Community Chat

[Bird mama]

@icaughtu   If you have a copy of your PA birth certificate, then it might not be a bad idea to seek legal advice.  If you don't have a copy of your PA birth certificate, get that first.

This way you have the birth certificate (original last name), marriage certificate (shows maiden name and married name) and SS card (shows married name).

I didn't apply for my SS card until the mid 70's so maybe they were getting more restrictive.   

[icaughtu]

@Carmie  I was born in Philadelphia. When I applied for Social Security/Medicare the clerk I had reeled off all the names I had, i.e., my birth certificate surname and the name I grew up with. I was shocked that they knew and how did they find out I had that name??

Yes, my first name on my birth certificate is the same name I have used my whole life.

BTW: when I worked for the government I had to have a secret clearance to type classified documents. It took quite a while for my clearance to come through because they could not find me, that is the name I used. But whoever does that stuff finally found out and I got my cleanance. It was not something I talked about (being given up by parents) because when I was young it embarrassed me. Thank you for your comments.

[icaughtu]

@Bird mamaI do have a copy of my original birth certificate from PA. I have all my school records, marriage certificate, son's birth certificate (with my name of course that states I was born in PA). Never got a passport because you need a birth certificate with correct name plus I doubted that I would ever travel overseas.

I guess I should get legal advice. Does anybody know what type of attorney I should get? Would that be family law? TIA

[Bird mama]

One thing I would like to leave you with @icaughtu

You are not the first person to go through something like this and I guarantee you that you will not be the last.  We live in changing times and that sometimes conflicts with how we did things in the old days.

My father was born in a rural part of Kentucky and the City Hall/Hall of Records burnt down.  This was before we started digitizing everything.  My father has been gone for some time now and I can't recall if he ever did get a copy of his birth certificate and if he did, I don't know how.  

You have a little bit of time to get paperwork together.  It's going to work out and it's going to be okay :-)

[Bird mama]

@icaughtu  You are already ahead of the game because you kept such great records.  I would start with family law and sincerely try to get a free consultation, lol.  

[Carmie]

@icaughtu  You're welcome.

It sounds like all of your ducks are in a row for your government paperwork despite of the name difference.  If I were in your place, I would just apply for the REAL ID with a copy of my original birth certificate and see what happens.

It might not be a problem after all because your first name has not changed. Best of  luck to you.

PS. You should never feel embarrassed that you were raised by family members that wanted you.  I am sure you and your brother brought your biological aunt and uncle great joy.

[pigletsmom]

You have plenty of time to deal with this. Before you pay a lawyer I would take the birth certificate you have along with any other documentation they ask for and go to the DMV and talk to them in person. Get a supervisor if you need to.

If you've had valid documents all this time they should be able to work it out. I find this all pretty annoying. I had to show my birth certificate when I first got my license. Now I have to do it again and pay more money? I live in the same city where I got my license a million years ago.

[Bird mama]

Maybe my secretary of state is picky.  They looked at my birth certificate, compared it to my marriage license and then copied both documents and returned the originals to me.  They only put you through the wringer the first time, lol.  unless of course your name changes again.

The cost for the real id license was the same as a regular license.

[icaughtu]

@Bird mama

Thank you for your kind words. I have been a bunch of nerves lately. My husband died a bit over a year ago and it seems like there is so much I have to deal with now and nobody to talk it over with here at home. I did think to myself once I cannot be the only person in the United States with a problem such as mine! Thank you again.

[icaughtu]

@Carmie  Thank you! And you are right about the aunt and uncle who raised us. And also my brother and I were SO much better off being raised by them.