A few weeks ago my wife and I with our new passports took an Alaskan cruise the ended in Vancouver B.C. We had passed into the Yukon and used our passports and back into the U.S. Back on the ship my wife noticed that her passport said born in NJ. She was born in Chicago.
When we came home I realized that when I filed the application, I had listed NJ as where she was born, but we also had to submit birth certificates which showed she was born in Chicago.
I went to the county office that handles passports and was told no one would question where you were born and don't worry about it. Later I called a number I had from a passport form and was told resubmit and pay another $110 to get a corrected passport. I think I made a mistake but also wonder why we had to give them a stamp sealed birth certificate to get the passport. We both screwed up.
Would you pay and have the passport changed, or keep the one with the incorrect place of birth?

This message has been edited. Last edited by: rtquig,

I think I'd just run it the way it is. After 10 years, apply for a brand new passport instead of renewing, obviously with the correct information.

“Your papers please.” “They are not in order”

In all seriousness, have you purused the government website for FAQs to check about how to fix discrepancies? It *may* not cost you a thing.


Changing or Correcting a Passport
Please see the Change or Correct a Passport Page for details:

https://travel.state.gov/conte.../change-correct.html

https://travel.state.gov/conte...uirements/forms.html

Get it fixed. Looks like there is no fee. The clerk at the county office may be right that no one will ever question it. But do you really want to take that chance? Have your vacation ruined because you couldn't enter a foreign country or worse yet not be able to get back into the US.

https://travel.state.gov/conte.../change-correct.html

A passport issued with a data error (e.g., name, sex, or place of birth) or printing error (e.g., data is missing on the biographical page, discoloration, crooked printing, etc.) can be corrected at no charge if the passport is still valid.

To correct a data or printing error:
Complete Form DS-5504.
Submit form by mail with your passport, one color photo, and evidence of the error (e.g. your U.S. birth certificate showing the correct spelling of your last name).
You will not have to submit any fees.
The validity of the new, corrected passport depends on when you report the error.

If... Then...
Reported within one year of issue date The new passport will be valid for 10 years from the date it is issued.
Reported after one year of issue date The new passport will be valid until the expiration of the original, incorrect passport.

I sure would get it corrected, even if it cost me an additional $110. Since it looks like it's free, that's a no brainer.

I called the number on those websites. If you correct it in 90 days it's free. They told me it was my mistake, not theirs, so they want me to pay. I didn't have to give them my name so I'm not worried they will come after her.

quote:

Originally posted by rtquig:
I called the number on those websites. If you correct it in 90 days it's free. They told me it was my mistake, not theirs, so they want me to pay. I didn't have to give them my name so I'm not worried they will come after her.

Just fill out the form 2000z-71 linked to and send the appropriate information in.

As one who has been held at a border crossing with a fully valid passport it is not a pleasant time I promise you that.
Get it fixed no matter the cost.

They split you all up and start asking questions about each other and place of birth comes up you’ll have problems.

Get it fixed. Likely nothing will happen but not worth the risk.

As Black said if they separate you and question you(for whatever reason) and one person in your party says she was born somewhere and the passport says something else it can become a PIA. Likely never happen but not worth it. Remember most countries the idea of innocent until proven guilty doesn't exist.

I would use form DS-5504 and tell them it was a printing error(which it was since the birth certificate listed the correct city).

Just get a new one. On the bright side, she'll be good for another ten years.

I got pulled out of line in San Diego coming back from Tijuana around 0100 hrs once, granted we didn't need passports at the time but the guy wanted to know how I got from Florida ( my DL) to Tijuana.


Telling the guy, " I swam", is also not the right answer....


The supervisor thought it was funny and let me thru back into the US and told me to try and be reasonably sober (ish) if I ever pass thru again.

I'd send it in and say that there is an error and return the correct birthplace as reflected on the birth certificate and not explain it was your error...

I’m in the “get it corrected even if you have to pay” crowd.

Since I was born in Texas, I would definitely get it corrected if my passport said I was born in New Jersey :-)

At least you have a birth certificate. I didn't know I didn't have one until I went to apply for my passport back in 2005. Turns out mother never applied or filed for my state birth certificate, she thought the hospital/doctor issued "certificate of birth" was it.
Of course, I did get my birth certificate myself.
Yes, get it corrected.

FWIW, I did have a border agent ask me where I was from, I told him what state I lived in, and he then questioned why my Passport says I'm "from" another State (the state I was born in) .

I just mentioned that I moved from that state some years ago, and he moved on.

I think they ask questions to try to trip you up.

But in your case......... you'd need to explain the error to be truthful.

quote:

Originally posted by radioman:
FWIW, I did have a border agent ask me where I was from, I told him what state I lived in, and he then questioned why my Passport says I'm "from" another State (the state I was born in) .

I think they ask questions to try to trip you up.

A good agent is reading body langue as much as the answers to your questions.

They asked me where I was born at a crossing here. I told him. He said are you sure? And laughed a little. You know, I think he may have thought I talked funny.

quote:

Originally posted by comet24:

quote:

Originally posted by radioman:
FWIW, I did have a border agent ask me where I was from, I told him what state I lived in, and he then questioned why my Passport says I'm "from" another State (the state I was born in) .

I think they ask questions to try to trip you up.

A good agent is reading body langue as much as the answers to your questions.

Most folks here seem to be focising on border agents when making entry to the US. This is far less of a concern.

The problem arises when you are trying to border cross overseas.

We had issues getting from Croatia to Bosnia.
No way would I want to be trying that with bad info on my passport.
We were valid as could be and it was a bit nerve racking when we got pulled aside and our passports taken and cost me an extra $50 euro as I just wanted to get us out and rolling.

quote:

Originally posted by jimmy123x:

quote:

Originally posted by rtquig:
I called the number on those websites. If you correct it in 90 days it's free. They told me it was my mistake, not theirs, so they want me to pay. I didn't have to give them my name so I'm not worried they will come after her.

Just fill out the form 2000z-71 linked to and send the appropriate information in.

I'll look at the form and see if it will help.
Thanks guys.

Few things have ever felt more strange and uncomfortable than being on the outside of your own country and thinking, even for a second, that they might not let you back in.

Get it fixed, just in case.