruising.

 

No one ever foresees the Spanish Inquistion do they?

 

Or say getting ill in another country....and the boat sailing away.

 

As far as the OP, I agree don't open the can of worms with the wrong year, but correct it as soon as you get a copy.

 

And as far as the additional passport info goes, let me assure you it is NOT pleasant to be in a country without a passport and be unable to go home. I have experienced it and was actually threatened with jail because I was unable to prove I entered the country legally.....head...hurt.

[SociallyAwkward]

i called vital records this morning and they couldnt find him..then i learned tonight that i was looking for the wrong last name. so his bc and license have different names and birthdates on them. so if we go there they will say its not him... he never knew that his last name wasnt what it really is...

 

how you handle this with passports if you have a copy of his BC, a copy of his adoption records and his DL.

[lilypi314]

where did the xeroxed birth certificate that you mentioned come from? if it's got the same name as his license, then a birth certificate with that name exists for him somewhere.

 

 

i called vital records this morning and they couldnt find him..then i learned tonight that i was looking for the wrong last name. so his bc and license have different names and birthdates on them. so if we go there they will say its not him... he never knew that his last name wasnt what it really is...

[Slimpickins]

OK, we are all big kids and we like to travel. If you drive a nail, you need a hammer, not a pair of pliers. So, travel, you want to travel, then get a PASSPORT and save yourself a lot of trouble.

 

 

Just trying to be helpful, really.

 

 

Beagle2

 

Thats very true if you travel outside the US. OR you plan on taking cruises that are not closed loop leaving from the US(and a US citizen). Otherwise you dont NEED a PP(atleast for now and not after May 31, 2009) ;D.

[SociallyAwkward]

Thats very true if you travel outside the US. OR you plan on taking cruises that are not closed loop leaving from the US(and a US citizen). Otherwise you dont NEED a PP(atleast for now and not after May 31, 2009) ;D.

 

Need, Yes, you still NEED it...

 

Legally required? No.

[trock]

So good people, riddle me this...

My dad has a BC- Last name spelled differently than on his drivers license.

Birthday slightly different.

 

Italian last name.. couple of vowels changed at the end to make it a different last name.. Seems my paternal grandfather wanted to 'disassociate' himself from his brothers who were...ahem.. .'shady'.

 

So Dad spells the name different from the rest of the clan...He got a passport with this BC....(years before the existence of HSD, but still got one)

 

So I would say there isnt much to worry about ! lol:p

[Slimpickins]

Need, Yes, you still NEED it...

 

Legally required? No.

 

Guess need is in the eye of the beholder :D. I say a PP MIGHT make things simpler, but its not needed for the types of travel I listed ;).

[SociallyAwkward]

Guess need is in the eye of the beholder :D. I say a PP MIGHT make things simpler, but its not needed for the types of travel I listed ;).

 

It is still needed. Again, it may not be legally required but you are not getting in or out of a foreign country except on that ship without one. Certainly you can make do without one, and you certainly aren't legally required to have one. But the need exists despite those things.

[Slimpickins]

It is still needed. Again, it may not be legally required but you are not getting in or out of a foreign country except on that ship without one. Certainly you can make do without one, and you certainly aren't legally required to have one. But the need exists despite those things.

 

I NEED fluids and food to survive, I dont NEED a PP for the types of travel(Travel within the US and its territories and closed loop cruises starting in the US) I stated earlier.

 

Sorry OP, dont mean to spam your thread with my NEED to state the lack of NEEDING a PP for the types of travel I stated earlier. I hope you and your BF get everything figured out so you can stop stressing over this and get to thinking about enjoying your cruise.

 

GL