Applying for a passport getting to be a PITA!

[John Schmidt]

Two glitches I'm facing, one is my adoptive father's middle name and adoptive mother's birthdate...I know the year, just not the date. Dad's middle name/initial was Carl and I watched him sign papers my entire life with a C for his middle initial. But for some inane reason, my adoption papers have his name as John S. Schmidt, not Carl. To add to the mess, my birth certificate shows him as John S. for the middle initial...which it isn't. The woman in the Post Office had a hissy fit over it.

My adoptive mother's birth date escapes me, she died of cancer in 1948 when I was 10 yrs. old, her birth date wasn't an issue I was interested in at the time. John & Marie adopted me at age two. The gal in the PO again couldn't believe I didn't know her birth date. I told her I'd do what I could about both issues, dad's middle initial and my mother's birth date. If I can't satisfy her, I'll just forget the entire thing. Nancy and I would kinda like to do the European river cruise you see advertised on TV but I'm sure not going to lose sleep over the whole passport thing.

I can give them all the personal info they need to do a background check. I'm not sure what "they" expect from all this, I've outlived everyone in both my biological family and my adoptive family so it's just me that's left out of all this. Has anyone else ever run into such an issue?

[Ramie]

Sounds like a mess and a lot of govenment employee's never seem to eager to help sort things out.  I'd keep trying until you find someone more eager to help or just tell them your here illegally.

[cookiedough]

find someone who has a pd subscription to ancestory.com  or other websites might be able to help you find birthdates/deaths/obits.    After my mom died, I did some googling on the computer and found out that my mom's 1st a-hole husband who should have been locked up for life back in 1958 died last year and know where he is buried in Illinois about 2 hours south of me.  If I ever get down there, I will _iss on his headstone.

[Valkorado]

There are several companies that offer river cruises right here in the good old USA.  Might be something to consider.

[Jess from VA]

I have had no middle name all my life.

Last year, doing some Federal paperwork, I decided using NMN (no middle name) or NMI (no middle initial) might be confusing to the minions processing the paperwork, so I wrote NONE under middle name.  You never leave blanks on these forms.

Sure enough, my Medicare card came back with Jesse None Jxxxxxxx, on it.

The minions are stupid (or just trying to be funny).

But unbelievably, a phone call to the SS minions got someone who removed None as my middle name with no proof or extra paperwork at all.  This minion laughed when I said my middle name is not (and has never been) None.

Now I have no idea how secure the SS paperwork system is, but I started getting mail with None (or the initial N) as my middle name on it.  And occasionally still do.  

[f6john]

Let me see your papers! Heil Hitler!! American citizens should have more than enough evidence or history if you will to obtain a passport without jumping through endless hoops of nonsense.

[3fan4life]

Have you considered trying to obtain copies of their birth certificates?

My 94 y/o mother needed a copy of her birth certificate.

A quick phone call to the vital records department in KY and I had one on the way.

I'm sure the process varies from state to state but it shouldn't be that hard.

Also, there has to be a record of your adoption somewhere, that should contain the information that you need.

[Serk]

What's your adoptive mother's full name, and location of birth/date if you know it? I know a guy.....

[Jess from VA]

Probably too late now, but you should have just made some up. 

[da prez]

John , I applied for a certified birth certificate. Went to a passport center. Passport was home almost before me. If you do not get the right postal worker , you are dealing with Hitler.

                   da prez

[John Schmidt]

What's your adoptive mother's full name, and location of birth/date if you know it? I know a guy.....

Serk, I finally found what I needed for her. I might need a copy of either the 1950 or '60 census to prove my dad's middle name wasn't one starting with an "S"...will let you know so "your guy" can take a look.    Here's hoping the postal worker will listen to me today.

EDIT: Well, she accepted the app as it was and asked me to just fill in dad's middle name as I knew it once I explained the issue. She was a bit wary re. my mother's name since my birth certificate didn't show the entire name...her first name, middle and last name. I told her the first and last name are a given, the only thing missing is her middle initial or name. I offered to write a letter of explanation but she declined, said it would be sent in as is and I'd be contacted if questions came up. Guess I'll find out.

[JimC]

John,
I would call your Congressman's office.
It is amazing how quickly they can work B.S. out when they get a call from a higher up, who just got a call from a Congressman's office.

Jim

[f6gal]

What's your adoptive mother's full name, and location of birth/date if you know it? I know a guy.....

Psst... I know the guy.