US citizen struggling to get passport?!

[seanyb719 1]

Hey all - I thought I would come on here since everyone was certainly so helpful during my K1 visa process about a year ago. I have a friend who is struggling to get his passport. It's a strange scenario so I am just going to copy and paste what they have said on facebook. He's born and lived in the US all his life and due to go on holiday in Mexico in the next week or so.

If anyone can help or has any suggestions I would really appreciate it. Thank you so much in advance.

"NEED HELP! Mick and I are supposed to leave for Mexico in 10 days! He is going through hell to get his passport. Does anyone have any ideas of what he could use to prove his authenticity as an American??? Here is what they already have, delayed certificate of birth (he was born in his home and never got a birth cert.) 3 affidavits of birth from his mom, brother and family friend, social security card and hospital records from when he was 9 months old. They are saying it still does not prove that he was born in the US. Annnnny ideas, please please please help us out!"

Sean.

[Dana-Mića 51]

go on the passport site and find an emergency passport site they can get it done in less than 2 days> I got mine like that here in nyc

ups i didn't read the whole post. I really don't know what else you can do but good luck

[nwctzn 55]

He needs Secondary Evidence of U.S. Citizenship which is listed at the Department of State website below. He should look at the list and produce the ones which are appropriate.

http://travel.state.gov/passport/get/secondary_evidence/secondary_evidence_4315.html

Edited October 27, 2011 by nwctzn

[NickD 202]

Was a bit surprised to see the birth certificates of my wife born in Colombia and step kids born in Venezuela. Done a year later by testimony of the parents with neighbors as witnesses, but accepted by the USCIS as being okay.

I also was born at home, but a doctor did come over and hand scratched a birth certificate. Never had problems with it with getting an SS number, drivers' license, or even getting drafted, they knew where I was. Even got a top secret clearance. But did have problems with the DOS, feel this is a part of 9/11 when this country of ours switched all around. Contacted the State of Illinois, they transferred all previous birth certificates to a database loaded with typo's. Took me three months of playing around with them to get a correct birth certificate, sent in my school and military records, and even the original birth certificates of my brothers and sisters that were fortunately type written and correct. Even blew up my birth certifcate with my high res scanner and claimed that was a D and not an E, but got nowhere with that.

Had no interest in getting a US passport until this beautiful woman found me on the internet, we talked on the phone for quite awhile, but just had to meet her in person. Getting a US passport was only the first of many delays by dealing with the US government. But elected to deal with my state first rather than the DOS, what a paranoid bunch they are. You may want to try to do the same. At least your state is closer to home.

[seanyb719 1]

Thanks for initial responses. it seems they have looked into very much of what has been mentioned. I had forwarded on your advice and this is the response I had gotten.

"Trust me Sean....we've been to that site many times. He has a delayed birth cert. And they won't accept it. Social sec card. Doc records from 9 months old. Old church phone books, his mothers college transcripts, 3 ds-10 forms...one from his brother,one from mom, and one from old friend of family. He has gone to the dept of vital stats and the earliest record they have for him is when he was 15. Early school records aren't an option....long story...."

This all sounds crazy to me. Surely if his parents are citizens then regardless of whether he was even born here or anywhere else, he is entitled to a passport?

thank you again in advance for your advice.

[skiptex 225]

This all sounds crazy to me. Surely if his parents are citizens then regardless of whether he was even born here or anywhere else, he is entitled to a passport?

thank you again in advance for your advice.

are they?

boys his parents screwed this one up.. for not following up and doing proper documentation..

i don't know if they will have this cleared up before they leave..

*plan on leaving

[seanyb719 1]

are they?

boys his parents screwed this one up.. for not following up and doing proper documentation..

i don't know if they will have this cleared up before they leave..

*plan on leaving

yes - he and both parents are very american lol. this is what I don't get. It's not as if he has any ties with any other country!?

I said they should inform customs that basically he is being accused of being an illegal immigrant and that they should investigate and try and deport him - maybe they'll do the hard work for him then and see he is and always has been american :-)

[Lili 3]

Get his representative involved. This is what they are there for, among other things, to help with federal agencies.

[seanyb719 1]

Get his representative involved. This is what they are there for, among other things, to help with federal agencies.

Sorry - what do you mean by his representative?

[Lili 3]

Senators or representatives (house of representatives).

[skiptex 225]

has he spoke to a lawyer?!

maybe his parents need to petition for their son.. LOL

[Mama mia 9]

Sean,

Have your friends make an appointment at the passport agency with proof of travel within 14 days. The agents working at the agency are more knowledgeable than the ones at at the passport office. (from my personal experience..its a long story..)

Here are the passport agencies:

http://travel.state.gov/passport/npic/agencies/agencies_913.html

Here is what he will need:

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:

It lists the documentation used to create it (preferably early public records) and

It is signed by the birth attendant or lists an affidavit signed by the parents

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

Early Public Records

If you were born in the United States and cannot present primary evidence of U.S. citizenship, submit a combination of early public records as evidence of your U.S. citizenship. Early public records must be submitted with a birth record or Letter of No Record. Early public records should show your name, date of birth, place of birth, and preferably be created within the first five years of your life. Examples of early public records are:

Baptismal certificate

Hospital birth certificate

Census record

Early school record

Family bible record

Doctor's record of post-natal care

Early Public Records are not acceptable when presented alone

[Dave&Roza 748]

Do the parents have passports? Copy those as proof that they are USC. If not, do they have birth certificates that they can send him copies of to prove they were borned in the US. Establishing that his parents are USC makes him a USC and maybe easier than thrying to prove he was born in the US. Of course the issue will then be that these are not his parents and they will want a DNA test to prove that. Sounds like someone has decided to make this a royal PITA and will not back down.

Good luck and hope all goes well,

Dave

Edited October 27, 2011 by Dave&Roza

[Enigma11561 336]

Dumb question but didn't he need a passport to file the 129 and do a K-1? How did he prove his citizenship before? Or am I missing something here?

[seanyb719 1]

Dumb question but didn't he need a passport to file the 129 and do a K-1? How did he prove his citizenship before? Or am I missing something here?

he hasn't filed anything before. he's born and lived here all his life and never been out of the country (possibly mexico when you could travel there without a passport)

now he is going on holiday with his gf and needs a passport and having the above issue.

Sean