My parents never registered my birth

[Nobirthrecord]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? California

My parents were the hippie-sort "the government's out to get us!" sort. I was born 30 years ago, and they didn't register my birth. I also don't have a social. My dad's dead now, and my mom is off living somewhere that she refers to as "the compound," but I don't know where and don't have a way to contact her - she contacts me.

I feel like an illegal immigrant in the country where I was born. There's no doubt to anyone who meets me that I'm American. I hate to pull the race card, but I'm as pale as can be as well. There's no chance I'd be racially profiled as anything but a white American. I've lived in California almost my entire life, and Oregon for part of it.

I've managed to skirt by on library cards, even a Costco card and Disneyland season pass (both of those have pictures). I'm in college, but no ID was required, and I checked "no SSN".

In the past when I have looked into how to rectify this, I've always been told I need an attorney. Since I can't legally get a job, and my fiance (permanent fiance, I guess, since we can't get married without me having government-issued ID) is having to support me in addition to himself, coming up with money for an attorney is much easier said than one. We're paycheck-to-paycheck.

I'm tired of this. There has to be some way to register my own birth and get a SSN without an attorney. But even google searching comes up with "get an attorney!". Please help me. I'm so tired of this. If I have a baby, I'm afraid I can't even go on the birth certificate for my own child. I'm just so tired of all this!

 

[TinkerBelleLuvr]

school records since you were little person
any other witnesses
baptismal certificate
bible listing the birth

an attorney

 

[Nobirthrecord]

I know the witnesses for my birth, and can contact them. I was homeschooled. Religion? Ha. Pagans don't have bibles or church-baptisms.

We don't have the money for an attorney. I wish we did. I wish we had the money to fix our car or buy a bike so my fiance doesn't have to walk 5 miles each way to work. We just don't have the money.

 

[Silverplum]

I know the witnesses for my birth, and can contact them. I was homeschooled. Religion? Ha. Pagans don't have bibles or church-baptisms.

We don't have the money for an attorney. I wish we did. I wish we had the money to fix our car or buy a bike so my fiance doesn't have to walk 5 miles each way to work. We just don't have the money.

Contact your county courthouse and see if they still have a self-help center. If not, go to the next county over.

 

[justalayman]

I feel like an illegal immigrant in the country where I was born. There's no doubt to anyone who meets me that I'm American. I hate to pull the race card, but I'm as pale as can be as well. There's no chance I'd be racially profiled as anything but a white American. I've lived in California almost my entire life, and Oregon for part of it.

You do realize that there are illegal immigrants from countries other than (what I presume you are referring to) Mexico or some other latin American country where they are darker skinned than the typical European, right?

Any immigrant, regardless of where in the world they came from, is an illegal immigrant if they have not followed the proper procedure to emigrate to this country and received approval to do so.


just for fun, I wonder what would happen if this person turned themselves into ICE. Where would they consider deporting them to since they could not prove legal residence?

 

[Nobirthrecord]

All I've been given so far is this: http://www.cdph.ca.gov/certlic/birthdeathmar/Documents/Court-Order-Delayed-Birth-PAMPHLET-(11-10)-MERGED.pdf

But no one seems to know wher eto find the VS 108 form. I checked courtinfo.ca.gov. Any google searches for "california court form "VS 108"" references the same .pdf. I think finding that form could really help, but I'm coming up against a brick wall.

 

[ecmst12]

If you get the money for the lawyer, then you'll be able to get a job. It will pay for itself.

 

[divona2000]

All I've been given so far is this: http://www.cdph.ca.gov/certlic/birthdeathmar/Documents/Court-Order-Delayed-Birth-PAMPHLET-(11-10)-MERGED.pdf

Try this link:

http://www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/uploadedFiles/Health_Human_Services/Level_3_-_Vital_Statistics/DelayRegBirthJan2008.pdf

"If you need to go to court to judicially establish the facts of
birth, you should contact our office first to get a copy of the
application form (VS 108 – Court Order Delayed Registration
of Birth) and our informational pamphlet which explains the
process. Call our Customer Service Unit at (916) 445-2684.
You can also go to our website to download the Court Order
pamphlet and request copies of the VS 108 form."

and:
"VS 108 Court Order Delayed Registration of Birth
To request one of the forms above, please contact the Office of Vital Records of the county where you were born in or mail a request to:
CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH
Office of Vital Records - MS 5103
P.O.Box 997410
Sacramento, CA 95899-7410
Phone: (916) 445.2684"

 

[Nobirthrecord]

Thanks, Divona. That does help.

Emc, your privilege is showing. Coming up with several thousand dollars for a retainer isn't so easy for the average American. You are clearly wealthy and it's not a lot of money to you. But to me and my fiance, as well as the majority of Americans, it's a great deal of money. Are you aware that the median household income in the US was $49k last year, most having two income-earners, and that's before taxes? A $5k retainer is more than 10% of that. My fiance doesn't make that much. He makes $35k. It would be years before we have $5k in cash. I'm tired of waiting. Having a legal identity should not be dependent on having a large sum of money.

Layman, I know there are white illegal immigrants, though not as many. And being deported to only God knows where since I can't even prove my legal existence is frightening. I don't think anyone speaking to me could possibly mistake me for an immigrant. I have no hint of any accent whatsoever, understand American slang and common vernacular (as well as have a rather extensive vocabulary full of obscure words very few native-English speakers have), etc.. My mother also has never been outside of the US. I have a copy of her birth certificate. Interestingly, since babies were allowed to leave hospitals before being named, her birth certificate doesn't have a first or middle name.

I feel like I'm doomed to list an under-the-table life in my own native country.

 

[stealth2]

There are options such as local law school clinics where you might get some guidance how to proceed.

I guess I don't understand why you've not addressed this issue more aggressively sometime over the 12 years since you became a legal adult.

 

[ecmst12]

I am not wealthy by any means, I was more suggesting that you borrow the money or find a lawyer who will allow a payment plan. But at that income level, legal aid should be an option also. Your other option would be to spend the time you would otherwise spend at a job, in the library researching the issue.

 

[mistoffolees]

Thanks, Divona. That does help.

Emc, your privilege is showing. Coming up with several thousand dollars for a retainer isn't so easy for the average American. You are clearly wealthy and it's not a lot of money to you. But to me and my fiance, as well as the majority of Americans, it's a great deal of money. Are you aware that the median household income in the US was $49k last year, most having two income-earners, and that's before taxes? A $5k retainer is more than 10% of that. My fiance doesn't make that much. He makes $35k. It would be years before we have $5k in cash. I'm tired of waiting. Having a legal identity should not be dependent on having a large sum of money.

Look at it the other way. You have a lot of years ahead of you. If you properly document your identity and can get a college education and a real job, you will make many times more than you would as an under-the-table worker. Let's say you could make median income of $49 K with a real job and identity and perhaps $20 K working under the table. That's $29 K per year times 38 years till retirement at your age. That's over a million dollars extra that you'll earn by being properly documents.

Quite a return on a few thousand dollar investment.

 

[stealth2]

Thanks, Divona. That does help.

Emc, your privilege is showing. Coming up with several thousand dollars for a retainer isn't so easy for the average American. You are clearly wealthy and it's not a lot of money to you. But to me and my fiance, as well as the majority of Americans, it's a great deal of money. Are you aware that the median household income in the US was $49k last year, most having two income-earners, and that's before taxes? A $5k retainer is more than 10% of that. My fiance doesn't make that much. He makes $35k. It would be years before we have $5k in cash. I'm tired of waiting. Having a legal identity should not be dependent on having a large sum of money.

No one's privilege is showing. I don't make near what your friend does, and if it was something important enough to me, I would find a way to get the needed money. Otherwise, I would be hounding the library at the nearest law school to research the subject so I could find the solution. AND I would be tracking down my idiot mother.

Layman, I know there are white illegal immigrants, though not as many. And being deported to only God knows where since I can't even prove my legal existence is frightening. I don't think anyone speaking to me could possibly mistake me for an immigrant. I have no hint of any accent whatsoever, understand American slang and common vernacular (as well as have a rather extensive vocabulary full of obscure words very few native-English speakers have), etc.. My mother also has never been outside of the US. I have a copy of her birth certificate. Interestingly, since babies were allowed to leave hospitals before being named, her birth certificate doesn't have a first or middle name.

I feel like I'm doomed to list an under-the-table life in my own native country.

Lose the pity party about feeling like an illegal immigrant.

 

[stealth2]

And your Google skills aren't "all that", sweetheart. First hit on a search for "VS 108 form CA" is

http://www.cdph.ca.gov/certlic/birthdeathmar/Documents/Court%20Order%20Delayed%20Birth%20PAMPHLET%20%2810-08%29%20MERGED7.pdf

On page 3 of that, there is a link where to order the form electronically. SO I can't imagine that you've been looking all THAT hard.

 

[OHRoadwarrior]

Interesting that a college would accept someone that has not gone to school prior to their acceptance. Sounds ummm interesting.