Attorney:anyone regarding name and legal documents

[mama2be]

I have a potential problem...and thru this adoption thing I suspect it could become a problem in the final hour so I am trying to address it now before it does.

My dear hubby was born to Philipino parents who were fresh to the country-he was born here in the States, and if you spoke to his parents you'd beleive they just arrived yesterday bless their hearts.

So when Steve was born 33 years ago his dad ABBREVIATED HIS MIDDLE NAME ON HIS BIRTH CERTIFICATE!!!!!!!

So I guess that makes his legal name
Steve V. _______
and not
Steve Vea ________

BUT depending on what we are signing we have written out VEA before...for instance I didn't want V. on our marriage license, and on his passport he wrote V (no period)...

What is one to do when filling out important paper work that can cause a huge snafoo (sp????) and tons of money in a foreign country.
What do I do to respolve this...does anyone know, an attorney maybe amoung us.
I know I can soemone and will if needed but hoped someone here might know :)

Thanks!!!

[Momof3Labs]

Well, as someone who has a legal name and often goes by another name, I would recommend that he just use his legal name. I can't imagine that just putting V would cause a problem - whereas, using Vea possibly could.

Good luck with everything - boy, you guys are moving quickly!!

[mama2be]

Mark your calandar my goal is MARCH!!!!! :)...
I am moving quickly!!!...obsessive nature I guess!!!!

See I agree that V might not get much attention or noticed...but wouldn't it IF V. (that little dot at the end seems to get attention)...I put it on T's birth certifcate when filling out Steve's info and boy did it cause everyone to question me...I thought we'd never get discharged due to that...

...I know with my luck this will effect things...
I was wondering if there is a form where all of your legal names can go on to show it is OK...
Kind of like a legal document that says
known by
Steve V. ______
Steve V _______
Steve Vea ________

It might cost some mula but atleast it would clarify...
Steve Vea

[stella]

Well, I am a lawyer, but this is not my field. BUT my dh's name is Henry, but he goes by Hal and his passport says Hal and his drivers license says Hal, but his legal name is not Hal.

I would personally use "V" with or without the period. I know nothing of foreign adoptions, but I doubt they would require birth cert. AND passport for ID. If they do, just pretend the missing period on passport is a typo. Or if they only require one document, have his sig match the one he uses.

I would not stress over this. In the US it would not be a big deal, but foreign, I would just try to use only one document and it would probably be passport since it has the photo ID. If you need both, they are so similar except for a period. I would abandon Vea altogether!!! DOn't even introduce it into this circumstance.

My brother has a friend whose name is S.R. (He's in residency at UVa, shannon may know him) and his legal name is S.R. III. It doesn't stand for anything, so V. should be perfectly acceptable.

[aliceinwonderland]

I agree with Claire. Being from a foreign country, many of us do not even have middle names...I think as long as the last names match, you should be fine.
I also seriously dobt you will need DH's birth certificate...

But I may also be very wrong.
Good luck!

[mama2be]

Thank you ladies, that makes me feel better...

I won't stress over it BUT I do know that I need his birth certificate, passport, our marrige license and tons of other things actually. Infact they are so specific that I need actual copies (not zeroxed but from the Sate) (two per Dossier) of our Marriage Certificate and they each can not be signed by an admin but have to be signed from the clerk of "Orphans court" -and not only that but they then have to be shipped to the Dept of State for them to "approve them"...

Same thing with all of our documents they actually have to be notarized, sent to our Secretary of State to approve the notary and then sent to DC to approve that...I kid you not!!!!

It is a mess actually...I guess we are talking about a child here but really you chase your tail...and pay big bucks with each chase.
Just to get the Marriage certifcate is $20 each and then its $15 each "approval" in PA. Now NC (but we didn't get married here) only charges $10 for the first and $5 for the other 3...

This isn't postage, or anything else that's just that little segment.
The good news is I think birth Certifcates in NC can be copied, but still need to be notarized and then approved and then approved again...

But I do feel better thank you for putting my mind at ease.
We need Doctor statements notarized, friends references notarized...I mean it is not a simple process. 48 hours into this and I am exhausted!!!!

[mamahill]

Oh my gosh Neve - I have to say that I am so incredibly impressed. When you put your mind to something, there's no halfsies about it! I am SO thrilled for you and wish you the best. I link everyone's "V" (no period" recommendation is a good one. I hope everything goes smoothly and that in no time you're picking up your little ones. Holy cow, woman - I am so in awe of you. Is there anything you DON'T do?! (and can I come to the welcome home party?!)

[blnony]

Neve-
I haven't read the other responses; but basically, the name on his birth certificate is his legal name. He can petition to have it changed, but if he hasn't done that, the BC wins. :)
Edited to add: I wouldn't worry about the different spellings of it on different documents. This shouldn't cause a problem. I guess I should have read all the responses! :D
Also, I've handled many name changes for people like this; or people that were given just an initial for their first name, and courts will generally change it very easily, if Steve ever decides that he would like to do that.

[ismommy]

Neve,

wow. This is so impressive. I am not a lawyer but when we clsoed on our hosue there was a documnet that listed all the names we are known as.
Such as Rob, Robert and me with and without my maiden name - which I use though sometimes i use both. Hope that helps. Can't wait to hear more.

Helene
mommy to Isabella 9/19/01

[mama2be]

Helene,

That actually was exactly what I was thinking about...I think it's our credit reports actually!!! But I to go by maiden name and married name legally but not always depending on what I sign.

I feel better about this that is for certain after everyones responses!!!
Thanks everyone

[mama2be]

The document guy who we will use just emailed me back and said there is a "same name affidait (sp)", but he said that the BC though checked by millions...is not used in the final "dossier" so he too said not to worry!!!


Thanks everyone!!!

[mama2be]

Sweety I don't do so much that there's no room to even state how much I don't do :)...

House a mess, Steve starving, dogs needing food...in PJs as I type :)...

I would love for you to come tot he welcome party!!!! Now that is one thing I'll do is plan a HUGE party!!!!

[egoldber]

This is interesting. My mother never had a copy of her birth certificate (can you believe it???) until she was approaching social security age. She then got a copy of it and found out that the middle name she had been going by all her life was NOT the name on the birth certificate! Can you believe it? She had to petition to get her name legally changed at age 64!

And Neve, WOW!! Congrats! I'm glad that you and Steve have made the decision to include a very lucky child in your lives!