Lots of questions!

[Messybrownhair 251]

Hi everyone!

I am currently 24 weeks pregnant and my husband has been gone for over a month now. He returns when the baby is 7 months old. I am going to do ROC by myself this March, but he already signed the form he needs to sign. My baby will be born in Feb, and I graduate from grad school in May and plan to spend June-Aug in the Philippines!

My questions are:

1. Can I travel for that long while ROC is pending?

2. How do I get the baby a passport and does it take long to get one? Do I need my hubby for that? I have orders and a POA

Hope someone can let me know Thanks!

[Scott and Mhay 57]

You can travel as long as you have someone checking your mail and you already have your extension letter. Hopefully you will have your biometrics appointment shortly after applying for the ROC and then the interview (if there is one) before you leave to go to the PI.

As far as the passport deal, it only takes about 4-8 weeks depending on the time of the year. I think it took us about a month to get our son's passport. As far as needing your husband to do the passport, I am pretty sure he has to sign the form for a passport...in his case it would have to be notarized and sent to you (should be no problem for him to do this while deployed). I think the only way around this is if the POA stated that you could apply for the passport on your own...but I am not 100% sure on that. I know they made it to where both parents had to sign to get a passport to keep from one "kidnapping" the child (I'm not saying that is what you would do, but it is part of a child protection act since it has happened in the past).

[GlobeHopperMama 95]

Yeah, the passport comes in normal stated processing times, which tend to be like 4-8 weeks, so as long as you apply soon after baby's birth, it should be fine. Husband needs to sign and notarize the DS-3035 (http://travel.state.gov/passport/forms/ds3053/ds3053_846.html) giving consent for your child to obtain a passport in his absence. Otherwise both parents have to show up in person. I wouldn't depend on a POA to satisfy the requirements for this unless it is dated within 90 days of the passport application and specifically names your child. The Hague Convention on International Child Abduction is what governs this stuff and the US Dept of State is pretty serious about abiding by regulations if the other parent isn't there. That 90 days seems to come up a lot - not only must consent be given, but it must be recent. I got my son's passport with my husband outside the US, and we had him DHL me the signed/notarized consent form. For us, the hardest part was getting a notary in Mexico willing to certify it since it was in English, but in your husband's case, getting a notary shouldn't be a problem.

For all the passport requirements for a baby's passport, see this link:

http://travel.state.gov/passport/get/minors/minors_834.html

Current passport processing times are here:

http://travel.state.gov/passport/processing/processing_1740.html

So really it's the stated processing times plus whatever time it takes to get the notarized consent form and the baby's SSN. (I lived in IL, it took 3 months to get our son's SSN at the time but most states suck a lot less )

[Messybrownhair 251]

Do I need my baby's SSN to get a passport for him, or can I apply for a passport right away once he is born and wait for both simultaneously to arrive?

[Messybrownhair 251]

You can travel as long as you have someone checking your mail and you already have your extension letter. Hopefully you will have your biometrics appointment shortly after applying for the ROC and then the interview (if there is one) before you leave to go to the PI.

As far as the passport deal, it only takes about 4-8 weeks depending on the time of the year. I think it took us about a month to get our son's passport. As far as needing your husband to do the passport, I am pretty sure he has to sign the form for a passport...in his case it would have to be notarized and sent to you (should be no problem for him to do this while deployed). I think the only way around this is if the POA stated that you could apply for the passport on your own...but I am not 100% sure on that. I know they made it to where both parents had to sign to get a passport to keep from one "kidnapping" the child (I'm not saying that is what you would do, but it is part of a child protection act since it has happened in the past).

I will wait for the extension letter and biometrics before I leave.. Crossing my fingers that I don't get an interview but I'll fly back if I have to. I've seen how long ROC processing times are anyway so I was hoping I would be in the clear. Its my first time back in Manila since I came here so I really hope this works out!!

Thanks for the info! So there are notaries in Kuwait and this won't be a problem you think?

Thank you!! I am confused about the SSN.. do I have to get that first before the passport or passport first? Can I do both at the same time?

Yeah, the passport comes in normal stated processing times, which tend to be like 4-8 weeks, so as long as you apply soon after baby's birth, it should be fine. Husband needs to sign and notarize the DS-3035 (http://travel.state.gov/passport/forms/ds3053/ds3053_846.html) giving consent for your child to obtain a passport in his absence. Otherwise both parents have to show up in person. I wouldn't depend on a POA to satisfy the requirements for this unless it is dated within 90 days of the passport application and specifically names your child. The Hague Convention on International Child Abduction is what governs this stuff and the US Dept of State is pretty serious about abiding by regulations if the other parent isn't there. That 90 days seems to come up a lot - not only must consent be given, but it must be recent. I got my son's passport with my husband outside the US, and we had him DHL me the signed/notarized consent form. For us, the hardest part was getting a notary in Mexico willing to certify it since it was in English, but in your husband's case, getting a notary shouldn't be a problem.

For all the passport requirements for a baby's passport, see this link:

http://travel.state.gov/passport/get/minors/minors_834.html

Current passport processing times are here:

http://travel.state.gov/passport/processing/processing_1740.html

So really it's the stated processing times plus whatever time it takes to get the notarized consent form and the baby's SSN. (I lived in IL, it took 3 months to get our son's SSN at the time but most states suck a lot less )

[let-it-be 36]

I will wait for the extension letter and biometrics before I leave.. Crossing my fingers that I don't get an interview but I'll fly back if I have to. I've seen how long ROC processing times are anyway so I was hoping I would be in the clear. Its my first time back in Manila since I came here so I really hope this works out!!

Thanks for the info! So there are notaries in Kuwait and this won't be a problem you think?

Thank you!! I am confused about the SSN.. do I have to get that first before the passport or passport first? Can I do both at the same time?

While in the hospital, you are actually given an option to fill up the SScard application form for your newborn right at the same time when you apply for the baby's birth certificate. The SSA will mail the card to your home address.

http://ssa-custhelp....r-for-a-newborn

Edited October 21, 2012 by let-it-be

[Messybrownhair 251]

While in the hospital, you are actually given an option to fill up the SScard application form for your newborn right at the same time when you apply for the baby's birth certificate. The SSA will mail the card to your home address.

http://ssa-custhelp....r-for-a-newborn

Oh wow! That's awesome! Very convenient

[let-it-be 36]

Oh wow! That's awesome! Very convenient

It is . I think it was about 4 weeks after I gave birth that the SS card came in the mail. In my state, the average processing time is 2 weeks + 2 weeks to receive in the mail. To find out the processing time in your state refer to this link : http://ssa-custhelp....etail/a_id/2309.

Edited October 21, 2012 by let-it-be

[Scott and Mhay 57]

I will wait for the extension letter and biometrics before I leave.. Crossing my fingers that I don't get an interview but I'll fly back if I have to. I've seen how long ROC processing times are anyway so I was hoping I would be in the clear. Its my first time back in Manila since I came here so I really hope this works out!!

Thanks for the info! So there are notaries in Kuwait and this won't be a problem you think?

Thank you!! I am confused about the SSN.. do I have to get that first before the passport or passport first? Can I do both at the same time?

Yes there is a notary wherever the troops are based out of. Every base has legal personnel that can notarize documents. They can't expect us to have everything in line before we deploy. (even though we should, but things come up all the time). Where in Kuwait is your husband? Ali Al Saleem?

As far as the SSN, the base had us fill out the paperwork when my son was born. I think we received the SSN within a month of his birth. You do need to put it on the passport form from what I remember.

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

You do not need a SSN to get a passport. It is NOT a national ID number and you are not required to have one. You don't need to wait for one to apply for a passport.

[bigdog 376]

USCIS has a military assistance line if needed and other resources, http://search.uscis.gov/search?affiliate=82601b2ec&query=military+spouse

[Messybrownhair 251]

You do not need a SSN to get a passport. It is NOT a national ID number and you are not required to have one. You don't need to wait for one to apply for a passport.

Great!! Thank you Harpah! That's what I was hoping for. The sooner I can get it done, the better

[GlobeHopperMama 95]

So if you leave the SSN field blank on the passport application form, they will still issue the passport without it? I'm speaking specifically about babies born inside the US, not babies born abroad.

[TBoneTX 45,598]

*** Thread moved from Working & Traveling forum to Military forum -- OP's situation relies on Military's support. ***

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

So if you leave the SSN field blank on the passport application form, they will still issue the passport without it? I'm speaking specifically about babies born inside the US, not babies born abroad.

Yes; you are never required to get a SSN ever. Some USCs manage to never get one (I am guessing these people are wealthy and never work and live lives as international playboys ). I have seen USCs petition loved ones on here with no SSN. It is not a national ID number - it is simply a number used to determine Social Security benefits, which children don't start to buy into for at least 16 years or so. If you have a SSN, you need to supply it on the application, but if you do not have one, you cannot supply it and do not have to get one.

Edited October 22, 2012 by Harpa Timsah