Real ID: Married Women Beware!

[jo-jo]

I'll be honest - I'm 47 years old, consider myself not terribly out of touch with reality and world goings-ons, and have NEVER known of anyone or heard of anyone getting their birth certificate changed after they got married! I mean - it's not really a true record of your birth if it's altered to reflect a name change, is it?
I didn't get it changed and had no problem with the Real ID, or getting a passport or anything else over the past 26 years.
Have I had a totally different experience than everyone else?

I don't believe anyone is speaking of getting birth certificate changed after marriage.

It's just that women need to show...
birth name is Jane Smith
married name is Jane Jones
divorce name is Jane Jones
remarried name is Jane Carter.
and perhaps repeat which means more names and paperwork.

Your SS card, DL, bank statements all say Jane Carter. With Real ID, you need to show each step of the name change. Some of these changes are from 50 years ago when everything was handwritten in books, churches may have closed, who knows maybe court houses burnt down.....some may not even remember dates and such. So next year, are we going to hear stories, I really wanted to do 4 generations at disney but we couldn't find all the paper work for my great grandma so she could fly.

 

[leebee]

They need to be able to accurately track changes to your legal name. Friend I referenced earlier took her SS card (birth name), passport (married name), and current driver's license (married name). Because she didn't have her marriage license with her, they could not document the legal change from birth name to married name, so they wouldn't issue the real ID. (She also had a bunch of other identifying stuff- I think she said tax return, a bill in her name/address, and... something else, can't remember. They weren't interested in any of that at all.)

 

[easyas123]

ok, THAT makes sense! I'm glad I was mistaken.

 

[dez1978]

I haven't read all the comments, but I guess I don't see the big deal. You can request copies of birth certificates, marriage licenses, etc. When I got my pass port and TSA precheck, I had to provide all of those things. When I changed my name on my drivers license I had to provide a list of things. I understand that its more difficult for elderly people, some who might have never gotten official copies of marriage certificates and such, but most of the general public should be able to obtain those things fairly easily.

 

[Searc]

I'll be honest - I'm 47 years old, consider myself not terribly out of touch with reality and world goings-ons, and have NEVER known of anyone or heard of anyone getting their birth certificate changed after they got married! I mean - it's not really a true record of your birth if it's altered to reflect a name change, is it?
I didn't get it changed and had no problem with the Real ID, or getting a passport or anything else over the past 26 years.
Have I had a totally different experience than everyone else?

You don't change your birth certificate after you're married. Your birth name is your birth name, unless you were adopted (or are in the Witness Protection Program, but I would assume that doesn't include anyone here).

 

[easyas123]

You don't change your birth certificate after you're married. Your birth name is your birth name, unless you were adopted (or are in the Witness Protection Program, but I would assume that doesn't include anyone here).

Yeah, I obviously misread or badly interpreted other posts and got it wrong!

 

[PrincessJo]

Does your new license have a gold star in the upper right? If so, you're good to go.

Yes, it has a gold star.

 

[DopeyDame]

I'll be honest - I'm 47 years old, consider myself not terribly out of touch with reality and world goings-ons, and have NEVER known of anyone or heard of anyone getting their birth certificate changed after they got married! I mean - it's not really a true record of your birth if it's altered to reflect a name change, is it?
I didn't get it changed and had no problem with the Real ID, or getting a passport or anything else over the past 26 years.
Have I had a totally different experience than everyone else?

Deleted since others beat me too it

 

[disneychrista]

You don't change your birth certificate after you're married. Your birth name is your birth name, unless you were adopted (or are in the Witness Protection Program, but I would assume that doesn't include anyone here).

Or have a legal name change. You can get an amended Birth Certificate if you change your name legally. Both my daughters do when I changed their last name to mine after their left father and really wasn't part of their lives.

 

[Lilsia]

I'll be honest - I'm 47 years old, consider myself not terribly out of touch with reality and world goings-ons, and have NEVER known of anyone or heard of anyone getting their birth certificate changed after they got married! I mean - it's not really a true record of your birth if it's altered to reflect a name change, is it?
I didn't get it changed and had no problem with the Real ID, or getting a passport or anything else over the past 26 years.
Have I had a totally different experience than everyone else?

I have not had any issues at all. I was married and divorced, then when I married my now husband, the only time that I had to show the old marriage license and divorce papers where when I changed to my now name at the social security office. So my Social security card and all of my other legal paper work is in my married name and my birth certificate is the original. Our state just automatically started doing real ID several year ago. So they had already asked for social security number and birth certificate. I have never been asked to prove how I went from my maiden name, to my married name. Seems pretty obvious, especially if your social security card shows your married name. They already saw the proof so that should work down the line just like a passport does, since they have already verified the information.

 

[disneyseniors]

I didn't read all these pages, but have something different to add to the mix:
I went to get my real ID and thought I had all the documents, birth certificate, sscard, 2 forms of ID such as electric bill, car insurance bill.
BUT, I found out that my "birth certificate" was not a birth certificate!!!! It says on top, " Certificate of Birth". I am 69 y/o and I have the BC that my mother gave to me long ago, or so I thought! It doesn't have the names of my mother and father at all on it! I honestly never looked at it closely when I got it, other than reading the title of Certificate of Birth. This is from Ohio. Now, I have to wait for the Ohio health department to send me an expensive copy of my BC and hope I get it before we travel this Spring!!!! I also really need it before my license expires in December this year, so really before Spring. All I can do is hope it gets here before mid December, or I was informed my DL would not be accepted anywhere as proof of ID.
So, a heads up to others who have to do this confusing process.

 

[EMom]

Just renewing is different from getting a Real ID.

I’m in Texas. My DL has some time left on it, but I got a letter telling me to replace it before Real ID goes into effect. I went online, clicked a few times, paid a fee, and it came in the mail soon after, gold star included.

 

[EMom]

I'm assuming there's more to your situation and you're just stating it that way for reaction..

You know what they say about assuming things. See my post above. I merely stated the facts. Sheesh.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I was informed my DL would not be accepted anywhere as proof of ID.

Your DL is still proof of your ID. It's not proof of ID to get onto a plane or locations that are deemed Federal places requiring of an ID like a military base or cemetary.

From Ohio's website for what Ohio calls Standard card (non-REAL ID):
"Does not meet national travel security requirements - a Standard card will need to be used in conjunction with a passport or other acceptable documents approved by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), in order to fly commercially or to access a federal facility or military base. www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/identification.

The Standard card does not require additional identity documents, unless the DL-ID is being issued for the first time."

So technically it's not that it's not accepted anywhere.

 

[jo-jo]

I have not had any issues at all. I was married and divorced, then when I married my now husband, the only time that I had to show the old marriage license and divorce papers where when I changed to my now name at the social security office. So my Social security card and all of my other legal paper work is in my married name and my birth certificate is the original. Our state just automatically started doing real ID several year ago. So they had already asked for social security number and birth certificate. I have never been asked to prove how I went from my maiden name, to my married name. Seems pretty obvious, especially if your social security card shows your married name. They already saw the proof so that should work down the line just like a passport does, since they have already verified the information.

What state are you in?

This is from the site for Pennsylvania for Real ID .....
Proof of all legal name changes: Certified marriage certificate, court order, or divorce decree issued by your county's family court.


So even for events that happened 40-50 years ago, you still need to show the chain of names from A-B-C.

I didn't read all these pages, but have something different to add to the mix:
I went to get my real ID and thought I had all the documents, birth certificate, sscard, 2 forms of ID such as electric bill, car insurance bill.
BUT, I found out that my "birth certificate" was not a birth certificate!!!! It says on top, " Certificate of Birth". I am 69 y/o and I have the BC that my mother gave to me long ago, or so I thought! It doesn't have the names of my mother and father at all on it! I honestly never looked at it closely when I got it, other than reading the title of Certificate of Birth. This is from Ohio. Now, I have to wait for the Ohio health department to send me an expensive copy of my BC and hope I get it before we travel this Spring!!!! I also really need it before my license expires in December this year, so really before Spring. All I can do is hope it gets here before mid December, or I was informed my DL would not be accepted anywhere as proof of ID.
So, a heads up to others who have to do this confusing process.

We ordered new birth certificates just in case. Ours either have no seals or embossed area or just plain falling apart. We hadn't looked at them for decades.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I’m in Texas. My DL has some time left on it, but I got a letter telling me to replace it before Real ID goes into effect, I went online, clicked a few times, paid a fee, and it came in the mail soon after, gold star included.

So looking into this further it looks like Texas automatically gives you a REAL ID based on this comment from the FAQs:



At least that's the way I'm reading it. So renewing early means you get a REAL ID. Not renewing early means the next time around it will be a REAL ID but beginning October 1, 2020 the non-expired and non-REAL ID it won't be able to be used for flying and other Federal places.

One does have to be eligible for online renewal though in the first place.

**These are just my interpretation of the information**

 

[disneyseniors]

Your DL is still proof of your ID. It's not proof of ID to get onto a plane or locations that are deemed Federal places requiring of an ID like a military base or cemetary.

From Ohio's website for what Ohio calls Standard card (non-REAL ID):
"Does not meet national travel security requirements - a Standard card will need to be used in conjunction with a passport or other acceptable documents approved by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), in order to fly commercially or to access a federal facility or military base. www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/identification.

The Standard card does not require additional identity documents, unless the DL-ID is being issued for the first time."

So technically it's not that it's not accepted anywhere.

Thanks so much, Mackenzie, for clearing that up for me The DMV lady made it a point to say that the DL would not be accepted ANYwhere after my birthday in December. I don't think all the DMV workers are on the same page, but the written Ohio State website is the definitive answer. I just hope the OhioHD gets my birth cert. out before our trip. Interestingly enough, they asked me if I was married, and I said yea, 51 years, and they never once told me I needed to bring my marriage license (if I could find it) LOL.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Thanks so much, Mackenzie, for clearing that up for me The DMV lady made it a point to say that the DL would not be accepted ANYwhere after my birthday in December. I don't think all the DMV workers are on the same page, but the written Ohio State website is the definitive answer. I just hope the OhioHD gets my birth cert. out before our trip. Interestingly enough, they asked me if I was married, and I said yea, 51 years, and they never once told me I needed to bring my marriage license (if I could find it) LOL.

It should be able to be used for ID (aside from the situations already listed) so long as it's not expired. Is your DL expiring in December? Maybe that's what they were referring to?

I hope you get your birth certificate too! No need for added stress.

 

[debknight]

I was married outside of the United States. The "man-in-charge" at the DMV said my marriage certificate probably would not be accepted because it does not have an "official seal" on it, even though it states "certified copy of marriage register".

 

[disneyseniors]

Thanks so much, Mackenzie, for clearing that up for me The DMV lady made it a point to say that the DL would not be accepted ANYwhere after my birthday in December. I don't think all the DMV workers are on the same page, but the written Ohio State website is the definitive answer. I just hope the OhioHD gets my birth cert. out before our trip. Interestingly enough, they asked me if I was married, and I said yea, 51 years, and they never once told me I needed to bring my marriage license (if I could find it) LOL.

It should be able to be used for ID (aside from the situations already listed) so long as it's not expired. Is your DL expiring in December? Maybe that's what they were referring to?

I hope you get your birth certificate too! No need for added stress.

Yes, my DL expires on my birthday, December this year. Here's hoping Ohio's dept of health works quicker than most government departments