Help!

[BeachGurly]

Hi Everyone,

 

I hope someone here can help me. I'm going on a Carnival cruise to the Mexican Riviera in January. I was planning on obtaining a passport prior to my cruise and figured that I'd have plenty of time to get one; however, it recently occurred to me that my name on my birth certificate does not match the name on my Social Security card or my California driver's license. When I was two, my mother remarried. When she enrolled me in school, she used my stepfather's name so I've been known by this name for most of my life. When I was sixteen I had to apply for a driver's permit. At that time, I had to use my birth name (we'll say Jones) and my stepdad's last name (we'll say Smith) because I didn't have a legal document to verify my name change so Social Security had my records in my birth name (Jones) but the school needed proof that I had a permit (Smith). Ultimately, my first California ID was in Jones-Smith. I then decided that I wanted to drop the Jones from my name and went down to Social Security and showed them documentation that I'd been using Smith for most of my life. They allowed the change and issued me a card in the name of Smith. I then changed my California ID and have been using it ever since.

 

It is my understanding that you have to have proof of a name change in order to be approved for a passport; however, I have none. My BC doesn't match my Social Security card or CA driver's license. Due to the stricter government rules, I can't just go back down to Social Security to change my name again without a legal name change court order. Oh, the stress!!

 

Due to the problems with obtaining the passport without a whole lot of hooplah (all of which costs money and finances are tight right now), I figured that I would just take my chances and travel with my birth certificate and my state issued ID. Do you think this will present problems? Will immigration want to see legal court documents for my name change before allowing me back in the US? Will Carnival let me board without these documents? I don't see anywhere on their website where they require that the BC be in the same name as the state ID; nor do I see anywhere that states you must bring documentation of a name change. I'm so stressed and don't think I'll relax until I'm actually on the cruise! Does anyone have any experience with this? Any help will be appreciated! :o

[uppitycats]

Hi Everyone,

 

I hope someone here can help me. I'm going on a Carnival cruise to the Mexican Riviera in January. I was planning on obtaining a passport prior to my cruise and figured that I'd have plenty of time to get one; however, it recently occurred to me that my name on my birth certificate does not match the name on my Social Security card or my California driver's license. When I was two, my mother remarried. When she enrolled me in school, she used my stepfather's name so I've been known by this name for most of my life. When I was sixteen I had to apply for a driver's permit. At that time, I had to use my birth name (we'll say Jones) and my stepdad's last name (we'll say Smith) because I didn't have a legal document to verify my name change so Social Security had my records in my birth name (Jones) but the school needed proof that I had a permit (Smith). Ultimately, my first California ID was in Jones-Smith. I then decided that I wanted to drop the Jones from my name and went down to Social Security and showed them documentation that I'd been using Smith for most of my life. They allowed the change and issued me a card in the name of Smith. I then changed my California ID and have been using it ever since.

 

It is my understanding that you have to have proof of a name change in order to be approved for a passport; however, I have none. My BC doesn't match my Social Security card or CA driver's license. Due to the stricter government rules, I can't just go back down to Social Security to change my name again without a legal name change court order. Oh, the stress!!

 

Due to the problems with obtaining the passport without a whole lot of hooplah (all of which costs money and finances are tight right now), I figured that I would just take my chances and travel with my birth certificate and my state issued ID. Do you think this will present problems? Will immigration want to see legal court documents for my name change before allowing me back in the US? Will Carnival let me board without these documents? I don't see anywhere on their website where they require that the BC be in the same name as the state ID; nor do I see anywhere that states you must bring documentation of a name change. I'm so stressed and don't think I'll relax until I'm actually on the cruise! Does anyone have any experience with this? Any help will be appreciated! :o

 

I'm not clear -- does your birth certificate and your state-issued ID match? And is your cruise a closed-loop cruise: you are leaving and returning to the same US city? If so, then you may be able to get away with this, for now. If they don't -- I think you have a problem!

 

You should call Carnival. Don't go through all the detail like you did here -- you'll only confuse them. Just say, "I don't have a passport, but I do have a birth certificate and a state-issued ID that match; will that be sufficient to cruise?"

 

and see what they say.

 

Then you really better get this straightened out, the sooner the better, and get everything to match. Government regulations are getting stricter and stricter, and if you want to travel outside of the US at all in the future, I think you're going to need that passport!

[cb at sea]

Don't you have documentation of your name change?

 

A BC and DL are all that's needed right now....if you were married, your BC wouldn't match your DL---this happens all the time. They are looking to see if the birth dates match...that's about it!

[nseagirl]

Did you actually ever have a legal name change (through the court system)? If not, I would suggest that you do that immediately. I'm not sure where you're from (you may have said but I missed it) but if your state is like mine, that's the only way you will be able to make everything match. After a court ordered name change, you will get a new birth certificate with the new name.

 

I see this daily as I am the registrar for my county. I always wonder why people get themselves in this position.

[BeachGurly]

I'm from California. I never had a legal name change through the courts as my mom decided just to have my sister and I "take on" my stepdad's last name when we entered elementary school. California allows (or used to) you to complete a name change using the "usage method". I was able to change my social security card by showing that I'd used my current name all through school; however, this was 15 years ago. My social security card and ID match. My birth certificate is in my birth name. There lies the problem. I've never been married so I can't show proof as to why my name changed (no legal docs and no marriage certificate).

 

I've always filed all of my taxes with my current name. All of my school records are in my current name. I have nothing that shows usage of my birth name.

 

I'm on a closed loop cruise from San Diego to Cabo and back. Does immigration normally ask for the legal documents if the last name on your birth certificate doesn't match your ID?

 

As a side note, my first and middle name are the same, it's just my last name that changed.

 

Thanks everyone!

[uppitycats]

I'm from California. I never had a legal name change through the courts as my mom decided just to have my sister and I "take on" my stepdad's last name when we entered elementary school. California allows (or used to) you to complete a name change using the "usage method". I was able to change my social security card by showing that I'd used my current name all through school; however, this was 15 years ago. My social security card and ID match. My birth certificate is in my birth name. There lies the problem. I've never been married so I can't show proof as to why my name changed (no legal docs and no marriage certificate).

 

I've always filed all of my taxes with my current name. All of my school records are in my current name. I have nothing that shows usage of my birth name.

 

I'm on a closed loop cruise from San Diego to Cabo and back. Does immigration normally ask for the legal documents if the last name on your birth certificate doesn't match your ID?

 

As a side note, my first and middle name are the same, it's just my last name that changed.

 

Thanks everyone!

Yes, it is the federal immigration officials that ask for matching names. The cruise line staff work as "agents" for the feds, and so require matching documents. If they don't match, you may well have a problem. You might get away with explaining that you've "always been known as..." Depending on the mood of the agents and the state of the world (are we in any sort of international crisis that day?) you might get away with it. And if you should get into any sort of trouble off the ship, in Mexico, you'll have a real challenge getting it all sorted out. Good luck.

[yogi2929]

When I used a BC and DL I had no problem. Neither did my SIL. My maiden name was Jane Ann Doe and married is Jane Doe Smith. My SIL went from Susan Jean Doe to Susan Jean Williams. We did not need our marriage licenses, nor were we asked if we are married. I know that your problem is different, but the documentation is the same.

 

Maybe Social Security could (I know it is a Gov't agency) do a print out of the history your number.

 

For this cruise make sure that the name that Carnival has is the same one on your ID. Definetly get things straightened out now for the future.

 

If you apply for a passport before the cruise have a second BC just in case you don't get the first one back in time.

 

Good Luck!

[Almost Packed]

my birth name DOES NOT APPEAR ON MY DRIVERS LICENSE AT ALL!

when i married my husband, i began using his last name.

 

don't freak out....they expect women's names to change....

 

my maiden (birth name) is on my birth certificate...not on my driver's license.

 

now for flying....your reservation and your state issued id will soon need to match-be identical....

[spicysalsa]

Have you applied for the passport yet? I believe they ask you in the application for a maiden name or previously used name. I would think this would be no different than a name changed through marriage like someone already mentioned. I know I needed to send in my birth cert. along with the application and my last name has changed since then. This should not be a problem but I would start your passport process as this can take sometime.