Is my daughter qualified for CRBA?

[widow28 0]

Hi guys! i am a widower of more than a year to my US citizen husband. I currently live in the Philippines and has never filed any visas to US. I have a 6 years old daughter fathered by a US citizen. My daughter has never meet her US citizen father since birth because in year 2006 after i got pregnant to my New York citizen husband he got sick and was admitted in the hospital for 5 years until 2011. Our communication continous only by phonecalls until his death. My question is my daughter qualified to apply for CRBA even if she never meet his father? can i file alone for a CRBA of my daughter?

Thank you.

Nike

[Operator 1,927]

Is her dad's name on her birth certificate?

[widow28 0]

Is her dad's name on her birth certificate?

Yes dads name is on her birth certificate.

[Operator 1,927]

Well that's good.

It's likely going to take a lot of effort because dad is deceased, you should probably begin here http://www.travel.state.gov/law/citizenship/citizenship_5199.html

Start gathering up paperwork....birth and marriage certificates to start with.

[VanessaTony 3,567]

Yes dads name is on her birth certificate.

Did he sign the certificate? Or is his name just on it?

There's no proof the kid is actually his. He isn't able to show proof of having been there at the time of conception, or affidavit of parentage as he's deceased. But the child is legitimated by virtue of the marriage which is good news.

They may ask for DNA though to prove blood relationship. Maybe not, but it's something to keep in mind.

[widow28 0]

Well that's good.

It's likely going to take a lot of effort because dad is deceased, you should probably begin here http://www.travel.state.gov/law/citizenship/citizenship_5199.html

Start gathering up paperwork....birth and marriage certificates to start with.

Thank You Operator i will check on that site.

[widow28 0]

Did he sign the certificate? Or is his name just on it?

There's no proof the kid is actually his. He isn't able to show proof of having been there at the time of conception, or affidavit of parentage as he's deceased. But the child is legitimated by virtue of the marriage which is good news.

They may ask for DNA though to prove blood relationship. Maybe not, but it's something to keep in mind.

Hi Vanessa&Tony Thank you for your reply. With regards to your 1st question the answer is No. I really did not know that her father still need to sign her birth certificate, no one told me in the hospital, nor in the Birth registrar that his signature was needed. I thought because we are married the Affifavit of acknowledgement or Admission of paternity is unnecessary. Now i am really worried.... my husband is dead its too late for him to sign any documents for our child and even if his alive he still cannot sign any documents because he was comatose.This is harder than i thought hehehe.

I do not know what other proof can i show that my daughter is his, other than their slight physical resemblance. And for proof that the kid is actually his what do you think will be the required documents? other than DNA because his not here.

You mention about *proof of having been there at the time of conception* i am thinking of his signed credit card receipts when he was here. I still have his AMEX cc receipts when he paid for our hotel rooms and plane tickets in philippines. I also have (both) our domestic plane tickets during the time of conception, Hotel Statements, pictures, ultrasounds and pre-natal care records. Will this be acceptable to the embassy?

Thanks!

[Penguin_ie 5,994]

*** Moving from US Citizenship to CRBA forum ****

The hotel and credit card receipts are good. Also communications (email, birthday cards etc) where he acknowledges the child as his.

What about his family state side? Are you in contact with them, might they help? For example if he has other children that are half siblings to yours, or his parents are still alive, a DNA test could be done that way.

[NickD 203]

Could start by making an appointment at the nearest US consulate in the Philippines and learn what they want. You must have a marriage certificate and proof of his US citizenship like his birth certificate. Not even sure about a parent signature on the birth certificate, around here, only on the application along with the doctors signature, county Issues a birth certifcate with only printed names on it, no signatures. Not even sure what they do with the application after that.

Could ask you why you waited so long to get this done, but I won't.

[widow28 0]

*** Moving from US Citizenship to CRBA forum ****

The hotel and credit card receipts are good. Also communications (email, birthday cards etc) where he acknowledges the child as his.

What about his family state side? Are you in contact with them, might they help? For example if he has other children that are half siblings to yours, or his parents are still alive, a DNA test could be done that way.

Hello Penguin! thank you very much...yes i remember he did sent me 1 US mailed handwritten letter and 1 birthday card when i was just 2 months pregnant. In first letter he wrote this " I just wanted to tell you I miss you and im looking forward to our baby being born in January 2007. it would be nice if it was on our wedding anniversary or on FEb 8th, 15 months after i asked you to marry me." I gave birth of our child lastweek of January 2007. His guess was right. Second letter he wrote "P.S. take care of yourself and our baby you are caring. i love you always. " Will this letters help??

Very unfortunate his family(children) state side doesn't care about him nor my daughter, they left him in the hospitable and i was his only contact. They wont even give me a copy of his death certificate but with God's help i got it.

[widow28 0]

*** Moving from US Citizenship to CRBA forum ****

The hotel and credit card receipts are good. Also communications (email, birthday cards etc) where he acknowledges the child as his.

What about his family state side? Are you in contact with them, might they help? For example if he has other children that are half siblings to yours, or his parents are still alive, a DNA test could be done that way.

Hello Penguin! thank you very much...yes i remember he did sent me 1 US mailed handwritten letter and 1 birthday card when i was just 2 months pregnant. In first letter he wrote this " I just wanted to tell you I miss you and im looking forward to our baby being born in January 2007. it would be nice if it was on our wedding anniversary or on FEb 8th, 15 months after i asked you to marry me." I gave birth of our child lastweek of January 2007. His guess was right. Second letter he wrote "P.S. take care of yourself and our baby you are caring. i love you always. " Will this letters help??

Very unfortunate his family(children) state side doesn't care about him or my daughter, they left him in the hospitable and i was his only contact. They wont even give me a copy of his death certificate but with God's help i got it.

[Penguin_ie 5,994]

The letter will help, but it would be better if you had items from after her birth too. Surely in the 6 years of her life, even with him in hospital, he sent something? Cards or presents on her birthday?

[widow28 0]

Could start by making an appointment at the nearest US consulate in the Philippines and learn what they want. You must have a marriage certificate and proof of his US citizenship like his birth certificate. Not even sure about a parent signature on the birth certificate, around here, only on the application along with the doctors signature, county Issues a birth certifcate with only printed names on it, no signatures. Not even sure what they do with the application after that.

Could ask you why you waited so long to get this done, but I won't.

Hi NickD good day!! For years my mind was pre occupied with my husbands health and how to provide for my daughter. I was more concerned of working triple times so i can call him (long distance) 4-5 times a week for 5 years. Because if i do not he gets depressed and more sick. We are hoping and I had so much faith he will get better so he can come home to us like he always promise in the phone....but he didn't make it. I only heard about CRBA after the death of my husband. But i was not interested that time because i was still mourning and his family state side (children) made another show of dislike against us. Emotionally and Mentally i wasn't well. Now, i realized I am the only protector of my daughter my husband is not coming back. Either i do something for her now or never but at least i tried my everything to protect her rights and give her future.

[widow28 0]

The letter will help, but it would be better if you had items from after her birth too. Surely in the 6 years of her life, even with him in hospital, he sent something? Cards or presents on her birthday?

Since he was in the hospital he was been totally dependent with his Health care Nurse/Aid for bathing, changing his diapers, eating, etc. He did asked once her US daughter to send something for me and my daughter. He gave her his atm card and the pin #. After that she was gone leaving him in debt. He asked me to look for her but i could not find nor contact her. She did not even showed up even at his funeral. he has not send us anything since then as much as he want too.

[NickD 203]

Hi NickD good day!! For years my mind was pre occupied with my husbands health and how to provide for my daughter. I was more concerned of working triple times so i can call him (long distance) 4-5 times a week for 5 years. Because if i do not he gets depressed and more sick. We are hoping and I had so much faith he will get better so he can come home to us like he always promise in the phone....but he didn't make it. I only heard about CRBA after the death of my husband. But i was not interested that time because i was still mourning and his family state side (children) made another show of dislike against us. Emotionally and Mentally i wasn't well. Now, i realized I am the only protector of my daughter my husband is not coming back. Either i do something for her now or never but at least i tried my everything to protect her rights and give her future.

My God, that's their granddaughter your in-laws are talking about, and the only thing remaining from the death of their son. But in a way, can comprehend your situation, my ex-in-laws were that way and wouldn't have a thing to do with my kids. Until they realized, it is their grandkids, and that is all they really have left in this world. Then they tried to contact my kids for visits, but then my kids wouldn't have anything to do with them.

How do you get some people to understand this before its too late? That is a question I can't even answer, maybe a subtle remainder, that hey, this isn't you, its their granddaughter and maybe only granddaugther that they are hurting.

My new mother-in-law is great, even before we even met, she loved her granddaughter and the opportunity for her to come here. Even offered to sell her apartment, but told her over the phone, was not necessary. I also love her granddaughter and have plenty of money to bring her here. Ha, when we finally met, was always preparing fanstatic meals for me and she could see her daughter and granddaughter were well cared for.

Don't your in-law's know that their granddaughter is their flesh and blood? Would think they would bend over backwards to help her. Maybe they need a good but gentle kick in the butt. Don't they realized their son loved you? I never blocked my kids from seeing their mom or grandparents, matter of fact, encouraged it, this is all the mother and grandparents they have left. Maybe a subtle reminder is what her grandparents need to help, not you, but her. Do they want their granddaughter to hate them for the rest of their lives?