OK...So, the twins were born 16 months ago and I do not have birth certificates yet. With our upcoming trip destination being the Cayman Islands, I am going to need passports for everyone and that means I need birth certificates...
No biggie I thought. I will just head on down to the bureau of vital statistics and get me a copy. Set the alarm for 5 AM. Get out of the house by 6 AM. Drive to the middle of Houston and am waiting outside of the door at 6:45 AM only 2nd in line. They open at 7 AM. So, this is looking good.
I should have relished in that very moment of euphoria and went home and crawled back into bed. If I knew what lay ahead, I would have...
I get in. I fill out the required paperwork X 2 for the birth certificates. I sit down and wait for #2 to be called. Suddenly my number pops up and I am being called. I happily walk over to the counter and hand her my paperwork. All the while, I am thinking that this is great. I will be out of here by 7:30 AM and will have no trouble getting to work by 8:15 AM....
The lady begins to type in information. She types, then types some more and more and more. Finally, she looke up and says: "I cannot issue these birth certificates because these babies were not born in Harris County." Huh??? Come again??? If they were not born in Harris County, then please explain to me why I pay Harris County taxes every year and I literally live down the street from the hospital. Well, guess what? That street that I live on is the Harris/Fort Bend County line divider....
So, she states that she can give me a record of birth. I ask if that will be accepted at the passport office and her response is that she is not sure. Ok, well how much is it? "Oh, it is $23 each just like the birth certificates." Uh, let me get this straight, you want me to spend $46 on certificates that I might not even be able to use so that I might have to go and spend $46 more when I need the appropriate one?? No thanks...
I leave for work with nothing and proceed to call the records place for Fort Bend County. I discover that I can just email the payment and fax the order over...
You have got to be joking....
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5 comments:
Aw, Jenn, I'm sorry for the frustration, but tell me, where do I sign up for the Cayman Island field trip??? I mean, the rodeo & the aquarium were cool but this is sounding REALLY cool!
Someday we are gonna take a trip, girl ~ just you wait!
How Weird! In CA, you don't go by county unless it is immediately postpartum. I actually ordered the big girls' on the internet via some fairly cheap service. The twins came home with paperwork on how to order the birth certificate, and I justsent it in pronto.
Sorry you were inconvenienced. My parents lived in a town where the county line divided the city as well. The county line was used as the dividing line for the area code, too, so people just across the street could have been a long distance call. Oy!
Sheesh...don't you love bureaucracy? But, hey, give us details on your upcoming trip! Are you going with all 5 kids by yourself or with another mom?
Most places don't give out actual birth certificates anymore, just official certifications of birth. Yeah, right. I do know that most government agencies are aware of this and will accept them. Still, what a pain! Happy you managed to get it worked out.
HOW BIZARRE! SORRY FOR ALL THE FRUSTRATION YOU HAD TO GO THROUGH!
HOPE YOU ALL HAVE A WONDERFUL TRIP!
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