Birth certificate problem

[bubbles1209]

We invited a couple to go with us on the Glory for our May 23rd sailing. They said they would love to go, and went ahead to apply for their passports. Tonight they came to see me where they work, and he has his passport already, but she can't get hers.:( Turns out she was born at home, and a birth certificate was never filed for. Now we aren't sure what she has to go through just to get started with that. I felt so bad for her she was upset about it. Any chance she'll have enough time to get this all straightened out?:confused: Anyone had any experience with this one?

[ShedQueen77]

My dad was born at home with no certificate. He had to go to the County Recorder's office and file paperwork to have a BC issued. ETA- It took about 2 weeks. This may vary by state though.

[skylock]

My dad was born at home with no certificate. He had to go to the County Recorder's office and file paperwork to have a BC issued. ETA- It took about 2 weeks. This may vary by state though.

 

It is not really that hard to do. Like this poster said, go to the vital statistics office where she lives and they will tell her what she will need to do.

 

It is really for the best that she has found out now. Should have plenty of time to get it done.

 

If there was a doctor there, he can be contacted, it not, family members just have to sign swearing to her birth. At least that is how we had to do it for one of the doctors where I work. He had managed to make it all the way through med school without a bc. (He did have army discharge papers he had used all along) In his case, it took about 1 month maybe two and that was in Miss.

[KroozFoolz]

From the US Department of State website:

http://travel.state.gov/passport/get/Secondary%20Evidence/Secondary%20Evidence_4315.html

 

If you cannot present primary evidence of U.S. citizenship, you must submit secondary evidence of U.S. citizenship. Determine what form of secondary evidence is most appropriate for your situation based on the descriptions below. Each application is handled on a case-by-case basis. The scenarios below are intended as general guidance.

Early Public Records

If you were born in the United States and

cannot

present

primary evidence of U.S. citizenship

, you may submit a

combination

of early public records as evidence of your U.S. citizenship. Early public records must be submitted together with a birth record or Letter of No Record (see below). Early public records should show your

name, date of birth,

place of birth

, and preferably be

created within the first five years of your life

. Examples of early public records are:

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

Early Public Records are

not

acceptable when presented

alone

.

Delayed Birth Certificate

If you were born in the United States and

cannot

present

primary evidence of U.S. citizenship

because your U.S. Birth Certificate was

not filed within the first year of your birth

, you may submit a Delayed U.S. Birth Certificate. A Delayed U.S. Birth Certificate filed more than one year after your birth may be acceptable if:

It lists the documentation used to create it (preferably early public records)

and

It is signed by the birth attendant or lists an affidavit signed by the parents

If your Delayed U.S. Birth Certificate does not include these items, it should be submitted together with Early Public Records (see above).

Letter of No Record

If you were born in the United States and

cannot

present

primary evidence of U.S. citizenship

because you

do not

have a previous U.S. passport or a certified U.S. birth certificate of any kind, you

must

present a state-issued

Letter of No Record

showing:

Your

name

Your

date of birth

The

years

for which a birth record was

searched

Acknowledgement that

no birth certificate was found

on file

A Letter of No Record

must

be submitted together

with

Early Public Records (see above).

[Cotton]

Hope it all works out. I have a question. Just curious how she enrolled in school, got married, etc. without having a b/cert???

[wildcatksu]

I am with the previous poster. How did she enroll in school? Get a driver's license? Get a social security card?

 

There has to be something out there. Even home births should have had a birth certificate.

 

Robin

[selucrey]

We invited a couple to go with us on the Glory for our May 23rd sailing. They said they would love to go, and went ahead to apply for their passports. Tonight they came to see me where they work, and he has his passport already, but she can't get hers.:( Turns out she was born at home, and a birth certificate was never filed for. Now we aren't sure what she has to go through just to get started with that. I felt so bad for her she was upset about it. Any chance she'll have enough time to get this all straightened out?:confused: Anyone had any experience with this one?

 

 

Can't help with your question but we will be on the Glory 5/23 also.:D

[Martini Mom]

Or even sign up for sports. My kids need birth certificates to sign up for football, soccer, etc.

[BND]

At the very least you need a b/c for ss card and driver's license. You can't get a ss card without one. I just find it strange that someone can grow up never having had a b/c. Even home births have to be registered with the jurisdiction someone was born in. My mom was born at home (in the late 1930's) but has a state issued b/c. There has to be some record of her birth. She needs to contact the city/county she was born in and go from there. The state capital is usually where the b/c's are issued from.

[skylock]

At the very least you need a b/c for ss card and driver's license. You can't get a ss card without one. I just find it strange that someone can grow up never having had a b/c. Even home births have to be registered with the jurisdiction someone was born in. My mom was born at home (in the late 1930's) but has a state issued b/c. There has to be some record of her birth. She needs to contact the city/county she was born in and go from there. The state capital is usually where the b/c's are issued from.

 

Well, I guess you CAN get by without one as I personally know two people and the OPs friend is another.

 

Actually my grandfather did not have one until he went to retire. Which is when my mother found out he had changed his name from White to Wesley when he was a teenager because of some trouble he had gotten into. Not officially or anything, just moved and started using Wesley, so basically my mothers bc was incorrect all along also even though she did have one.

 

The solution to that problem was to change his name for $50. He was 70 at the time.

[EastTexans2]

Years ago, my dad didn't have a BC.....born at home and they accepted the family bible.

[Kurbanfan]

In order to get my mothers death certificate.....I had to produce her birth certificate;)

[BND]

Well, I guess you CAN get by without one as I personally know two people and the OPs friend is another.

 

Actually my grandfather did not have one until he went to retire. Which is when my mother found out he had changed his name from White to Wesley when he was a teenager because of some trouble he had gotten into. Not officially or anything, just moved and started using Wesley, so basically my mothers bc was incorrect all along also even though she did have one.

 

The solution to that problem was to change his name for $50. He was 70 at the time.

 

There's a difference between not having one in your possession and not having one anywhere at all.

 

According to the ss administration they require the following for ss cards:

We can accept only certain documents as proof of U.S. citizenship. These include a U.S. birth certificate, U.S. consular report of birth, U.S. passport, Certificate of Naturalization or Certificate of Citizenship.

 

What I find funny is they'll accept a passport. You can't get a passport without a bc either.

 

That's the reason I questioned it. The SSA won't accept the family bible either. I'm sure each state has it's requirements to issue a bc, but I doubt it's that easy anymore.

[Kurbanfan]

There's a difference between not having one in your possession and not having one anywhere at all.

 

According to the ss administration they require the following for ss cards:

We can accept only certain documents as proof of U.S. citizenship. These include a U.S. birth certificate, U.S. consular report of birth, U.S. passport, Certificate of Naturalization or Certificate of Citizenship.

 

What I find funny is they'll accept a passport. You can't get a passport without a bc either.

 

That's the reason I questioned it.

 

That's the way it is now, but what has it been in the past........

I'm curious to know how old the OP's friend is.......

[wrp96]

In the past you could do a lot of things without a certified copy of your birth certificate. Heck, people could even sail without one.:p

 

In the past few years they have tightened documentation requirements for things like Social Security, Medicade, etc. This has actually been an issue for certain seniors that were born before it was common to record births at a centralized location - typically those that are 90 years and older.

 

There are also issues with people that were delivered by midwives at home being denied passports, even with birth certificates being filed, especially if they live in south Texas. The government apparently suspects midwives of forging certificates for people that were actually born outside the country.

[bubbles1209]

Ok, here's what I have found out from my friend, and I'm changing the names to protect her. She's in her mid to late 50's, so bear that in mind.

She was born at home. Her dad wanted to name her Lindsey Lou, her mom wanted to name her April Ann. Her birth was recorded under Lindsey Lou. The judge recorded everything, however, his house burnt down with the recorded info in it. Her mom recorded Lindsey Lou in the bible, and growing up, that was what she went by. When she got older, she got a birth certificate (not sure if it's certified) with April Ann listed as the name. The people present at her birth attested to the fact that this was the name on the judge's paperwork before it was destroyed. This was after she had her social security card and license already in the Lindsey Lou name. Back then you didn't need all of the proof you do now to get the security card & driver's license. When she got married, she used Lindsey Lou because that is what her ss card & license had on it. Now, when she applied for the passport when she listed other names she had gone by, she had to list April Ann. They told her that there was no record of her, and they would get back in touch with her to help her get things changed.

Now, I've read about the letter of no record, but she does have a birth certificate in the name of April Ann, seems to me she could have that amended if it's a certified copy. :confused: (but they did say that would take 3 months, then, if that goes through, there's the wait for the passport on top of that) So, for now, she is dedicated to getting everything straightened out, including making the name on her marriage license right, as well as her will & everything else, so that there are no problems later. She said if they didn't make this cruise, they would go with us next year. I hate that it looks like she isn't gonna be able to go:(

and I feel terrible by saying come go with us you guys, just get a passport just in case. She told me not to feel bad, that it was probably a blessing in disguise for something that needed to be straight, but I still feel bad.:(

So there ya go, those are her circumstances, I hope she gets it all straight.

Thanks to all that have tried to help. Back then, they just didn't require the proof they do today. Hard for me to understand though, your kids need their ss card, & birth certificate here in GA for a learner's permit, but their step-mom (who isn't listed on the birth certificate and has no guardianship) can sign for them to get the permit. Where's the since in that one? Seems like only a parent could do that :confused:

[5waldos]

She might need to talk to a lawyer to straighten this out. She might be able to do a legal name change, there may be grandfather laws which would help, there may be such a thing as if everything is in that name it works, I'd suggest she call someone tomorrow and get it figured out.

[bubbles1209]

She might need to talk to a lawyer to straighten this out. She might be able to do a legal name change, there may be grandfather laws which would help, there may be such a thing as if everything is in that name it works, I'd suggest she call someone tomorrow and get it figured out.

 

She already has an appt. with a lawyer for tomorrow.:)

[mudscraper]

Ok, here's what I have found out from my friend, and I'm changing the names to protect her. She's in her mid to late 50's, so bear that in mind.

She was born at home. Her dad wanted to name her Lindsey Lou, her mom wanted to name her April Ann. Her birth was recorded under Lindsey Lou. The judge recorded everything, however, his house burnt down with the recorded info in it. Her mom recorded Lindsey Lou in the bible, and growing up, that was what she went by. When she got older, she got a birth certificate (not sure if it's certified) with April Ann listed as the name. The people present at her birth attested to the fact that this was the name on the judge's paperwork before it was destroyed. This was after she had her social security card and license already in the Lindsey Lou name. Back then you didn't need all of the proof you do now to get the security card & driver's license. When she got married, she used Lindsey Lou because that is what her ss card & license had on it. Now, when she applied for the passport when she listed other names she had gone by, she had to list April Ann. They told her that there was no record of her, and they would get back in touch with her to help her get things changed.

Now, I've read about the letter of no record, but she does have a birth certificate in the name of April Ann, seems to me she could have that amended if it's a certified copy. :confused: (but they did say that would take 3 months, then, if that goes through, there's the wait for the passport on top of that) So, for now, she is dedicated to getting everything straightened out, including making the name on her marriage license right, as well as her will & everything else, so that there are no problems later. She said if they didn't make this cruise, they would go with us next year. I hate that it looks like she isn't gonna be able to go:(

and I feel terrible by saying come go with us you guys, just get a passport just in case. She told me not to feel bad, that it was probably a blessing in disguise for something that needed to be straight, but I still feel bad.:(

So there ya go, those are her circumstances, I hope she gets it all straight.

Thanks to all that have tried to help. Back then, they just didn't require the proof they do today. Hard for me to understand though, your kids need their ss card, & birth certificate here in GA for a learner's permit, but their step-mom (who isn't listed on the birth certificate and has no guardianship) can sign for them to get the permit. Where's the since in that one? Seems like only a parent could do that :confused:

I sure hope they get to cruise.

Her story sounds like a scene out of the movie Doc Hollywood where Michael J Fox is reading the mail to a farm couple who can`t read.

[5waldos]

She already has an appt. with a lawyer for tomorrow.:)

 

Good plan. She will get it straightened out and have a great time- even greater knowing that she now exists!

[G'ma]

We invited a couple to go with us on the Glory for our May 23rd sailing. They said they would love to go, and went ahead to apply for their passports. Tonight they came to see me where they work, and he has his passport already, but she can't get hers.:( Turns out she was born at home, and a birth certificate was never filed for. Now we aren't sure what she has to go through just to get started with that. I felt so bad for her she was upset about it. Any chance she'll have enough time to get this all straightened out?:confused: Anyone had any experience with this one?

 

Hopefully! She needs to apply for an "Affidavit of Birth"....this is a form that can be obtained from the county office. It's fairly simple. She will need to have living relatives who can attest to her birth, her birthplace, date and year. Once the papers are complete, signed and notarized, it's simply a waiting process.

 

Check these for assistance:

 

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

 

and

 

http://www.state.gov

[bubbles1209]

Thanks, I'll give her a copy of this, but she's wanting to change everything.......driver's license, social security card, marriage certificate, etc. Hopefully this will be a good start to what she needs, can't hurt to find out how long everything's gonna take.:)

[5waldos]

Best of luck to her- it will probably take about 300 pages of forms to fill out but in the end she will be a whole person on paper, which means she will NEED a cruise by the time she is done. But I would think it would be nice to not have to explain this all over and over again.

[HereIam]

Ok, here's what I have found out from my friend, and I'm changing the names to protect her. She's in her mid to late 50's, so bear that in mind.

She was born at home. Her dad wanted to name her Lindsey Lou, her mom wanted to name her April Ann. Her birth was recorded under Lindsey Lou. The judge recorded everything, however, his house burnt down with the recorded info in it. Her mom recorded Lindsey Lou in the bible, and growing up, that was what she went by. When she got older, she got a birth certificate (not sure if it's certified) with April Ann listed as the name. The people present at her birth attested to the fact that this was the name on the judge's paperwork before it was destroyed. This was after she had her social security card and license already in the Lindsey Lou name. Back then you didn't need all of the proof you do now to get the security card & driver's license. When she got married, she used Lindsey Lou because that is what her ss card & license had on it. Now, when she applied for the passport when she listed other names she had gone by, she had to list April Ann. They told her that there was no record of her, and they would get back in touch with her to help her get things changed.

Now, I've read about the letter of no record, but she does have a birth certificate in the name of April Ann, seems to me she could have that amended if it's a certified copy. :confused: (but they did say that would take 3 months, then, if that goes through, there's the wait for the passport on top of that) So, for now, she is dedicated to getting everything straightened out, including making the name on her marriage license right, as well as her will & everything else, so that there are no problems later. She said if they didn't make this cruise, they would go with us next year. I hate that it looks like she isn't gonna be able to go:(

and I feel terrible by saying come go with us you guys, just get a passport just in case. She told me not to feel bad, that it was probably a blessing in disguise for something that needed to be straight, but I still feel bad.:(

So there ya go, those are her circumstances, I hope she gets it all straight.

Thanks to all that have tried to help. Back then, they just didn't require the proof they do today. Hard for me to understand though, your kids need their ss card, & birth certificate here in GA for a learner's permit, but their step-mom (who isn't listed on the birth certificate and has no guardianship) can sign for them to get the permit. Where's the since in that one? Seems like only a parent could do that :confused:

 

My parents went with us on a cruise last year and my mom had a similar problem. She had a birth certificate that had a different name on it than what she uses. When she was a teenager, she went to live with a family and took their name, not formally though. She used their name for her marriage license and gov't issued items such as drivers license and SS. When she applied for her passport,she had to provide 5 different types of documentation showing the name she now uses. I think she provided information like the family Bible, high school yearbook, mortgage papers. She got everything together and took it to the passport office and she got her passport in time to go. Your friend still has about five months to get it back, so hopefully everything will work out.