[Stormster]

So i went to Yonkers, to a very busy area, tough to park and just not a fun place to go. Waited for two hours with a very fussy toddler and when my number came up this is what happened.

I told the woman I had not yet completed the form i was given just fifteen minutes before (there were no Pens and E was running wild) She was soooo nasty! She said before I could explain "you've been here 2 hours and didnt' cmoplete the form?

So then I did the form and NO REFERENCE WAS MADE TO ADOPTION. Every question could be answered easily "name of mother on birth certificate" (me) Check this box if you are natural or adoptive mother (me) etc etc

She questioned me up and down why he hasn't needed a ss number before and I told her I just didn't get it. She refused his passport because it expired last week and then when i mentioned in passing that we adopted him she was like YOU DIDN'T TELL ME HE WAS ADOPTED NOW I NEED TO SEE ALL HIS ADOPTION PAPERS.

All his adoption papers? and Immunization records. I really don't understand why I would have had to tell her he was adopted if nothing on the form refers to adoption (including the box that you check which i mentioned that says "natural or adoptive parent"

I checked off that nobody ever applied for a SS on his behalf (we've been with him since day dot). Was she right?

I'm sooooo frustrated, angry, annoyed! I'm doing it by mail. But do i really have to send in the adoption finalization papers? And she said ALL ORIGINALS

[Nalansor]

Oy!!! I'd be careful about sending originals. Can you talk to your adoption agency about this? Surely they can help you.
*shudders to think what will happen to me when I do the same for my son*

She had no business treating you like that.

[bajj]

Yes, adoption papers are necessary. I checked on their website before I went for my boys so I would know what all. They don't have to be nasty. Maybe she just had a bad day or something? If they were busy enough that you waited 2 hours then she probably was pretty worn out herself.

I hope things look up from here on out. Enjoy your day.

[BrandyHagz]

Aside from the 'nastiness' everything else is fairly accurate.

When we did Jerrett's a few months ago (his adoption was finalized 2 years ago this month) - they made us move heaven and earth to get it done. I hated it and I *am* his natural mother.

Hang in there!

[Stormster]

Originally Posted by bajj

Yes, adoption papers are necessary. I checked on their website before I went for my boys so I would know what all. They don't have to be nasty. Maybe she just had a bad day or something? If they were busy enough that you waited 2 hours then she probably was pretty worn out herself.

I hope things look up from here on out. Enjoy your day.

But which adoption papers? All of them???? Or just the notice of finalization? I thought the point of our names being on his birth certificate is that he has the same legal rights as a child who was born to us?

She wasn't in a bad mood. She was just bad. I can tell the difference because she looked soooo satisfied to ruin my day. There are just mean people!

[luckyshamrock]

The adoption paperwork is the final adoption decree. It will be the paperwork from the finalization that said your are now the parents. You don't need the immunization record really just any paperwork from the doctor (bill, record, etc).
I believe if you mail it in, they will mail it back to you. If you do go back in person, I recommend getting the persons' name, telephone number, and extension. This way when you have not received it in the mail by the date, you can call instead of go back in. You can not check the status with the 1 800 # because you do not have a SS number.
You have to tell them that they are adopted to check to see if a number was given to him at birth. They also will verify the birth certificate with vital records.

[sbaglio]

I'd be very wary about sending in originals...I'm just paranoid about those things. Is there not an office that you can go to that is less busy, Storm? Even if it's out of your way some, it might give you peace of mind knowing that you gave them all they need in person. Sorry you had to go through that...

[Stormster]

Fadzi maybe I will recover by the time the immunization records arrive but at the moment I'd rather stab myself in the eye with a fork than go back to that place!

And I'm def. not putting E through that again, he had quite the meltdown!

[kittymom]

I usually try to give customer service workers the benefit of the doubt, but in this case this lady sounds awful! I don't blame you for not wanting to deal with her again. If you want to be sure the papers are safe, you can send by UPS. Even for lower cost shipping methods like Ground, their tracking systems are very reliable, and if your package gets lost, they will do everything in their power to find it for you. (At least that's been my experience ... I work for on online retailer, so we've had a lot of dealings with UPS!)

[elledarcy]

I just applied for a SS# on Friday! The office needs to see proof of your child’s age, name, and U.S. Citizenship. We presented the adoption decree, birth certificate, and her baptismal certificate (I think you can also do hospital records, like immunization records). All the certificates have to be originals and have raised seals and all that. We did it in person and the guy looked over them all and processed it all right there. Your lady sounds very, very rude!

You can read over all the requirements here before you mail stuff off:

http://www.ssa.gov/online/ss-5.pdf

If they lose your documents, you can always request new ones (for a fee of course). It’s a good idea to order back-up originals anyhow if you don’t have them. We have two copies of our adoption decree and birth certificate in case one gets lost.

I also checked that no one had applied for a SS# for her (I suppose her birthmother could have, but why?). I also fibbed and said that I didn’t know what her “full name at birth if other than above” was. I know it, but I didn’t want it on the form. It didn't seem relevant to me as she has always used our name for her.

[RavenSong]

Storm, I'm so sorry that horrid woman ruined your day. Some people... With that said, I have to tell you that I absolutely detest the Social Security Administration. I've been dealing with them the past couple months on behalf of my mother, who had a stroke several months ago. Some days I reach really pleasant people, and some days I hook up with horribly rude jerks.

About 30 years ago, I had to go on Social Security Disability for a year while I was in a full-length spica bodycast. Talk about a bureaucratic nightmare! Sheesh, I had two surgeries a couple weeks apart, and then a week after the last surgery I was placed into the bodycast. The darn SSA wouldn't approve my claim until the actual cast was put on. It didn't matter to them that there was no way I could even get out of the bed and walk. I was on absolute bedrest until the casting took place. So on top of the stress and pain from the operations, I was totally stressed out about my SSDI claim being approved.

I still shudder when I think about the SSA. Good luck with E's SS number. I'd be wary about sending in the originals, though. Like Fadzi said, is there an office closer to you or less busy?

[feelingreyt]

Aww, Storm, sorry you had to go through that.

We got more than one Certified Original Copy when our adoption was final for just this reason. In fact, our lawyer advised us to. I would not want to part with my only original adoption decree!

[Stormster]

Raven that's the closest one. Horrid place, horrid location yuck.

Feeling I have two certified copies of everything but they want original originals no?

[Stormster]

Originally Posted by RavenSong

Storm, I'm so sorry that horrid woman ruined your day. Some people... With that said, I have to tell you that I absolutely detest the Social Security Administration. I've been dealing with them the past couple months on behalf of my mother, who had a stroke several months ago. Some days I reach really pleasant people, and some days I hook up with horribly rude jerks.

About 30 years ago, I had to go on Social Security Disability for a year while I was in a full-length spica bodycast. Talk about a bureaucratic nightmare! Sheesh, I had two surgeries a couple weeks apart, and then a week after the last surgery I was placed into the bodycast. The darn SSA wouldn't approve my claim until the actual cast was put on. It didn't matter to them that there was no way I could even get out of the bed and walk. I was on absolute bedrest until the casting took place. So on top of the stress and pain from the operations, I was totally stressed out about my SSDI claim being approved.

I still shudder when I think about the SSA. Good luck with E's SS number. I'd be wary about sending in the originals, though. Like Fadzi said, is there an office closer to you or less busy?

BTW that sounds like a worse day than I'm having! I would have taken care of it for you if I knew you then!

[Fe2002]

Oh my goodness, Stormster you and I are living in the same NIGHTMARE. But afer reading some of the replies I wonder if I brought it on myself...

I took a PTO day to apply for DD SS card on 8/13... nothing, no response whatsoever. I TRIED to call... couldn't get through. I took another day off on 11/6, they said that the original person didin't process my paperwork... basically just left it sitting there. This new guy claimed he was processing it while I was sitting there at that moment.

He also claimed I had ALL my paperwork in.. although I didn't offer up that DD was adopted and he never asked. In retrospect I wonder if i should have said something (I had the freaking finalization papers with me) especially since it is 12/1 and I still don't have a card! I tried calling today, ALL DAY and couldn't get through. I may have to pay another visit to that horrid, horrid place!

Can I still apply for the adoption tax credit using the temporary # I used last year?