Passport Help

[kittyklawz]

Hey everyone, hoping someone can give me some advice...

We are planning to take a cruise fall 2018 and wanted to invite my mother along. The issue is that her passport is expired and lost, and she doesn't have her birth certificate either. She was born in Germany but she has always been a US citizen. How hard will it be for her to get a new passport? I tried to look it up online on the passport page but it was a little confusing. Has anyone been through this before?

 

[bumbershoot]

She's going to need to get her birth certificate/citizenship papers. She must have had them at some point to get her old passport.

Once or twice when I had a question about passports I actually called the phone number and they were quite helpful. contact info is at the bottom of this page: https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/passports.html


From the site...

You'll need:

• Citizenship evidence
• Identification
• ...

The specific documents you need depend on what form you're using.

From here: https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/passports/applyinperson.html

You must submit one of the following. Your evidence must be an original or certified copy. Photocopies and notarized copies are not acceptable.

• Fully-valid, undamaged U.S. passport (may be expired)
• U.S. birth certificate that meets the following requirements:
  • Issued by the city, county, or state of birth
  • Lists your full name, date of birth, and place of birth
  • Lists your parent(s)' full names
  • Has the date filed with registrar's office (must be within one year of birth)
  • Has the registrar's signature
  • Has the seal of the issuing authority
• Consular Report of Birth Abroad or Certification of Birth
• Certificate of Naturalization
• Certificate of Citizenship

If you cannot submit one of the above acceptable documents, or for more information, please see Citizenship Evidence.

And that Citizenship Evidence link (https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/passports/information/citizenship-evidence.html) shows this:

When applying on Form DS-11, you must submit either:

• One document from the primary list below, or
• A combination of documents from the secondary list below.

Primary (submit one)


....
Born outside the United States?

• Fully-valid, undamaged U.S. passport (can be expired)
• Consular Report of Birth Abroad or Certification of Birth
• Certificate of Naturalization
• Certificate of Citizenship

Secondary (must submit more than one)
....
Born Outside the United States?
Please note:

• Foreign language documents should be include a professional English translation. The translator must provide a notarized statement of the accuracy of the translation and self-certification of their ability to translate.
• You may be asked for additional documentation by the passport agency, if needed.
• Your document(s) will be returned to you separately from your new passport.

U.S. Citizenship at Birth
If you were born outside the United States and acquired U.S. citizenship through your U.S. citizen parent(s), please submit the following with your passport application:

• Your foreign birth certificate listing your parent(s)
• Your parent(s)’ evidence of U.S. citizenship
• Your parents' marriage certificate, if applicable
• A statement from your U.S. citizen parent(s) detailing all periods and places of their residence or physical presence in the United States and abroad before your birth.

Please see U.S. Citizenship Laws & Policy for more information.



U.S. Citizenship through Naturalization of a Parent
If you were born outside the United States and acquired U.S. citizenship through the naturalization of your parent(s), please submit the following with your passport application:

• Your foreign birth certificate listing your parent(s)
• Your parent(s)’ naturalization certificate
• Evidence of your permanent residence status. Examples include:
  • Permanent Resident Card/Green Card
  • Foreign passport with the original I-551 visa entry stamp
• Your parents' marriage certificate (if your parents were married when you legally entered the U.S. and before your 18th birthday)
• Documentation of legal custody (if your parents were not married when you legally entered the U.S.)
• Evidence of your legitimation (if your parents were not married at the time of your birth). Examples include:
  • Your parents' marriage certificate dated after your birth
  • Certified court order of legitimation

Please see U.S. Citizenship Laws & Policy for more information.

U.S. Citizenship through Adoption
If you were born outside the United States and acquired citizenship through adoption by a U.S. citizen parent while under the age of 16, please submit the following:

• Citizenship evidence of your U.S. citizen parent
• Your full and final adoption decree

Please see Child Citizenship Act of 2000 for more information.

She needs to figure out what she had, and perhaps try to find it. Finding her passport would be useful too, even if it's expired (especially if it's been less than 15 years since it was issued).

 

[bibbidibobbidibecky]

You can obtain her birth certificate. I was also born in Germany, but have always been a US citizen because my dad was in the military. Should I lose mine, I would have to contact the government, who issued my birth certificate and not a state. I assume her situation is similar, and to get her a new Passport, that's where I would start.

 

[Chrislovesdisney]

And I agree with a pp. When you call, the people are surprisingly exceedingly helpful.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

You can obtain her birth certificate. I was also born in Germany, but have always been a US citizen because my dad was in the military. Should I lose mine, I would have to contact the government, who issued my birth certificate and not a state. I assume her situation is similar, and to get her a new Passport, that's where I would start.

I, also, born in Germany, Dad in the military. I only have a German birth certificate (hospital was actually a german hospital under US Army command) , but I also have a Consular Report of Birth Abroad that I got when I was 12. When I was a child (under 12) all of us kids were on my mother's passport. When I was an adult and needed to get a passport, we had to submit both her old passport and my Consular report to get it.

 

[kittyklawz]

You can obtain her birth certificate. I was also born in Germany, but have always been a US citizen because my dad was in the military. Should I lose mine, I would have to contact the government, who issued my birth certificate and not a state. I assume her situation is similar, and to get her a new Passport, that's where I would start.

Who exactly would she contact in the government? The USA government or german? Her situation is the exact same as yours.

 

[kittyklawz]

She's going to need to get her birth certificate/citizenship papers. She must have had them at some point to get her old passport.

Once or twice when I had a question about passports I actually called the phone number and they were quite helpful. contact info is at the bottom of this page: https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/passports.html


From the site...




From here: https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/passports/applyinperson.html



And that Citizenship Evidence link (https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/passports/information/citizenship-evidence.html) shows this:





She needs to figure out what she had, and perhaps try to find it. Finding her passport would be useful too, even if it's expired (especially if it's been less than 15 years since it was issued).

It would be lovely if she had those documents and knew what she had but she is not the most organized person and is a bit of a hoarder lol and my grandmother is 84 and my mother is 63 so these papers have been long gone. I did tell her she should look for her passport or birth certificate but I would like to be prepared for worst case scenario and having to get new documents.

 

[kittyklawz]

I, also, born in Germany, Dad in the military. I only have a German birth certificate (hospital was actually a german hospital under US Army command) , but I also have a Consular Report of Birth Abroad that I got when I was 12. When I was a child (under 12) all of us kids were on my mother's passport. When I was an adult and needed to get a passport, we had to submit both her old passport and my Consular report to get it.

I wonder if you were all born in the same hospital? I had a client who said he was also born in the same town at a german military hospital lol. She was born in wiesbaden germany.

 

[kittyklawz]

Also wondering if anyone has used Vital Check to get a copy of their birth certificate? Not sure if its a scam or if there is an easier way.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Also wondering if anyone has used Vital Check to get a copy of their birth certificate? Not sure if its a scam or if there is an easier way.

VitalChek isn't a scam. But it does cost extra to use them. It's often "easier" if you live in (or close to) the town/county you were born in. Here we go to the County Registrar for birth certificates. Same day service.

 

[lpereira]

Start here.
https://travel.state.gov/content/pa...or-amend-consular-report-of-birth-abroad.html

 

[kittyklawz]

VitalChek isn't a scam. But it does cost extra to use them. It's often "easier" if you live in (or close to) the town/county you were born in. Here we go to the County Registrar for birth certificates. Same day service.

Thats what we would do if she was born where we live, but Germany is pretty far from Idaho lol! I found out we can just submit a request to the Department of State, and its $50 cheaper than going through Vital Check. I'm glad to find out this is a lot easier than I originally thought. Thanks for helping me to find the info that I needed everyone!

For anyone in a similar situation, here is the link with info on how to get a copy of a consular report of birth abroad:
https://travel.state.gov/content/pa...or-amend-consular-report-of-birth-abroad.html

 

[Msmit002]

I wonder if you were all born in the same hospital? I had a client who said he was also born in the same town at a german military hospital lol. She was born in wiesbaden germany.

Same with my sisters. (Yep, Army Brats R Us) Born in Wiesbaden at the hospital on the Air Force Base. They too only had the German BC for many years. When they had to get a passport, they supplied the German BC and my Dad's DD-214 (this was year's ago so I wouldn't be surprised if the requirements have changed.)

Anyway, no big deal. In fact, I think they did everything they needed right on base, stateside, and the passports arrived within a week or two (back then.)

 

[soniam]

FYI for anyone that has actually lost the original birth certificate. You can have people attest to when you were born. I don't know the exact specifics, but it's possible. My grandpa's birth certificate was burned, and there were no electronic copies. He had some cousins or aunts that attested to his age, so that he could get his passport.

OP, glad it looks like it's going to work out for your family.

 

[bumbershoot]

It would be lovely if she had those documents and knew what she had but she is not the most organized person and is a bit of a hoarder lol and my grandmother is 84 and my mother is 63 so these papers have been long gone. I did tell her she should look for her passport or birth certificate but I would like to be prepared for worst case scenario and having to get new documents.

Since I didn't know why she was born abroad but an American citizen (there are different ways) I gave you all the info I could find. Since I didn't know what paperwork she *had*, I gave you all the possibilities in hopes you could talk with her about what it was she had.

Just b/c people are older doesn't mean their paperwork is gone. My MIL is approaching 80 and has all of her official paperwork in files (and she barely even reads English).

For anyone in a similar situation, here is the link with info on how to get a copy of a consular report of birth abroad:

Aha, so it was the consular report that she must have had? Cool. The citizenship evidence page had a link to a link to the page you ended up on.

 

[bibbidibobbidibecky]

I was born in Wiesbaden! The hospital has been torn down. I got to go back and see it in 2001 and I just took my kids to Wiesbaden to see where I was born

My Birth Certificate is a US certificate of birth abroad.

 

[kittyklawz]

Since I didn't know why she was born abroad but an American citizen (there are different ways) I gave you all the info I could find. Since I didn't know what paperwork she *had*, I gave you all the possibilities in hopes you could talk with her about what it was she had.

Just b/c people are older doesn't mean their paperwork is gone. My MIL is approaching 80 and has all of her official paperwork in files (and she barely even reads English).



Aha, so it was the consular report that she must have had? Cool. The citizenship evidence page had a link to a link to the page you ended up on.

I'm assuming so based on what everyone else said born in the same area lol! She doesn't even really remember or know if she has her papers. She will have to get a move on it once I book our cruise this week lmao! She has a year and a half.

 

[eva]

Our daughter was born in Germany. All children born of military personnel abroad are recorded in Washington DC at the State Department. Order extras. Once you receive a certified copy of her birth certificate, go to your local county clerks office and have the certificate registered there. Then you only have to go there for more certified copies.

 

[kittyklawz]

Our daughter was born in Germany. All children born of military personnel abroad are recorded in Washington DC at the State Department. Order extras. Once you receive a certified copy of her birth certificate, go to your local county clerks office and have the certificate registered there. Then you only have to go there for more certified copies.

Thank you for that advice, I will tell my mom. She is still hoping she will find her original documents lol