So frustrated - Passport for AD

[christophersmom]

I am beyond frustrated right now. We received our adoption decree and our SW told us it will take 1-2 months to get a Birth Certificate. So my mom had been planning a trip to Puerto Vallarta that I had been telling her that we need to see what the timelines for adoption are before we confirm that we are going. After we got our decree and found out from SW it would take 1-2 months we told my mom we could go (a family trip).
Well, I went to Vital Records and they hadn't received word from the Adoption Review Unit that reviews adoptions after final decree and before it goes to vital records. What?!?!?! I never was told about such a thing. So, they gave me the number for the adoption review unit and told me to ask for the supervisor and ask to get my adoption review done expedited. I left a message for the lady who does it for our county and she called me back. She said they are working on a 4-6 month timeframe to review and approve adoptions and get them to vital records. She said vacation is not an important reason to expedite and to call her at the end of September to see where we were. I was so mad but stayed calm on the phone, explained that this was a big family trip, we really want to take DD with us and need a Birth Certificate to get a passport issued. She blew me off and said I could contact her supervisor who is on vacation until the 13th and plead my case with her but realistically we are looking at getting it maybe by the end of the year. It is not like I asked for it tomorrow, I asked if I coudl have it by the beginning of October, a MONTH away. The trip is in November.
I don't see what other alternatives we have. I don't see not taking DD as an alternative and we will be out a lot of $$ if we don't go and my mom pre-paid for our condo rental down there, $750. I am so mad, had we been told this up front we wouldn't have gotten excited and said we could go.
Can anyone think of any alternatives? Can I get a temporary visa/passport with just my adoption decree?

Oh and then the whole Social Security card is a mess. I put her on my insurance with her new name and her medicaid is he old name and they told us to get medicaid right away with her new name, um news flash without birth certificate I can't change medicaid because I can't get her a Social Security card. I tried and failed. So I also have no clue how the insurance thing will work out with her new name (since the new one isn't valid yet but on my insurance card without her social security card and birth certificate) and her old name.

I understand that we jump through a million hoops, but I thought we were done once we had the decree and now it is just a new set of hoops where these people don't care about us and she made it very clear. I hate that we are going to miss an opportunity to see my mom if we don't go and that means we wouldn't get to see her until next year.

[Polliwog]

I never needed to do anything to change Chris's Medicaid over to his new name. The Medicaid unit did it automatically (I guess with notice from the adoption social worker.) I didn't change his SSN over for a long time since his birth certificate took a really long time to come, too.

I'm sorry to hear that you might have to change your vacation plans. That really stinks. If there's anything I can do (which I doubt,) just let me know.

[zh97]

I have gotten passports for both foster children (without birth parents involved) and adopted kids without birth certificates. For my son, I used the adoption finalization papers that had his adoptive name and my name on the paper.

If I were you, I would just give it a try. Fill out the passport application and send it in with all of the supporting documentation you have and perhaps a letter explaining your situation. It will probably take a little longer, but they will send you back a letter telling you what your next steps need to be, and a number to call to try to explain things further. When I got the passports for foster children, it was pretty crazy, like needing the social worker to photocopy their social worker photo ID and get it notorized (try explaining that one to your worker!) but it all worked out in the end. Do you have her original birth certificate? You may be able to apply under her birth name and then get it changed for free when the new birth certificate arrives. I've done that too.

Good Luck!

[mamarhu]

This is a totally off-the-wall suggestion that worked for me. Ask your state representative for help with the passport. Mine was a Social Security issue that was cleared up in 3 weeks; after I had been denied.

[Smithie]

Contacting your state rep is a good idea. Who knows, maybe somebody is his/her office has been through this kind of thing and will feel your pain.

I am planning a European trip with my family next spring that is going to have to be canceled if we get a placement before then, but I'm still going forward with it because I know that once our son comes home, it may take literally YEARS before we can get the state out of our business and be 100% free to make parental decisions such as passports.

[christophersmom]

I lawyer friend recommended calling my representative so will try that if I don't hear back next week. I have an appointment with the Passport office next week. I am going to bring a certified copy of her birth certificate (orginal one) and her adoption decree and hope for the best. They have said it will work, but I won't beleive it until I see it.
I am still frustrated with the state agency though. The supervisor extended her vacation so now won't be back until Thursday or Friday. I have left a message with her and original lady again and haven't heard back. It is just ridiculous that it takes them 6 months to review between courts and vital records.