With the current events going on in LA and other cities across the States, not having proper ID as an immigrant in Southern California would be rather terrifying. That said, a husband claims to “have a unique situation which has turned into a bureaucratic nightmare.” His wife is an adoptee from Korea adopted by an LA couple at age 4 and was given an SSN 3 years later. Her American birth certificate was allegedly stolen, but the “Los Angeles County Clerk has no records for her.” And even though she has her SSN and a state-issued driver’s license, “those aren’t enough to get her the new REAL ID” to travel anywhere.
“The CA Dept of Public Health has no records for her and recommended we talk to the Korean Consulate,” OP explains on Reddit. The office says it requires them to provide the wife’s Korean name, address, and ID, which the California couple does not have. The husband attempted to contact several local attorneys, but they stated that they were unable to assist with the case. “An immigration attorney said our last resort would be getting a Judicial Order Establishing Identity, but said they don’t handle that sort of thing,” OP groans. “Is my wife forever stuck being a non-person who can’t travel by airplane?” he despairingly asks.
“It’s wild that the state doesn’t have the re-issued birth certificate,” a Reddit user remarks, to which I would have to agree. Several top commenters ask the crucial of where her adoptive parents are. If they are still around, they should be able to provide a lot of important information that would be huge for the Korean wife to get her “Real ID.” A user states that if his spouse attended a public school, there’s a high chance she had to have her adoptive parents use a copy of her birth certificate, which could be retrieved or at least checked to prove her identity.
Despite what OP mentioned earlier, one commenter strongly encouraged the husband to “find the right attorney NOW.” “This is a really serious problem, specifically for South Korean adoptees,” they claim, adding a link to a news article about Korean adoptees fearing deportation because of issues with their legal status and official identification. Another person suggests contacting the local state representatives, but a reply warns that “this is risky depending on what side of the aisle your representative is on.” “This country sucks now,” groans another response.
Hopefully, the California couple will be able to resolve things for the wife. It’s unbelievable that the state offices would have no records of her, such as her super important birth certificate. And if the adoptive parents are present, they should take responsibility and offer a helping hand in the matter.
