looks like family cant go now

[clh2]

Just a thought - would there be any information on your marriage license that would help out? I don't exactly recall what is on ours - but my DH and I needed to have our birth certificates to get it.

Good luck on this!

 

[LVTravel]

If you have your copy of the DD214 issued when you were separated from the service check it. (Can't get to mine right now to look but I think it has a location for citizenship). Even if it doesn't, keep it handy for confirming story of military service, etc.

 

[gonna go cruising]

bumping this up to give happy thoughts today...

good luck!

 

[clh2]

bump!

 

[snelsonbrown]

I just wanted to jump in also and wish you much luck and success in completing what appears to be an uncalled nerve racking quest - your congressman should be able to help - the suggestions here are well put - Let us know how you make out and also welcome to the community center with a big heart.
GOOD LUCK and hope you can still keep your date with Mickey
Always
Shirley

 

[MommaluvsDis]

Bumped this back up to the top. Am very interested in the outcome. Sending you pixie dust and Lagniappe (A little something extra from LA!)


Home of the LSU TIGERS!!
Way to Geaux TIGERS!!

 

[TinkHappy]

Everyone is saying contact your State Rep or your Congressman, but, I believe it is your Sec. of State who issues the passports. I would contact your Sec. of State first.

 

[TinkHappy]

Opps, sorry...Welcome to the Dis. You are at the right place for lots of GREAT advice.

Pixi Dust coming your way....

 

[TinkHappy]

OK, try this just give his office a call. Just maybe someone there can help or point you in the right direction.


www.state.nj.us/state/menu/secretary.html

 

[extremesoccermom]

Sorry to hear your bad news. I know what you mean about having everything in order. I have a daughter that we adopted from Romania. We were lucky that we had a social worker that knew the rules. She strongly advised us to have our daugher naturalized as a citizen (by the way this is now automatic on foriegn adoptions as of 2000). She recieved a picture certificate is can NOT be photo copied for legal reason (kinda like trying to copy a dollar bill ILLEGAL). We were told not to lose this under any circumstances as it is a bear to replace. When we applied for her new passport we had to send it and her Romanian passport in. Believe me I fretted every day that it would "get lost in the mail" luckily we got everything in order and keep everything in a safe deposit box.
Have you check with the immigration office? Did your parents do the paper work to have you naturalized as a citizen? Not sure if I am much help but good luck and sending pixie dust your way

 

[minimouse43]

OMG I was born in Norway and this thread just made me realize that I better check to see if I am OK. I just have a Norweigan BC, but I was born in an American embassy (at least that is what it says on my BC) and we are cruising on 3-6-04! I have been out of the United States only once back in 1996 to Mexico with no problems. I didn't get a passport because I thought my BC would be good enough. Does anyone know???or who I can call? I am in a panic now!!!

 

[kcashner]

Call DCL and ask! That's always safest.

 

[ClarabelleCow]

A famly member of ours that lives on the boarder of Maine and Canada has this same problem. He has been for years trying to get this resovled. His family lived in Maine, he was born at a hospital in Canada, so guess what, he is a Canadain Citizen, not US. He was unable to board a ship because of this, his Canadain BC and US drivers license was not enough. They told him he needed a passport from Canada or become a US Citizen, but he believes he is a US citizen! They are also requesting all kinds of info, school records, parents info, etc., etc., parents have passed away, so they can't find alot of this stuff, the school is no longer, so no records there. I think he has given up and just won't leave the US!!

 

[minimouse43]

Just called DCL and they gave me a phone number for US Immagration office. According to US Immagration I am OK!! Now back to dreaming of my cruise Can't wait!!! Thanks for all the inputs, I love this board.!

 

[crisi]

You guys who take your citizenship for granted are soooooo lucky. This sort of stuff happens all the time to those not lucky enough to have been born here. And yes, it is incredibly unfair. (And sometimes it happens to people who were born here - if they have name inconsistancies, missing birth records and deceased parents).

Me and my daughter are easy. Both born here to US citizens, our birth certificate gets us on a cruise no problem. Getting passports was easy. And now that birth records have been computerized in our state, even easier.

My husband (like someone else here) was born aboard to US Citizen parents. He has a state department issued "Counselor Report of Birth" This is the funkiest looking official piece of paper I've seen (it doesn't look official at all, looks like someone typed out a form - which they did_ and is apparently very difficult (takes a year or longer and is expensive) to replace, and the State Department (the Federal Agency that issues passports, your Secretary of State is completely different and does nothing with passports) will only accept an original. We had it (fortunately) and got him a passport - much easier to replace and much better proof of citizenship. I had my doubts about the piece of paper - forty years old, torn and stained. I'd recommend anyone who has one of these things get themselves a passport before your proof of citizenship disintigrates in a drawer. Whoever asked, you may be able to travel on it, but leave it in a taxi in the Bahamas and you may be buying yourself a lot of trouble that $85 will solve now.

My son is a naturalized citizen and an international adoptee. A few years ago a law passed that makes these kids automatic citizens, but before that, kids would grow up their entire lives here believing they were citizens, but if their parents had forgotten to naturalize them through INS (a lengthy and expensive process) they weren't. Some of these kids went through years of red tape and pain to prove themselves citizens (and some have given up, they just don't leave the country). There was a case a few years ago where an 18 year old kid was thrown out of the country and back to Columbia (where he knew no one and didn't speak the language) for minor drug possession. When we went to get my son his passport, we fed ex'd documents back and forth for two weeks until the State Department was satisfied (and he was naturalized before the law passed - and we sent his naturalization certificate - which should have been enough). (They didn't ask for his Korean passport - I still have it. Did have to give up his green card when we naturalized him. But I know the tight knot you carry while that certificate is in the hands of the State Department).

We all breathed a sigh of relief to get our passports - something that had been on my to do list for my son and husband for a while.

To the OP, best of luck. I hope your congressman can figure out some way to quickly prove you are a citizen.

 

[Rence]

It's a changing world.

Passports are now a good idea for everyone. Get them far ahead of time. This way if there is any type of problem you have months to get it resolved, you are not standing in the DCL terminal being told that you can't board.

If you have anything unusual regarding your birth certificate you should get a passport. So if you do not have a standard US state issued birth certificate, start the ball rolling and get a passport.

It costs a little (but not that much provided you don't need rush service) but can save a lot of worry and trouble later.

 

[offalyrover]

JUST TO GIVE SOME WHO WERE CURIOUS TO THE RESOLUTION OF MY PREDICAMENT . UNFORTUNATELY I CANT SAY ITS A HAPPY ENDING JUST YET . INITIALLY I WAS TOLD BY THE LOCAL COURT CLERK OF THE COUNTY THAT I LIVE IN , THAT I NEEDED SOME MORE DOCUMENTATION TO PROVE MY CITIZENSHIP . SO AFTER GOING INTO NYC FOR MY PARENTS MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE FROM 1958 AND ACTUALLY PROVING THIER RESIDENCE AT THE TIME OF MY BIRTH , I WAS READY TO SEND OFF MY APPLICATION FOR A PASSPORT . I PAID THE EXTRA $$$ TO GET IT BACK AS SOON AS POSSIBLE , SO THAT I COULD HAVE A LITTLE PIECE OF MIND AND GET TO THE BUSINESS OF PLANNING THE TRIP ON 3/21/04 . I EVEN RECIEVED MY CRUISE DOCUMENTS YESTERDAY , SO AS YOU COULD IMAGINE ME AND THE FAMILY WERE PSYCHED AND JUST WAITING FOR THE PASSPORT TO COME THROUGH . WHICH WE FIGURED WAS JUST A FORMALITY AT THIS POINT .
WELL TODAY I GOT MY RESPONSE FROM THE STATE DEPARTMENT .GUESS WHAT , PASSPORT DENIED . THEY SAID I HAD TO PROVE MY FATHERS RESIDENCE IN THE USA 10 YEARS PRIOR TO MY BIRTH IN ORDER TO RECIEVE CITIZENSHIP . WELL GUESS WHAT , MY FATHER ENTERED THE USA 9 YEARS PRIOR TO MY BIRTH , THEREFORE I CANT RECIEVE CITIZENSHIP THROUGH HIM . MY MOTHER WASNT A RESIDENT OF THE USA DURING THAT TIME EITHER .
SO TODAY I FOUND OUT THAT AFTER LIVING IN THE USA MY ENTIRE LIFE ( EXCEPT 3 MONTHS AFTER MY BIRTH ) , DOING 4 YEARS IN THE US NAVY AND PAYING TAXES MY ENTIRE ADULT LIFE THAT I AM NOT A US CITIZEN . CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT ?? I AM REALLY NOT AS UPSET ABOUT THAT AS NOW I HAVE TO GO TO PHILADELPHIA ON TUESDAY AND HOPEFULLY RETRIEVE MY DOCUMENTS . THEN GO TO NYC THE SAME DAY TO THE IRISH CONSULATE AND APPLY FOR AN EXPEDIATED IRISH PASSPORT . JUST TO MAKE THIS CRUISE . BUT I WILL NOT BE DETERRED . I AM GOING ON THIS CRUISE COME HELL OR HIGH WATER . ILL WORRY ABOUT BECOMING AN AMERICAN AFTER THAT .I DIDNT WANT TO BORE ALL YOU PEOPLE , BUT I WANTED TO REPLY TO THOSE WHO SENT ME MESSAGES AND JUST GIVE THEM AN UPDATE . THANKS

 

[Tandyc]

Thanks for the update. I was wondering how things turned out.

Sure hope you are able to get the papers you need to make your cruise. You definately deserve a vacation after all this.

Maybe when you get back you can get back to work on the passport or Irish citizenship.

Sorry it's been such a tough struggle.


Tandy

 

[glindamood]

OMG! I am sending loads of pixie dust to help you get through all of this. Don't even know what to say or have any suggestions but sure seems that if you served this country in the military and pay taxes it should not be such an issue. Did you speak with your congressman - they should be able to help you.

Good Luck!

 

[MommaluvsDis]

We're all concerned about this. Please continue to update us!