Little Girl With 2 Names
@ElusiveButterfly (45941)
United States
August 1, 2019 1:27pm CST
As many of you know, we adopted our granddaughter in May. We were told it would take a while to get her amended birth certificate reflecting her new name.
I needed this birth certificate to be able to change her name on her Social Security card. I was told I could use the adoption decree as proof of her name change. Well, that was not true.
So I mailed a request form to the clerk's office of the state she was born in, along with a check for $10 to cover the fee. Today I received a call saying that they had no record of our granddaughter's birth. I told the clerk it would be an amended birth certificate. She then told me that it would be about 6-9 months after they received the court papers for the new certificate to be issued.
They will be keeping my request for this document and will call me when it becomes available. The check will be returned to me because it will have expired by the time the new document is ready.
Good news though. Because she is eligible for benefits as my dependent, she will be able to get them even though her name on her Social Security card is different from her adopted name. I have an interview next month to complete the process and she will get her benefits after the information is processed.
So for now, she has 2 names. Good thing I don't have to explain that one to her.
11 people like this
10 responses
@Scrapper88 (5980)
• United States
1 Aug 19
I have a couple of friends who adopted their two grandchildren too.The two kids did not have to change their names though,
3 people like this
@ElusiveButterfly (45941)
• United States
2 Aug 19
We chose to change her name to our last name. It will avoid confusion when she goes to school.
1 person likes this
@ElusiveButterfly (45941)
• United States
3 Aug 19
I am positive that there will be a time when she will find this an interesting subject to discuss. When we adopted her we explained that she was getting a new name. She still tries to say her old name, but we correct her. She will get it eventually. LOL.
1 person likes this
@just4him (323168)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
4 Aug 19
@ElusiveButterfly Yes, she will.
1 person likes this
@ElusiveButterfly (45941)
• United States
28 Aug 19
Thankfully it won't impair her getting into school, etc. But, It may in the future if a birth certificate is requested.
1 person likes this
@ElusiveButterfly (45941)
• United States
4 Sep 19
@Ithink in our state it doesn't take as long. Not sure why it should differ from state to state.
1 person likes this
@Ithink (10106)
• United States
1 Sep 19
@ElusiveButterfly Well that is at least a plus, still insane how long it takes them to get things done imo
1 person likes this
@ElusiveButterfly (45941)
• United States
3 Aug 19
Yes, this is true. I just hope that the school system won't require her amended birth certificate right away. If so, she won't be able to attend preschool next month.
1 person likes this
@ElusiveButterfly (45941)
• United States
3 Aug 19
@dodo19 I have sent them the adoption decree that shows proof of her legal name change.
1 person likes this
@dodo19 (48153)
• Beaconsfield, Quebec
3 Aug 19
@ElusiveButterfly Hopefully, they don't need it yet, and will understand the situation. I'll keep my fingers crossed.
1 person likes this
@bunnybon7 (50970)
• Holiday, Florida
16 Aug 19
My grandmother adopted my cousin, her grand daughter because her mom was moving out to remarry after 6 yrs of living there and grandma taking care of the little one while her mom worked. It just seemed right.
1 person likes this
@ElusiveButterfly (45941)
• United States
21 Aug 19
Did the child's mother maintain contact with her daughter?
1 person likes this
@ElusiveButterfly (45941)
• United States
22 Aug 19
@bunnybon7 good that she realized that the child thrived better with her grandmother.
1 person likes this
@bunnybon7 (50970)
• Holiday, Florida
22 Aug 19
@ElusiveButterfly yes my aunt still visited often and had more children. they took her for a bit but my cousin missed living with grandma and would not eat etc. hence the adoption once they took her back to grandma.
1 person likes this
@crazyhorseladycx (39503)
• United States
2 Aug 19
aint that ridiculous? 6-9 months fer such to be processed 'n ya get anew. so much fer modern technology makin' these sort'a thingies speedy'n efficient. glad ya can still apply fer those benefits without such. 
1 person likes this
@ElusiveButterfly (45941)
• United States
3 Aug 19
The clerk said that once they receive the adoption document it has to be processed. Well, it takes just a few minutes to read a document and enter the few keystrokes into a computer. Then I imagine you press "print" to get a hard copy. Amazing.
1 person likes this
@ElusiveButterfly (45941)
• United States
5 Aug 19
@crazyhorseladycx weird how one went through without a hitch and the other still is pending. Hopefully it will go through soon.
1 person likes this
@crazyhorseladycx (39503)
• United States
4 Aug 19
@ElusiveButterfly i can empathize with ya, hon. the ex-son'n law gave'p his parental rights (aka: didn't like payin' child support...) 'n 'fter a few years 'f my daughters latest marriage, the newer son'n law asked the young'uns if'n he could make 't legal 'n 'dopt 'em. 'f course, bein' pre-teens they were elated. the eldest paperwork went through without a hitch. the youngest? 'tis been o'er 2 yrs 'n they've still not gotten such straightened out.
i 'gree with ya. how diff'cult 'n time consumin' can such be??
1 person likes this
@hereandthere (45628)
• Philippines
2 Aug 19
i'm glad she's eligible for benefits.
1 person likes this
@ElusiveButterfly (45941)
• United States
2 Aug 19
So am I. It will help us immensely.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128832)
• Gainesville, Florida
3 Aug 19
Nothing like the federal government to complicate things worse than they have to be. In this day in age of computers and technology, it should take a day or two to get all this taken care of, not 6-9 months. That is ridiculous. But that's government for you!
But just think, someday you'll have a great story to tell her about the time when she had two names!
1 person likes this
@ElusiveButterfly (45941)
• United States
3 Aug 19
With all of the fraud that takes place in this day and age, I understand the necessity of making certain that all legal documents are in place. But, yes, the idea of it taking so long to make a new document that should only take a few keystrokes is ludicrous.
Seriously, are there so many adoptions that take place that it takes 6-9 months to do this?
I have a lot of stories in the vault that I can tell this little one when she is of an age where she can fully understand.
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
3 Sep 19
At least your can still get help even before this is straightened out. Birth certificates are fun, not, we're dealing with our own situation now.
My husband asked for a copy some years ago but come to find out when he was born they didn't always put all the info on them. When he asked for a copy because it was for his files being that he now lives in another state they sent him the incomplete one.
Recently he applied for his first passport and we discovered after he paid and sent it in that the certificate in his possession won't do. Now we're in the process of getting an amended one. He was given three months to get the correct one back to the organization that does passports. If he misses the deadline they can keep the $150.00 he paid.
The interesting thing about your granddaughter b certificate it's surprising to me that they will be able to do an amended one of they don't have the original on file. Did you call the city/county where she was born?
BTW, I didn't realize you were still active here as I've not seen you around in a long time. Granted I wasn't here for a while there but...
1 person likes this
@ElusiveButterfly (45941)
• United States
4 Sep 19
I did talk to a clerk in the state she was born in. As soon as they have the amended certificate she will call me so I can send payment to have it mailed. I've decided to get 2 that have an official stamp.
I am active here, not on everyday though. Loving being retired and having time to do things, and visit people that I haven't seen in ages.
1 person likes this
@ElusiveButterfly (45941)
• United States
6 Sep 19
@MarshaMusselman I have been extremely busy with her. Will be more so once she is in preschool. She will only go half a day. Once I pick her up I am planning on going home so she can take a nap. Of course I will be busy with keeping house myself. LOL
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
6 Sep 19
@ElusiveButterfly I was thinking you were extra busy with your little miss after you knew you'd get her for good. Maybe I just didn't look long enough
1 person likes this
@ElusiveButterfly (45941)
• United States
3 Aug 19
Life is full of difficulties. This one isn't as bad. I don't sweat over the small stuff. If I did, I would be a wreck.
1 person likes this
