First, this does not pertain to me. I was born here.

I work in an office that issues passports. We have had a fairly large influx of refugees, especially in the past 10yrs.

The people who handle the passport applications, say it is not uncommon to have someone apply for a passport, yet they don’t know their birthday. And the countries they are coming from don’t exactly have any, or if at all, accurate information. And they all put down January 1st. Their words, not mine.

What is the process for giving out legal documents to someone who can’t prove their identity? This could entitle someone to voting privileges, Social Security, MediCare, and pretty much any other type of fraud.

Please tell me there is a process to circumvent this…

I thought for a USA passport one needed a Certificate of Naturalization or a Certificate of Citizenship, or a couple of other docs as proof that would all have DOB's on them.

Have the rules changed such that Certificate of Naturalization or Certificate of Citizenship is not needed any more for those born outside the USA?

I'm confused (not unusual) you title does not match your actual question...

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I work in an office that issues passports. We have had a fairly large influx of refugees, especially in the past 10yrs.

?????
Only US citizens can get a US Passport. To get a citizenship a valid certified copy of a Birth Certificate & notorized English translation is required. Do you work in a US Post Office?

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What is the process for giving out legal documents to someone who can’t prove their identity?

Wouldn't that be spelled out where you work?

To get my passport, I had to supply my original Naturalization Certificate (which was returned), and as I recall, some utility bills, a recent tax return, and another form of ID, like a DL. I don't recall a birth certificate, since I had my naturalization papers, but that WAS required for Citizenship to proceed.

I don't know how they get around that requirement in the case of refugees from those 3rd World shitholes where they barely have paper, much less record keeping.

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Originally posted by smschulz:

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What is the process for giving out legal documents to someone who can’t prove their identity?

Wouldn't that be spelled out where you work?

If memory serves correct he works at the Post Office and they only handle the passport application.
He is asking what is documentation is required to become a citizen and that does not occur at the post office.

What exactly is required I have no clue. All I know is I have done a lot of work with folks from the Middle East and Africa (mainly refugees).
January 1st was likely the “birthdate” of at least 60% of these folks if not more.

Like I said I have no clue what it takes but from all I can tell when it comes to refugees becoming citizens it is not very much at all.

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Originally posted by Pyker:
To get my passport, I had to supply my original Naturalization Certificate (which was returned), and as I recall, some utility bills, a recent tax return, and another form of ID, like a DL.

That's what my wife had to do, too.

IN general, under international law, countries taking in refugees or asylum seekers are required to provide some form of identification documents. If the host state won't issue it, the UNHCR can issue documents (not really an issue in the US). For those who don't have access to birth certificates, which is common for refugees, USCIS assigns a birthday of Jan 1.

There is a vetting process for refugees that involves biographic and identity investigations, FBI biometric checks of fingerprints and photographs, medical screenings, other checks by U.S. domestic and international intelligence agencies including the National Counterterrorism Center/Intelligence Community and the FBI. Refugees from some countries, such as Iraq and Syria, undergo an additional review through the Security Advisory Opinion process

To get permanent residency (green card), they have to apply after living in the states for 1 year. They can apply for US citizenship after 5 years of residency. THey are (mostly) required to be proficient in basic English, pass a civics test and take an oath of allegiance to the US. They are also fingerprinted and photographed for background checks.

This is how the typical refugee gets handled. I don't think the Afghan refugees would be considered typical. It seems like we have no idea who we brought over here. Not sure how that is being handled.

Can they produce an arrest warrant? If you are here illegally that is all you need to fly now,according to our government.

TSA confirms it lets illegal immigrants use arrest warrants as ID in airports

https://www.foxnews.com/politi...warrants-id-airports

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Originally posted by Anush:
[QUOTE]?????
Only US citizens can get a US Passport. To get a citizenship a valid certified copy of a Birth Certificate & notorized English translation is required. Do you work in a US Post Office?

Yes, I am a mail carrier. I have nothing to do with passports. I just overheard the passport clerks talking, and I couldn’t believe what I heard.

We have had enough refugees in the past few years, school enrollment was up 40% in one year at a local school district.

What the refugees get aren't US passports but "Refugee Travel Documents." Apparently, "the Refugee Travel Document is similar in appearance to a U.S. passport."

How do I get a refugee travel document.

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Originally posted by ASKSmith:
The people who handle the passport applications, say it is not uncommon to have someone apply for a passport, yet they don’t know their birthday. And the countries they are coming from don’t exactly have any, or if at all, accurate information. And they all put down January 1st. Their words, not mine.

Just wait 'til you meet "Suharto LNU", DOB 01/01/1980. Single names (no family/surname) are pretty common in a wide swath of places like Indonesia, and SOMETHING needs to go into the last-name field on Driver's Licenses and other stuff when they come here.

It's even more amusing in waiting rooms on this side of the Pacific when someone tries to sound-out the abbreviation for "Last Name Unknown" and calls for "Mister... Linoo?"

Reminds me of this bit from The Tonight Show.
Starts at 3:50.

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Originally posted by DennisM:

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Originally posted by ASKSmith:
The people who handle the passport applications, say it is not uncommon to have someone apply for a passport, yet they don’t know their birthday. And the countries they are coming from don’t exactly have any, or if at all, accurate information. And they all put down January 1st. Their words, not mine.

Just wait 'til you meet "Suharto LNU", DOB 01/01/1980. Single names (no family/surname) are pretty common in a wide swath of places like Indonesia, and SOMETHING needs to go into the last-name field on Driver's Licenses and other stuff when they come here.

It's even more amusing in waiting rooms on this side of the Pacific when someone tries to sound-out the abbreviation for "Last Name Unknown" and calls for "Mister... Linoo?"

Yes, they have very common last names, and they move around a lot, between houses. They also move multiple families into a single house. It’s easy to spot, they have so many cars they park them on the street, instead of their driveway. I’d guesstimate 90% of the houses in my territory for the past five years were sold to refugees. And it’s a chain reaction, once a house sells, the other neighbors start moving out. But the first thing they do is get voter registration card, nevermind most can’t speak English, and for as long as they’ve been in our community, they haven’t tried. The kids can speak without an accent, but they keep to themselves. They want zero interaction with western culture. Even at bus stops, they avoid American kids. And the parents are always with them, because most don’t work.

Just an observation from the past few years. I was unaware of the “pick a birthday” for legal documents. Kind of disturbing…

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Originally posted by ASKSmith:
First, this does not pertain to me. I was born here.

I work in an office that issues passports. We have had a fairly large influx of refugees, especially in the past 10yrs.

The people who handle the passport applications, say it is not uncommon to have someone apply for a passport, yet they don’t know their birthday. And the countries they are coming from don’t exactly have any, or if at all, accurate information. And they all put down January 1st. Their words, not mine.

What is the process for giving out legal documents to someone who can’t prove their identity? This could entitle someone to voting privileges, Social Security, MediCare, and pretty much any other type of fraud.

Please tell me there is a process to circumvent this…

Of course there are processes to make sure people are who they say they are. The law requires it, and government bureaucrats revel in such minutiae. Potential immigrants and visa applicants have to jump through incredible hoops to get into this country legally. Documents, more documents, checks of records, some more documents, FBI checks - and woe betide the applicant who can't provide what is needed or whose documents don't measure up.

It probably contributes to the numbers that try to get in illegally. They can't get in legally. I'm not saying we should change, just saying . . .