Help! No passport, no birth certificate!

[zqvol]

8 hours ago, leaveitallbehind said:

 

Regardless of how ridiculous the requirements may sound, it is what is necessary.  Follow the advice given by the others - quickly! - because without a birth certificate and valid picture ID  -or-  a passport, she will be denied boarding. There is no flexibility or negotiating with this.  And unless you have insurance with your booking, there will not be a refund for her fare.

 

Best of luck - I hope it all works out.

Even insurance won't get a refund, because she is not eligible to cruise without the documents and that is always a condition of cruise insurance.

[RocketMan275]

3 hours ago, boulders said:

She'll also need a birth certificate to apply for social security benefits. 

My father was born in Indian Territory, now Oklahoma, prior to statehood.  There was no requirement for a B/C.  In fact, the Oklahoma website says that the requirement was not uniformly enforced until the 1940's.  It also says B/C's only became important when people started needing them to file for Social Security.  I have a copy of my father's B/C issued when he was almost 40 years old. 

[CoyoteDreemurr]

Thank you so much, everybody! This should help us a lot! We had a friend get a hold of our congressman, but we haven't heard anything back yet. I'll start looking for an immigration lawyer. If all else fails, maybe we could try and get an Enhanced Driver's License or Nexus Card? Those are allowed for this cruise. All of my mom's stuff except for the old birth certificate had her new spelling on it. They're making her get a legal change, which could take months, to get a proper new birth certificate. As a last resort, my dad said he'd contact Princess Cruises directly. We may have a slight chance with that, as they have cruised with them twice before. 

[LHT28]

Just now, CoyoteDreemurr said:

Thank you so much, everybody! This should help us a lot! We had a friend get a hold of our congressman, but we haven't heard anything back yet. I'll start looking for an immigration lawyer. If all else fails, maybe we could try and get an Enhanced Driver's License or Nexus Card? Those are allowed for this cruise. All of my mom's stuff except for the old birth certificate had her new spelling on it. They're making her get a legal change, which could take months, to get a proper new birth certificate. As a last resort, my dad said he'd contact Princess Cruises directly. We may have a slight chance with that, as they have cruised with them twice before. 

 

Is your mother  a US citizen  ?

You will not need an immigration lawyer  if she is

What documents did she used  before  when they cruised?

 

[GTO-Girl]

1 hour ago, CoyoteDreemurr said:

Thank you so much, everybody! This should help us a lot! We had a friend get a hold of our congressman, but we haven't heard anything back yet. I'll start looking for an immigration lawyer. If all else fails, maybe we could try and get an Enhanced Driver's License or Nexus Card? Those are allowed for this cruise. All of my mom's stuff except for the old birth certificate had her new spelling on it. They're making her get a legal change, which could take months, to get a proper new birth certificate. As a last resort, my dad said he'd contact Princess Cruises directly. We may have a slight chance with that, as they have cruised with them twice before. 

 

This is not a cruiseline issue or requirement.....this is a US immigration requirement that Princess has no authority to overrule...

 

I do hope you get things worked out and are able to take your cruise!!!

Edited February 11, 2019 by GTO-Girl

[leaveitallbehind]

1 hour ago, CoyoteDreemurr said:

If all else fails, maybe we could try and get an Enhanced Driver's License or Nexus Card? Those are allowed for this cruise.

 

As a last resort, my dad said he'd contact Princess Cruises directly. We may have a slight chance with that, as they have cruised with them twice before. 

 

The EDL would surpass as a valid picture ID but you would still need a birth certificate with that - in lieu of a passport - to board.  Just the EDL (or Nexus) would not be enough alone to permit her to board.  As stated before, it is a valid picture ID AND an birth certificate -or- a passport to board.  

 

Also it doesn't matter if you've cruised with Princess 100 times before - the boarding ID requirements are required to satisfy US Immigration and there is no negotiating that - and they are necessary to show at check in every time you cruise.

 

Very sorry!  I hope you can somehow get the proper required documentation in time to prevent her being denied boarding.

Edited February 11, 2019 by leaveitallbehind

[leaveitallbehind]

1 hour ago, zqvol said:

Even insurance won't get a refund, because she is not eligible to cruise without the documents and that is always a condition of cruise insurance.

 

Thanks for the clarification.  So much for that idea. 

 

OP, if she is denied boarding it appears she will lose her paid cruise fare as well.

[Itchy&Scratchy]

2 hours ago, CoyoteDreemurr said:

I'll start looking for an immigration lawyer.

so, was your mom born in the US or what?

[Shmoo here]

1 minute ago, Itchy&Scratchy said:

so, was your mom born in the US or what?

I'm not sure we're going to get an answer on that.  Not a lot of detail in what information has been supplied, so difficult to really answer the question.

[CoyoteDreemurr]

To clarify, all 3 of us are US citizens. 

[CoyoteDreemurr]

I have an update. My mom just contacted or is just about to contact our Secretary of State. I hope that works!

[ldubs]

21 hours ago, CoyoteDreemurr said:

So, my parents and I have a Caribbean cruise booked for March 24-31 on the Regal Princess. But, my mom was denied a passport because she didn't have a birth certificate. She was also denied a birth certificate because of a different spelling of her name. How ridiculous. My dad and I both have our passports. But, what will we do about my mom? How can she get on the cruise if she can't get either document? Please help me!

 

I have not read all the responses so apologize if already discussed. What I don't understand is how someone is "denied a birth certificate because of a different spelling of her name".  Is there a typo on the birth certificate?  

 

Wish I could offer a productive suggestion.   Anyway, I hope you get it straightened out.   

[brillohead]

Part of the problem seems to stem from the fact that your mom has different documents from different agencies. 

The original birth certificate is issued by the county or state government in the place of birth.  A Social Security Card is issued by the SSA.  A driver license is issued by whatever the DMV is called in your area (in Michigan it's the Secretary of State).  A marriage license is issued by the county government in the place of the marriage OR the place of residence at the time of the ceremony.  

Whatever name was on the original birth certificate is spelled differently on at least some of the other documents.  For example, the birth certificate might say "Margaret" while the SSN says "Margret" and the driver license says Marguerite and the marriage license says "Peggy".   This was particularly commonplace and not fixed earlier in life for females, as women didn't really have as much of a legal presence in society until more recently in history -- women couldn't have bank accounts, mortgages, etc., back in the day, so everything "important" was in the husband's name (because he was likely to be the only one with a job anyway), so nobody ever really noticed or cared about the discrepancy.

Back in the olden days, there wasn't such a huge importance placed on documents like there is today.  I know a guy who is almost 50yo whose birth certificate says "Theodore" and almost every other piece of documentation he has, until recently, has said "Ted" on it.  I think his most recent driver license is the only one that actually says "Theodore" on it, and his signature is still "Ted".  

With Real-ID rules coming into effect, we're not going to be seeing the various government entities letting these things slide anymore.  My passport, Global Entry, driver license, and Social Security card all have "brillohead" on them these days, although I do have one credit card and my work ID badge with just "brillo" on them, because that's what I go by.

OP -- the place to start is your mom's original birth certificate.  Try to get the issuing agency to reissue it with the correct spelling on it.  Once you have a driver license and a birth certificate and a marriage license that all have the same name on them, you can go on your cruise with no worries, and then get Mom a passport after you get home so she has one for her next cruise.... because she's going to have a great trip and want to cruise again!

[sparks1093]

10 hours ago, leaveitallbehind said:

 

The EDL would surpass as a valid picture ID but you would still need a birth certificate with that - in lieu of a passport - to board.  Just the EDL (or Nexus) would not be enough alone to permit her to board.  As stated before, it is a valid picture ID AND an birth certificate -or- a passport to board.  

 

Also it doesn't matter if you've cruised with Princess 100 times before - the boarding ID requirements are required to satisfy US Immigration and there is no negotiating that - and they are necessary to show at check in every time you cruise.

 

Very sorry!  I hope you can somehow get the proper required documentation in time to prevent her being denied boarding.

An EDL is proof of citizenship and identity in one document similar to a passport card and one needs the same proof to get an EDL as for a passport, i.e. a birth certificate. EDLs are only issued by 5 states- Vermont, New York, Michigan, Washington and Minnesota. Many people confuse licenses that are REAL ID compliant with EDLs but they are two completely different things. I believe the same applies for a NEXUS card, one needs a passport to obtain that.

[sparks1093]

6 hours ago, ldubs said:

 

I have not read all the responses so apologize if already discussed. What I don't understand is how someone is "denied a birth certificate because of a different spelling of her name".  Is there a typo on the birth certificate?  

 

Wish I could offer a productive suggestion.   Anyway, I hope you get it straightened out.   

If you apply for a copy of your birth certificate and you put down your last name as "Smith" but it is spelled "Smythe" on the birth certificate they won't find a match and won't issue the certificate.

[sparks1093]

9 hours ago, CoyoteDreemurr said:

To clarify, all 3 of us are US citizens. 

One can be a US citizen and not have a birth certificate issued by a state/local government. My wife is a naturalized citizen and thus has a naturalization certificate. Her German birth certificate is now just a souvenir.

Edited February 12, 2019 by sparks1093

[LHT28]

9 hours ago, brillohead said:

Whatever name was on the original birth certificate is spelled differently on at least some of the other documents.  For example, the birth certificate might say "Margaret" while the SSN says "Margret" and the driver license says Marguerite and the marriage license says "Peggy".   This was particularly commonplace and not fixed earlier in life for females, as women didn't really have as much of a legal presence in society until more recently in history -- women couldn't have bank accounts, mortgages, etc., back in the day, so everything "important" was in the husband's name (because he was likely to be the only one with a job anyway), so nobody ever really noticed or cared about the discrepancy.
 

 

How  true

My mom was born in the 20's   she always  went by Marguerite  that was what they named her

BUT  when she went to get married   she had to supply a copy of her BC  & to her shock & surprise  it said Margaret

My grandfather  or the clerk who registered her birth  did not know how to spell Marguerite  so legally she was Margaret

It was  a hppy surprise  because she hated Marguerite

 

Point  is  things  happen  that you may not even know about

[Itchy&Scratchy]

17 hours ago, CoyoteDreemurr said:

To clarify, all 3 of us are US citizens. 

honestly, that doesn't really clarify much. All three of us are US citizens as well, but only our child has a US birth certificate. :)

[Shmoo here]

26 minutes ago, Itchy&Scratchy said:

honestly, that doesn't really clarify much. All three of us are US citizens as well, but only our child has a US birth certificate. :)

Quite true. 

 

I know someone with only a Consular Report of Birth Abroad, that's a US citizen.  No actual US birth certificate.

Edited February 12, 2019 by Shmoo here

[Sea Hag]

On 2/11/2019 at 10:51 AM, boulders said:

She'll also need a birth certificate to apply for social security benefits. 

I don't have and can't get a birth certificate. I was born in Indiana, and they just don't have it. I chased this like crazy,  had to accept the fact that it doesn't exist. But I'm receiving Social Security. At no time in the application process was I ever asked for a birth certificate, or passport either for that matter.

[Sea Hag]

On 2/10/2019 at 11:22 PM, CoyoteDreemurr said:

So, my parents and I have a Caribbean cruise booked for March 24-31 on the Regal Princess. But, my mom was denied a passport because she didn't have a birth certificate. She was also denied a birth certificate because of a different spelling of her name. How ridiculous. My dad and I both have our passports. But, what will we do about my mom? How can she get on the cruise if she can't get either document? Please help me!

I don't know if you'll have enough time to get this done, but this is how I got a passport without a birth certificate. At the time, my Dad was still living, and I have an older brother. They signed notarized documents saying that I was who I said I was. And I got a census record from the state where I was born that was a couple of years or so after my birth year. That census record showed me living with my family and had my age and full name. The passport office took these things as verification and issued me a passport. Which I intend to never let expire, lest I need to go through this again.

[SRF]

16 hours ago, brillohead said:

OP -- the place to start is your mom's original birth certificate.  Try to get the issuing agency to reissue it with the correct spelling on it.  Once you have a driver license and a birth certificate and a marriage license that all have the same name on them, you can go on your cruise with no worries, and then get Mom a passport after you get home so she has one for her next cruise.... because she's going to have a great trip and want to cruise again!

 

The problem is, they need her to prove she is the person with the different name.

 

That is where the problem stems.  They will not just issue a birth certificate because the person says then are X person.

 

Thus the hoops.

[Elaine5715]

On 2/11/2019 at 8:54 AM, LHT28 said:

Does  insurance  cover  your lack of proper documents ??

 

On 2/11/2019 at 8:59 AM, leaveitallbehind said:

 

Good point and I don't know.  I guess I'm lumping denied boarding in with "cancel for any reason" insurance? (And if that would be the coverage they would have).

Correct, insurance would only apply if they have Cancel for Any Reason.  Denied boarding due to lack of documents is not covered.

[SimplyMarvie]

3 hours ago, Shmoo here said:

Quite true. 

 

I know someone with only a Consular Report of Birth Abroad, that's a US citizen.  No actual US birth certificate.

 

A Consular Report of Birth Abroad is, for all intents and purposes, the US Birth Certificate -- they're issued to children born overseas to US Citizen Parents who meet the requirements to pass their citizenship on to their kids as soon as the kid is born. It's used as proof of citizenship, just like a US Birth Certificate would be.

 

The State Department's website at travel.state.gov has more information about them, if you're ever curious. 🙂

[Elaine5715]

4 hours ago, Sea Hag said:

I don't know if you'll have enough time to get this done, but this is how I got a passport without a birth certificate. At the time, my Dad was still living, and I have an older brother. They signed notarized documents saying that I was who I said I was. And I got a census record from the state where I was born that was a couple of years or so after my birth year. That census record showed me living with my family and had my age and full name. The passport office took these things as verification and issued me a passport. Which I intend to never let expire, lest I need to go through this again.

When was this?