Passport problems

I am not a first time cruiser but this is my first time to apply for a passport. I want to share something that happened to me just in case you should run into this same problem. I had to go get a copy of my birth certificate and when they gave it to me it said delayed. I had no idea what that meant so I went on to the passport office. They told me that I would have to have even more documentation because my birth certificate said delayed. Come to find out since I was adopted, my birth certificate was not filed until the adoption was final. So now I have to get my high school transcript (I graduated in 1982 ) thank goodness the school board was still able to get them for me and I have to take my Mom back to the passport office with me and she will have to fill out an affidavit saying I am who I am and have been since I was born. Getting a passport has turned into a real pain in the rear!!! Sorry for the long post, but this might help someone else and save them some hassle.

Wouldn't there be a final official birth certificate? Perhaps you should contact the state office that handles birth registration. Our son is adopted and over his first year as we finalized his adoption we got a couple certificates and then the official final one. That was 23 years ago. It could be different depending on the state, but I got him a passport a couple years ago and the certificate we had was accepted.

Thanks for sharing your experience.

Keith

I am not a first time cruiser but this is my first time to apply for a passport. I want to share something that happened to me just in case you should run into this same problem. I had to go get a copy of my birth certificate and when they gave it to me it said delayed. I had no idea what that meant so I went on to the passport office. They told me that I would have to have even more documentation because my birth certificate said delayed. Come to find out since I was adopted, my birth certificate was not filed until the adoption was final. So now I have to get my high school transcript (I graduated in 1982 ) thank goodness the school board was still able to get them for me and I have to take my Mom back to the passport office with me and she will have to fill out an affidavit saying I am who I am and have been since I was born. Getting a passport has turned into a real pain in the rear!!! Sorry for the long post, but this might help someone else and save them some hassle.

I am also adopted. My adoption did not take place until I was 7 years old. My amended birth certificate -- showing my new name -- was filed then, and is the one that appears when I go to get it. I used it at 19 to get my first passport, and had no problems at all. There has to be some problem with the way it was filed when you were adopted...

My husband was adopted at 3 months, but had a birth certificate with his new name. The passport agent didn't think it was OK because the seal wasn't really raised but it was and he got his pasport.

Could you use the adoption papers when you were adopted?

Wouldn't there be a final official birth certificate? Perhaps you should contact the state office that handles birth registration. Our son is adopted and over his first year as we finalized his adoption we got a couple certificates and then the official final one. That was 23 years ago. It could be different depending on the state, but I got him a passport a couple years ago and the certificate we had was accepted.

Yes, there is a final birth certificate, but because it was filed in August of 1965 and I was born in May of 1964, they labeled it delayed. They told me that any birth certificate that was filed later than 6 months from the birth is labeled like this. I asked if there was anything I could do to have that removed and they told me no. :mad:

My husband was adopted at 3 months, but had a birth certificate with his new name. The passport agent didn't think it was OK because the seal wasn't really raised but it was and he got his pasport.

Could you use the adoption papers when you were adopted?

Yes, that is one of the things they told me I could bring. HOWEVER, my mom can not find them.

It is generous of you to share this information as a heads up for others.

Hopefully, the documents you are getting will be accepted and you will get your passport.

Best wishes.

It is generous of you to share this information as a heads up for others.

Hopefully, the documents you are getting will be accepted and you will get your passport.

 

Best wishes.

 

Thanks! I enjoy reading all of the posts and getting tips and information from them. I was happy to help!

There is a part of me that wonders at the passport official who wouldn't accept your birth certificate. I wonder if a clarification at a higher level isn't warranted, perhaps at minimum contacting a congressional office and asking staff to review this requirement to provide so much more documentation.

I realize that might not help you now but it would be something I think I'd want a response on from someone above the passport official you encountered.

This was not just the opinion of some random passport official; the passport regulations have long required that birth certificates be filed within one year of the birth to be considered primary evidence of citizenship. This was very common in past generations and secondary evidence of citizenship, such as the OP has described, is provided for in the regulations.

http://travel.state.gov/passport/get/first/first_830.html (item #3, para below the box)

The relevant paragraph is this one :

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:

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

Well, I now have my school transcript, the final decree for the adoption, the birth certificate, my driver license and I am taking my mom with me to fill out an something saying that I am me and have been since I was born (ha ha) I hope this is enough! I know one thing, if I ever get my passport, I am never ever letting it expire. I do not want to go through this again. LOL:D

Geez, I wonder what would happen if you school no longer existed (mine doesn't) or your mother was deceased)?

It's gotten ridiculous the hoops that US born law abiding citizens have to jump through because of terrorists and illegal immigrants and other criminals. :(

Yes, there is a final birth certificate, but because it was filed in August of 1965 and I was born in May of 1964, they labeled it delayed. They told me that any birth certificate that was filed later than 6 months from the birth is labeled like this. I asked if there was anything I could do to have that removed and they told me no. :mad:

Wow -- that's scary -- thanks for sharing. However, once you get your passport, you'll find that it's widely accepted as proof of birth, citizenship, ID, and just about everything else. I haven't had to dig out my certified B.C. in the 10 years that I've had a passport. Good luck to you! :)

Wow -- that's scary -- thanks for sharing. However, once you get your passport, you'll find that it's widely accepted as proof of birth, citizenship, ID, and just about everything else. I haven't had to dig out my certified B.C. in the 10 years that I've had a passport. Good luck to you! :)

Thank you! It had been a mess trying to get all of this taken care of!

Just back from making one more trip to the passport agent! We sent my "DELAYED" birth certificate, copy of my drivers license, school transcripts, affidavit from my mom saying I am who I say I am, the final decree from the adoption and the number and information off of my concealed weapon permit....don't know if that last one was such a good idea, but the agent said it would help. SO.....I am hoping to receive an envelope from the passport authorities with my little blue book in it before my cruise! And like I said before, I will never never never let it expire so I will not have to go through all of this mess again! Thanks for all the response and I will let you all know what happens. :rolleyes:

We have adopted 4 children all had a delayed birth certificates. When we applied for the first childs passport we had to send in the finalized adoption decree, they needed to see why birth certificate was delayed. It took a week to finally get passport.We since then sent in the decrees with the others as we applied and had no delay receiving passports. I may add that sometimes we got the "you won't need that" from our clerk that took information. We still insisted to submit it with application(s). Hope to help save someone some stress. It is a little nerve wracking.

Just back from making one more trip to the passport agent! We sent my "DELAYED" birth certificate, copy of my drivers license, school transcripts, affidavit from my mom saying I am who I say I am, the final decree from the adoption and the number and information off of my concealed weapon permit....don't know if that last one was such a good idea, but the agent said it would help. SO.....I am hoping to receive an envelope from the passport authorities with my little blue book in it before my cruise! And like I said before, I will never never never let it expire so I will not have to go through all of this mess again! Thanks for all the response and I will let you all know what happens. :rolleyes:

Do you have a social security card/number?

Wouldn't that be helpful to include?

Good luck.

I hope you have provided sufficient information for them to grant your passport.

Please let us know when you get the good news. :)

your passport will expire in 10 yrs

then comes time for renewal.....you only need to send in your expired passport, the application, a new pic, and the fee...

once you have a passport, you will not have to jump through hoops again

Lesson:

Get a Passport

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Never too soon!

Do you have a social security card/number?

Wouldn't that be helpful to include?

 

Good luck.

I hope you have provided sufficient information for them to grant your passport.

Please let us know when you get the good news. :)

 

 

The passport application says that your social security card is not acceptable. I will let everyone know if and when I hear anything.

I checked on the status of my passport application and they said it is being "processed" however, they have cashed the check I sent. Hoping that is a good sign....LOL

I checked on the status of my passport application and they said it is being "processed" however, they have cashed the check I sent. Hoping that is a good sign....LOL

I agree that it's a good sign -- keeping my fingers crossed for you! Please come back and let us know when you get your passport! :cool:

"We have finished processing your passport, and it has been mailed to you."

Just got this in an e-mail from the passport office!! YAYYYYYY!!!!!:D:D:D:D:p