Kokua Line June Watanabe

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Complicated ID case has good news

Question: I was born in Honolulu. A couple of days later, I was adopted (not legally) by a couple who are both now deceased. In 2001, after a long search for my biological family, I finally found them, which brought me to Hawaii. I ended up living here.

About a year ago, I had my wallet stolen, including my ID. When I went to the Board of Health to try to find my birth certificate, I found out that the birth certificate I was born with does not have the name I grew up with. The clerk was able to find the certificates of my biological parents and siblings, but not one with the name I grew up with.

Which brings me to a wall. Since my birth certificate is different from my Social Security card, I am unable to get an ID. I went to the Lieutenant Governor's Office and was told that in order to file for a name change, I must get the document notarized. In order to do that, I need an ID. But when I tried to get an ID, they said I needed my birth certificate and a Social Security card all under the same name.

I went to see if there was a Social Security card under the name I was born with. There was none. I was told there is nothing they can do about the Social Security card without me changing the name on the birth certificate. Once again, I went in a complete circle. I have been to Legal Aid and consulted with dozens of law firms, all saying they don't know what to do because they have never had this kind of a situation before.

I am beyond frustrated and depressed. I can't travel, look for another job, go to school, vote or do ANYTHING requiring an ID. The only place I can cash my check is a check-cashing place in Aiea, and I live in Nanakuli. Can you help?

Answer: We understand you've since been given good news.

We contacted Liane Moriyama, administrator of the Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center, which oversees the state ID office, who said that her staff had already been forwarded your e-mail plea by the Lieutenant Governor's Office.

She said last week that Virtta Hite, supervisor of the state ID program, was able to point you in the right direction to getting a state ID card.

With help from the state Department of Health's Vital Records staff, your original birth certificate with your birth name was located.

Apparently, your hanai mother had a fake birth certificate made, and that was the cause of the identity crisis.

Moriyama said the state ID office, working with California authorities to obtain additional information, was able to issue you a Hawaii ID card under your birth name because you had never been legally adopted or had a legal name change.

This will enable you to obtain a legal name change through the Lieutenant Governor's Office.

Once you obtain a "Name Change Order," you should take it back to the state ID office, where you will be able to obtain an ID card in the name in which you were raised, Moriyama said.

Finally, you can take your "Name Change Order" to Vital Records to have those records amended, she said.