Cruisin': Just me and my boy!

[JennandJaryd]

It's over 9 months until my son Jaryd (10) and I (28) sail on our 1st cruise ever, leave the country for the 1st time, and vacation on my birthday for the 1st time!

I can't wait (and I need to get my posts up to PM etc) so I am starting a trip report now.

The drama has begun: Passport troubles....to be continued...

 

[JennandJaryd]

I thought we were all set. I had accessed the state department online. Filled out all the necessary paperwork, gathered our birth certificates, social security cards, and IDs.

I called the post office on Nov 21st to see if I needed an appointment. They said no, I said great.

We headed over.

I sat down, we had pictures taken (ugh), paid our fees, and submitted our paperwork.

"Mam, do you have the consent form?" the post office guy asked.

"No," I said " but here are my custody papers." You see, I am a single mom and I got full legal and physical custody of my son in 1997. His dad does not even have visitation rights (and has never paid a penny of his court ordered support).

The not so nice post office man proceeds to tell me that my custody papers are not valid.

However, I gave him exactly what the court gave me and they have worked to move cross country and enroll at 4 different schools so far.

He proceeded to accuse me of lying, said the papers were photocopied, and not acceptable.

OH MY GOD!

Now not only am I pissed that his deadbeat father does not pay child support or see his son but I now cannot take his little boy on a Disney cruise!

I said file the papers and let the US Govt tell me that they are not valid. Then I can fight with Philadelphia family court to get a "valid" copy.

He said "Mam, we will not refund your money."

No kidding, it is my money to waste and I am willing to try it.

Ughhhhhh

 

[JennandJaryd]

I forgot...the "nice" man at the post office also questioned my papers which have no father listed.

Well, if I had a father that I knew of, he would be listed.

I said "Check my birth certificate, there's no father listed!"

He said, "oh, ok"

No I'm sorry, no apology, no nothing.

What if I had burst into tears right then and there.



On a positive note, my fish extender came....

 

[JennandJaryd]

I ordered a fish extender on ebay from a lovely Disney seller.

It was brand new with tags and all from the Disney store.

The Disney store sells them as beanie baby holders.

It is sooo cute with Mickey hands holding a yellow scroll with red pockets on it.

I also bid on one from a seller in Hong Kong, we'll see how that works out. The HK one is a Stitch letter holder. That's for my son. I guess we'll switch them out.

I also picked up some Disney Proncess and Disney Cars items from Target for the little ones of other families.

 

[JennandJaryd]

The cruise we booked is the 5 night Disney Magic sailing, leaving Sept 1st, 2008, with two stops at Castaway Cay.



We plan to do the following activities:

Atlantis Aquaventure shore excursion in Nassau
Banana Boat ride on CC
Pictures at Flying Dutchman on CC

 

[CarrianneB]

Good luck on the passport woes - I'm sure it will get worked out in the end.

That cruise should be fun - two days on castaway cay is never bad!!

 

[mommasita]

I am going to move this point over the main cruise forum for you...

 

[JennandJaryd]

Good luck on the passport woes - I'm sure it will get worked out in the end.

That cruise should be fun - two days on castaway cay is never bad!!

Thanks, I'm keeping my hopes up and calling family court in the morning

!

 

[Hygiene99]

My trip report link:[/url???]

Jenn If you copy & paste the code above you will get the link above to your trip report...

looks like this.... [url=http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=21921381&posted=1#post21921381]My trip report link:

YOU Must remove the ??? at the end, so it will look like this [/url ]
for it to work...

 

[JennandJaryd]

My trip report link:[/url???]

Jenn If you copy & paste the code above you will get the link above to your trip report...

looks like this.... [url=http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=21921381&posted=1#post21921381]My trip report link:

YOU Must remove the ??? at the end, so it will look like this [/url ]
for it to work...

Thanks for the tip! I think it worked!

I'm learning...

 

[JennandJaryd]

Just 1.5 weeks and my passport arrived from Seattle. Unfortunately my son's passport did not arrive. I am guessing that is not a good sign. I have pored over the State Department's website looking for the alleged raised seal requirement for custody papers.

I see a raised seal requirement for birth certificates but not for custody papers. The only requirement that I see is the judge's signature, which is clearly on my custody papers.

This is crazy!!!!!

 

[Gina]

I am so sorry for all the trouble you have been having with this... It's so unfair that just to do something incredible and memorable with our children, we have to jump through so many hoops. It took me a whole year to get my useless ex to take 5 minutes out of his day and get that stupid consent form notarized. Thank the heavens, by the time my son's passport expires in 5 years, he'll be past the age where both parents have to sign for it.

I really really am rooting for you... please keep us all posted!

-gina-

 

[JennandJaryd]

I am so sorry for all the trouble you have been having with this... It's so unfair that just to do something incredible and memorable with our children, we have to jump through so many hoops. It took me a whole year to get my useless ex to take 5 minutes out of his day and get that stupid consent form notarized. Thank the heavens, by the time my son's passport expires in 5 years, he'll be past the age where both parents have to sign for it.

I really really am rooting for you... please keep us all posted!

-gina-

Thank you for the well wishes! That is a great way to look at it. This is a one-time ordeal and my son will be fifteen when it expires as well.

 

[JennandJaryd]

Well I got the dreaded letter. It broke my heart to see my son soo excited to get a letter from the passport office in Seattle. What he didn't know was teh envelope contained a letter stating that we have 90 days to produce his father's signature or custody papers, which were already submitted with the original application! Thank God I have a copy of the custody papers because they certainly didn't send them back to me.

This is awful. It took me three years from the date I filed to get custody awarded in PA. Now I have 90 days to figure out how to make the passport office happy. The passport office in CO will only take appointments for travelers leaving the country in 7 days. This is crazy!

 

[Billinaz]

FYI


Copies of legal documents are not valid. If you even add or delete a staple, then the validity of the documents are lost.


Simply get a new original copy (actually ask for 2) from the court that granted custody and send them in.

 

[JennandJaryd]

FYI


Copies of legal documents are not valid. If you even add or delete a staple, then the validity of the documents are lost.


Simply get a new original copy (actually ask for 2) from the court that granted custody and send them in.

I sent the original to them and kept the copy but perhaps they rejected it because the cover sheet was not with it. It looks like a copy though because the court prints it off a computer.

I am trying to get a new original but getting through to family court in Philadelphia is a nightmare especially working full time with a two hour time difference.

 

[JennandJaryd]

I signed up for email updates on the State Dept website yesterday and today I received an email stating the passport for Jaryd was processed and is in the mail!!!! I even have a tracking number.

I am so excited. Last week I sent them more court documents showing that his father has never shown up for court, never paid child support ($15,000 in arears), and has not been located.

Looks like the world is at our fingertips!

This will be the best Christmas present I can give my son!!!

 

[Gina]

Jenn, I am THRILLED for you!! I know you'll still be holding your breath until you have his passport in hand... I know I was that way with my son's and all the hassle I had with my ex. But for it to actually say "processed," it sounds like you're home free.

Please post once you get it!!

-gina-

 

[dizzi]

WOW....sorry for all that trouble. i had to go through a lot to get paper work for my DS as well and it SUCKS! REALLY SUCKS that the whole time you are getting the paper work you are PEED OFF becasue you dont deserve to have to be doing this, when you have done all you can for your son and the missing father has done nothing.

I know girlfriend...........IT SUCKS!

GOOD LUCK..........

AND INFO.....Take all your paper work with you to DCL also, they did not ask me for it.........but i heard i should be prepared and i was!

 

[Pooh_Friend#1]

Wow, what an ordeal. Keeping my fingers crossed for you.