Crazy Question about passports for adopted child

Kansas Girl · #1 10-29-2007, 06:00 PM

OK...here's the crazy question of the week. Went tonight to apply for passports - all we have is the adoption decree and the birth certificate after the adoption with our names on it for parents. The passport people are telling us that is not sufficient....they want R's original birth certificate with his birthparents' names on it. ????? I thought that once the adoption was completed and the birth certificate reissued that the original birth certificate is no longer available and becomes part of sealed records. Anyone have any experience with getting a passport for their older child adopted from foster care?

thanks
Fran

teachbear · #2 10-29-2007, 06:41 PM

I think you ran into someone that does not know the rules for thier own agency. The new birth certificate and adoption decree should be enough. Here is a link if they your son is under 14, Special Requirements for Children Under Age 14 if he is older just backtrack to get the answers you need. Print out the information and if possible go to a large office where a supervisor is available.\

good luck with the red tape.

ajjhmf · #3 10-29-2007, 06:51 PM

They started making it more difficult after 9/11. The problem is that not all adoptees can get their origal birth certificates. I have a copy of J's, but it's not an offical one. You might try contacting the agency, but I know it was like pulling teeth to get the copy I have.

Good luck.

Lorraine123 · #4 10-29-2007, 07:43 PM

OK, this is probably a really dumb question, but my daughter's birth certificate looks just like my son's (one adopted, one not). How does the passport place know that he is adopted?

BrandyHagz · #5 10-29-2007, 07:59 PM

I'm still trying (fighting) for a passport - all I've ever done was be adopted...they continue to reject the only legal birth certificate I have.

The problem is the duplicate record numbers, under the same name.

Welcome to the life of constantly having to prove who you are because you're adopted.

Kansas Girl · #6 10-29-2007, 08:01 PM

the only difference is on the passport application they ask "other names you have used".

I went back to the state dept. website and it says the birth certificate must be filed within one year of birth....there's the detail. R's California birth certificate has a "date accepted for registration"...two weeks after his birth. It should be all we need! The copy with our names has a date the copy was issued, that's the only difference in dates.

We have an "unofficial for govt. use only" copy of his original, but since that is a copy and "unofficial" that doesn't work. I checked California's website and it takes court order to get a certified copy of the original. (hmm....something to ask for on the next adoption!) The court order takes at least 12 weeks to get...we're trying to go on vacation the week of New Year's. May have to settle for Florida! DH is going to try a different passport agency (post office) tomorrow and see how that goes. Wish us luck!

***momraine*** · #7 10-29-2007, 08:31 PM

Part of the problem is they use the original birth certificate to prove citizenship. Also so many people are just not aware it's a royal pain. We did manage to get passports for our adopted kids, but we had to send thier citizenship papers, which you don't have for kids born in the US. However it was scary as we cannot get any duplicate copies of thier birth certificates, so we had to send our ONLY copies. It is taking a long time right now to get passports, a lot of parents adopting overseas are having a hard time getting them in time because of the backlog.

Barksum · #8 10-29-2007, 10:13 PM

All adoption records, including all paperwork in the casefile, are sealed in our state until the child reaches majority. (18 or 21, can't remember) It would be a MAJOR issue to get that original birth cert! Yikes.

ajjhmf · #9 10-30-2007, 12:57 AM

I just looked the rules up in Ohio. We're in the same boat as Barki. EEK!

***crick*** · #10 10-30-2007, 07:00 AM

Okay, another dumb question then...

When I think of "other names used", I think of alaises, maiden names and other names that are not actually changed on the birth certificate. I mean, when you get a name change, they do not issue another b/c with the change, right?

So if the b/c is amended and you get a new b/c that is "original" for all legal purposes anyway, why does this count towards the "other names used"?

Seems to me you'd leave that one blank? Because legally, there is no other name, kwim?

Lorraine123 · #11 10-30-2007, 07:36 AM

I was thinking what Crick was thinking. Why should they even know you are adopted.

(OMG, I'm starting to think like Crick)

BrandyHagz · #12 10-30-2007, 07:38 AM

As I said above - you don't even have to disclose it - they know and if they want to make your life difficult, they will do that too.

I never disclosed I was adopted - I have no 'name' on my OBC -so there was really no need. Of course, there as a typo on my ABC - and that has created even more headache...

But still...I fight.

Again! · #13 10-30-2007, 08:07 AM

I have passports for 4 of my 5, just got the last 2 last month and had no trouble. I had the adoption decree and they did want to see the certified copy, along with the new birth certificates and SS cards. We had the biggest problem getting the head sizes right in the photos! We are in Texas.

kay · #14 10-30-2007, 08:38 AM

Hmmm, I got C a passport last year and had no problem. When they gave me his new birth certificate, it was an original (in CA) and that's what I submitted. I don't remember saying anything about his adoption, but since I don't have the application and my memory is a sieve, who knows what I did?

Welcome to the Forums.	Register
If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ. You may have to register before you can post or search: click here to proceed. To start viewing messages, select a forum below that you would like to view or click View All of Todays Posts.