Community Chat

[patbz]

If your grand daughter still is having a problem do a telephone congressional with your congress person so that her application can be expedited.  Look up your congress person's web page, the information on how to do this should be there.

[sandraskates]

My radar antenna has gone up over the word census.

@Shorty2U The real census is a 2 question document that is filled out every 10 years.

Then there is the American Community Survey which is a very invasive survey document purportly put out by the US Census Bureau.

[Plaid Pants2]

When I applied for my passport, all I needed was the birth certificate with the raised seal.

Oh, and I did NOT need a visa when I went to Ireland.

[SundayMonday]

My new daughter in law, who's mother was a spaced out hippyish type, never got a birth certificate for any of her children.  They lived in a small town where everybody knew everybody and she actually graduated from high school without a b/c.   Then she married my son who was a soldier being posted to Germany.  After going round and round like your situation with the passport office, her aunt who knew the late Senator from SC (forgot his name), called him in Washington DC. He said for her to drive on up , she and my daughter in law did and they got her passport that day.  That all happened nearly 30 years ago.  Get in touch with your state Senator.  Go to his local office and make a pest of yourself.

[Tribesters]

@Shorty2U

I am a passport acceptance agent. From the info you've provided I do not think the birth certificate is the problem. You must submit proof of citizenship AND current photo identification. I am guessing the ID may be the problem. Was a photocopy (front & back) of the ID submitted along with the birth certificate? And was the ID an acceptable form of primary ID? For example an in-state drivers license is on its own sufficient. However, an ou of state drivers license or a learners permit needs another form of ID. Usually for an 18 year old a student ID would work along with the learners permit. So, for example, if your granddaughter is from PA. but applied for her passport while away at college in NY she would need to submit copy of both her license & student ID. 

Travel.state.gov is the official website- you can check acceptable forms of ID there. Also visa information is available as well.

[Gspgirl]

Just a head's up.  Apply for your passport very early.  I had my original picture rejected.  It took another 3 weeks to receive my passport after I had the pic taken at the post office.  My original pic was taken at the UPS store with an authorized passport camera.  My friend had the same problem and his 3rd picture was finally accepted.  The passport office has new software and your picture has to be perfect.  No shadows in the background,  can't be over exposed or under exposed, and must be the perfect size.  No smiling either. 

[Vivian]

I can tell you that one incorrect letter, one wrong space, or one misplaced period can wreak havoc with international travel. My husband got his own passport, going through the process at our county clerk's office. However, I'm in charge of travel arrangements. That means I have to write down the exact name as it appears on the passport. My husband uses his first initial, then his middle name, e.g., H Mergatrod Smith. Sometimes he puts a period after the H, sometimes not. Sometimes errors appear on official documents and the H appears next to the M without any space. I have to be very, very careful to put my husband's name on international flight reservations exactly as it appears on his passport, where a period appears after the H. But then, on his credit card, no period appears after the H. It became so frustrating that I started putting the flights on my credit card where a simple first name and last name get me right in. 

[sunshine45]

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@Shorty2U wrote:

Ok thanks for the replies, and she does have her birth certificate from vital statistics. But it wasn't the 1st one from when she was born, but it has the seal (it just had been fixed and re-ordered) so I guess that's why they got suspicious. I just don't get this census thing now? I guess its best that they are checking people out, but from the replies here it was easier for others. That must be because everyone else had their original birth certificate "since birth".

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my daughters was NOT the original birth certificate we received after her birth, it was a copy of the birth certificate, an official copy that is obtained by the department of vital records in our state. i ordered 6 actually just to have them on hand.

[Lipstickdiva]

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@sunshine45 wrote:

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@Shorty2U wrote:

Ok thanks for the replies, and she does have her birth certificate from vital statistics. But it wasn't the 1st one from when she was born, but it has the seal (it just had been fixed and re-ordered) so I guess that's why they got suspicious. I just don't get this census thing now? I guess its best that they are checking people out, but from the replies here it was easier for others. That must be because everyone else had their original birth certificate "since birth".

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my daughters was NOT the original birth certificate we received after her birth, it was a copy of the birth certificate, an official copy that is obtained by the department of vital records in our state. i ordered 6 actually just to have them on hand.

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I can't imagine many people have the original birth certificate that was issued when they were born.  Most people lose them or they are ripped or tattered.  My DH and I both do but they are in pretty horrible condition.

It is very, very easy to go down to your city or county health department and get an official copy of your birth certificate with the raised seal.  Here the cost is $25.00.  That is all you need.   

[blackhole99]

I was born in the early 50's and my birth certificate was issued by the local hospital. Of course my eastern european surname was spelled wrong and my parents never had it corrected. At that time I also received a birth and baptismal certicicate from our church when I was baptised. This document had my surname spelled correctly, but is not a legal document so I had to request a birth cert. from Vital Stats when I applied for my passport. I filled out the paperwork and sent it in and a few weeks later received my state issued birth certificate with my mothers maiden name spelled incorrectly and my fathers surname spelled incorrectly. I kept the birth certificate with the misspelled surnames because everthing else was correct and filled out the paper work for my passport and received it without a problem. Many people are denied passports for these mistakes that happened years ago and were never corrected.