Patriot Act/Social Security/DMV problems

[Nightingale 0]

Ok... now this whole Patriot Act thing has gotten too personal!

The story:

I discovered, when attempting to E-file my taxes, that the social security people had my birthday wrong. They thought it was the 2nd, and its the 1st. a simple typo from when the card was issued. I can guarantee that my mom wrote the right birthdate on the application. She's my mom. I think she knows what my birthday is.

So, I go down to the SSA with the following:

my birth certificate
my passport
my drivers' license
my social security card
my LA Fire Department ID
even my freakin' library card.

Every single little piece of info I can think of to verify my identity.

the lady at the counter says, that while she believes me, the "security measures we're required to implement by the patriot act" require that they get the ORIGINAL microfiche of my birth certificate from LA County to verify my date of birth.

The problem here is: I was adopted. The copy of my birth certificate that I have is altered. The original records are sealed. SSA does not want to accept an altered version. They'll probably have to get a freakin' court order to open them, which, in the case of ANY adoption information, is a royal PITA and usually denied.

So... I'm grumbling about the mess, but figured it wouldn't be that big a deal, since, other than not being able to e-file my taxes, the issue hasn't caused me any trouble thus far.

HOWEVER... the lady then looks at my drivers' license and says "oh... we might have a problem here."

She tells me that now, the DMV is required to verify personal information with the SSA before issuing or renewing a drivers' license. My license expires in December. They're claiming it will take them at least six months or so to work through this mess to unravel the birth certificate issue, so, I will probably not be able to renew my drivers' license when it expires.


So, basically:

Because of the patriot act and some moron's typo, come December, I won't be allowed to legally drive a car.

someone please tell me how this is protecting America?

(and no cracks about my driving. I have a perfect driving record from day 1, thanks much.)

[NightJumper 0]

I would think that you could petition the courts to help expedite the matter since you are the party involved. Or how about getting a certified copy of the court order granting your adoption?

The bad news is that I believe you have to go through the federal courts to get an order to compel the SSA.

Best of luck

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someone please tell me how this is protecting America

It's not, besides everyone knows that we train all of the terrorist down here in south Florida......that is, when we are not busy screwing up a presidential election!

[Nightingale 0]

It's damned impossible to get adoption records and original birth certificates unsealed.

People petition for various reasons all the time, and the majority of petitions are denied. Courts do not look in favor on releasing information about adoptions, because they feel that the birth parents have a right to privacy, and that original birth certificate will have their names on it.

[NightJumper 0]

Then get an order from the federal courts to compel the SSA to accept the documentation that you provided. I had to do this for my grandmother. The SSA didn't like it, but I didn't care.

Hell, tell the court you are applying for relief FROM the Patriot Act.

[Nightingale 0]

how does one go about getting the federal court to order something?

[kelpdiver 2]

I wonder if this can be solved by finding a different lady at the desk...classic process for dealing with the DMV/SSA/INS. If not this may be a good item to run by your Representative. Supposedly much of their staff is dedicated to casework and this strikes me as important as anything they get.

Oddly enough, for a couple friends the INS refused to accept an actual marriage certificate. They would only accept the certified copy that shows up a few weeks later. Sometimes it seems that they just don't want you to succeed on your first try.

I thought once you had a passport, this sort of BS was resolved. I had trouble getting that document because while my birth certificate has my father's name, I always used by mother's.

I do need to contact SSA one of these days - I have me earning nothing in 1995 and $1800 in 1973 - when I was 1. But I sure don't feel any sense of urgency when I hear tales like your's.

[Nightingale 0]

I've contacted my congressman. he says to give his office at least a month or so to look into the matter. I filled out the paperwork to give him permission to do so today and faxed it in.

I went through three different desk ladies (her, her supervisor, and her supervisor's supervisor). Apparently, the computer flat out won't let them do it.

[Michele 1]

Kris, really briefly (I've got no time right now...), you've run into a moron...

I'm adopted. There is no problem with a "legally altered" Birth Certificate. The courts are the ones who altered it, therefore it's legal. Bring along a copy of your adoption declaration, and you should be fine. No real need to process a court order for opening adoption records.

As for the DL, they did not verify a darn thing last week when I needed to renew it; as a matter of fact, they didn't need anything other than my license to work with. So I think you'll be fine there.

I'll re-read your post later, and read through the thread when I've got some time, and see what else I can come up with. But at the moment, I'm left with the thought that you ran into a moron, and it shouldn't be as hard as they're saying, and certainly wasn't for me.

Ciels-
Michele

~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek
While our hearts lie bleeding?~

[Nightingale 0]

from what the lady was saying, when I go to renew, I just fill out the paperwork, but when it comes to the license actually getting issued and sent to me, the info is then cross checked with social security computers to verify info.

and if I ran into a moron, I ran into three. her, her supervisor, and her supervisor's supervisor.

and suddenly the department of education can't seem to allow me to access my financial aid file due to "information does not match."

this is looking bad.

[PhillyKev 0]

Look at it this way. It's a chance to start over. Move to another state, dye your hair, find some infants tombstone born around the same time as you and assume their identity.

[crwmike 0]

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how does one go about getting the federal court to order something?

Commit a federal crime?

Michael

[Clownburner 0]

..You get a lawyer.

But make sure _not_ to bring the Patriot act into it.. That'd just start a crappicane and bring the department of justice into the mess, since challenging the patriot act in court without their permission is illegal.

7CP#1 | BTR#2 | Payaso en fuego Rodriguez
"I want hot chicks in my boobies!"- McBeth

[dbattman 0]

Would it be possible to just 'adopt' the 2nd as you 'governent birthday'? That might be simpler.

[Nightingale 0]

I thought about that... but the DMV already has my correct birthday recorded, so that'd only confuse things further.

[billvon 2,434]

>They're claiming it will take them at least six months or so to work
>through this mess to unravel the birth certificate issue, so, I will
>probably not be able to renew my drivers' license when it expires.

At least there will be one less person trying to hijack airplanes!

J/K. I've been through similar issues with the California DMV, including their refusal to renew a registration on a car because they thought it was a commercial truck and it didn't have some sort of a tax certificate. ("But it's a Mazda MX3! It says so right there on the registration! It's parked right there!" "Sorry, sir, I'm not authorized to look at your car and make that determination.") Ended up selling the car for $2000 under blue book value to someone who said they could handle it, no problem. They didn't have any luck either.

[PhillyKev 0]

I just thought of the easiest solution. I had lost my ss card and didn't have an original birth certificate. I enlisted in the Navy and they got me both in a couple days. Just join the military, they'll straighten it out for you.

[Nightingale 0]

LOL!

The military won't take me.

[PhillyKev 0]

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LOL!

The military won't take me.

yeah, they wouldn't take me either, but they didn't figure that out until they took care of my paperwork for me

[dbattman 0]

Tell the DMV they made a mistake, it is really the 2nd. That jives with SSA, so you're cool. Whalla! You are now one day younger.

[:)}

[Nightingale 0]

but it wouldn't match with my passport or birth certificate, and that would be bad.

[kallend 1,648]

Well, if you insist on being born on the wrong day you must expect to cause confusion.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[peacefuljeffrey 0]

I recommend a shooting spree, targeting all the shitwad bureaucrats whose incompetence and irrationality have needlessly and inexcusably complicated your life thus.


Blue skies,
-

-Jeffrey
"With tha thoughts of a militant mind... Hard line, hard line after hard line!"

[peacefuljeffrey 0]

Quote

It's damned impossible to get adoption records and original birth certificates unsealed.

People petition for various reasons all the time, and the majority of petitions are denied. Courts do not look in favor on releasing information about adoptions, because they feel that the birth parents have a right to privacy, and that original birth certificate will have their names on it.

I don't see how any court can deny you access to information about YOU, especially when it is required by the government or agents of the government in order to exercise various rights and privileges to which you are entitled.

I personally don't feel that birth parents should be entitled to remain secret from the children they put up for adoption. I believe that upon reaching 18 years of age, a child should have that information released to him or her. That should be part of the bargain of being able to hand your child over without being held accountable for its birth or its upkeep.

But really, I don't see why a passport and all the other stuff is insufficient to get something as simple as the change of your birthdate done on your SS card.

By the way, who the hell is this woman to now inform on you to the DMV? Why not renew your license and not mention this problem; then when you get the records you need, they can also be used to correct the date on the license if necessary?

I wish you luck. It must be very frustrating to be stymied by incompetence that cannot be overcome and defeated just by pointing it out and stating what would be correct. I'm not into that feeling of powerlessness, so you have my sympathy.

Blue skies,
-

-Jeffrey
"With tha thoughts of a militant mind... Hard line, hard line after hard line!"

[Nightingale 0]

I can't just "renew the license" because the DMV will check with SSA before issuing the new license. (DMV has already verified this. I called them without identifying myself)

[kallend 1,648]

Find a reporter from your local TV station and have them run your story on bureaucratic incompetence.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.