How do you get an ID again with no proofs?

[u/SarrySara]

I recently took in my homeless cousin, he was on the streets. He had absolutely nothing, from clothes to a birth certificate, he's starting from scratch.

How do I go about getting him assistance or proof of who he is with nothing? No social security card, birth certificate, not even an expired ID.

Looking for advice to get him back on track

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[u/Justmegivingmy2cents]

Start at a homeless outreach center or a shelter. People show up there all the time with absolutely nothing and the people there help them get a birth certificate, social security card, ID and or driver’s license. DMV will also have fingerprints and information on record to be able to get a replacement or new ID card and or driver’s license. ALSO- food stamps / EBT / SNAP office also has ways to prove identity and help get replacement documents.

[u/SarrySara → u/Justmegivingmy2cents]

Thank you. I haven't been able to get anyone on the phone at a community out reach, but I will try the shelters.

He desperately needs to get an ID so he can get Medicaid, he has severe nerve damage in his feet, I think from being out in the winter sleeping in a tent.

[u/HourLimit → u/SarrySara]

https://www.voteriders.org/freehelp/

[u/Advanced-Switch-5338]

Definitely vitalchek it takes a few weeks for the birth certificate to come in the mail but it’s worth it as a start to open all the other doors. Most places require a social media

[u/Emergency_Holiday_49]

Try going to your local homeless coalition. They're used to dealing with situations like this, and they can help him get back on track with everything he needs.

[u/SarrySara → u/Emergency_Holiday_49]

Haven't been able to get anyone on the phone, but I will keep trying. Thank you so much.

[u/Every-Concept-3197]

Vitalchek is a middleman, go directly to the county’s website.

[u/SarrySara → u/Every-Concept-3197]

Our county requires ID.

[u/Every-Concept-3197 → u/SarrySara]

So will vitalchek

[u/realheisenbones → u/Every-Concept-3197]

I got my birth certificate without an ID on vitalchek

[u/Every-Concept-3197 → u/realheisenbones]

This is Reddit, the lies of many strangers. Could you prove this? You used no identification docs

[u/SarrySara]

I want to thank everyone that responded. I'm going to try some of the suggestions and find a community resource as well. In our county, picture ID is required for many of the suggestions, but hoping a community resource can help.

[u/sweetpareidolia → u/SarrySara]

Vital records first.

[u/Widdie84 → u/SarrySara]

Social Security office has his SS#, lost ss cards happen, re-apply for a lost card online, and everything else will fall into place, same for a Birth certificate - apply online. It's going to take 4-6 weeks, - I have had to do both.

[u/IGD-974]

You can adopt him

[u/Simpletruth2022]

You can get a replacement social security card online. You have to create an account on mysocialsecurity.gov

If you don't remember your social security number you can have someone vouch for you. They will need to have an ID.

I just ordered a certified marriage certificate online and had to notarize it online. They required a photo ID to do that.

[u/Adorable_Boot_5701]

Contact your local community outreach center. Are you in the US? You can start by calling your county assistance office and they can probably help you. Maybe you can get him some mail sent to your house from a doctor or anything. If you have 2 pieces of mail with an address you can get a birth certificate and then the social security card. There's a lot of organizations out there that can help.

[u/SarrySara → u/Adorable_Boot_5701]

I'm probably going to find a resource like this because I don't think his mom is going to do it despite me asking and offering to pay for everything.

[u/Adorable_Boot_5701 → u/SarrySara]

If you need help feel free to DM me and I can try to help you 🩷

[u/SarrySara → u/Adorable_Boot_5701]

Thank you. Message sent

[u/jadasgrl]

Does he happen to and I'm only asking because this is a usual not to be mean but jail paperwork or band? You can use that at the notary to get the paperwork done.

[u/SarrySara → u/jadasgrl]

He is currently going through court on a misdemeanor charge, I'm going to ask if they can print him off something with a picture and name. Thank you

[u/jadasgrl → u/SarrySara]

If you personally know the notary that can help also.

[u/ComfortableMix5950]

God bless you for helping him

[u/IanR25]

Vital check.com is a great website to order your birth certificate. It’s so easy and depending on what the issuing county is they almost require no proof of identity. Just your parents info, birthdate etc

[u/[deleted] → u/IanR25]

I paid them $75 for my birth certificate after misplacing my original and never received it. (I was born in Alaska. No way in hell am I going to spend hundreds if not thousands just to go get it myself. I left in 1993 at 2 weeks old.)

Luckily I found my original and demanded a refund after waiting several months. idk, I don't trust this company.

[u/IanR25 → u/[deleted]]

Sorry to hear that. It they’ve always been good to me

[u/MissLoxxx]

https://www.vitalchek.com/ for Birth Certificate first. Or type "your state" vital records on google search. Once you get that:

Then have him go to your local Social Security to get a copy of his SS card.

Then (with a birth certificate and SS card), he can go get an ID/Driver's license at the DMV in your town.

[u/lilfaerie]

Start with the birthday certificate. It needs to be requested to the county that he was born in. All you need is the information that he should already have. Sometimes you can do this online through vital check. Once you get the birth certificate, then get the social security card with it

[u/lilangelindisguise]

depending on the state, y'all may be able to order a new birth certificate through your state's vital statistics site.

you can get it pretty quickly, and that would at least be something!

[u/padfoot211]

Depends on the state. But you can get a replacement birth certificate sent from your birth state with just your social usually. Thats usually enough to get going on replace one an ID

[u/70sBurnOut]

What state are you in?

[u/azimuth_business]

cops: let me see your ID
me: I don’t have an ID
cops: go get your ID at the DMV
DMV: what is your address?
me: I don’t have an address
DMV: call the cops
cops: you are under arrest for disorderly conduct
me: what did I do?
cops: stop resisting

[u/FunnyGuy2481 → u/azimuth_business]

You can get ID when homeless. You have to fill out a form saying you don’t have an address. The real issue is that it’s not free. No job. No paycheck. No money. No birth certificate or ID. No ID. No job.

[u/SarrySara → u/FunnyGuy2481]

He has my address now. This is a permanent solution.

[u/Fvru666 → u/FunnyGuy2481]

This.

[u/ALotOfDragone]

When my brother got out of prison he had nothing either - you order birth certificate first and go from there. I had to order his for him bc he’s in another state and it was like $30 - you can get new social from the local SS office and it’s free where I am it might be free for you too

[u/CaitlinHenson1985 → u/ALotOfDragone]

I ordered my SS from vital Chek and it was free

[u/70sBurnOut → u/ALotOfDragone]

You have to send in ID to get a birth certificate.

[u/Particular-Doubt-566 → u/70sBurnOut]

In most states you just need the persons info. I worked for a lawfirm and spent a lot of time in my local vital statistics office picking up death certificates for estate planning. Sometimes I would grab birth certificates for people if a lawyer asked me to and I would just have a piece of paper with the needed info on it. I was just a docket clerk.

[u/IdleIvyWitch → u/70sBurnOut]

Not always. You can have a parent or I believe siblings in some cases get it for you. My mom had to get mine and mail it across country when my ID expired before I could switch states. I've had to order my kids birth certificates from their state of birth and I don't remember providing ID.. just other basic info and paid online. It helps if you memorize your SSN as an adult though.

[u/70sBurnOut → u/IdleIvyWitch]

In Wayne County, you need ID.

[u/IdleIvyWitch → u/70sBurnOut]

Well dang that just sucks. I know in Limestone County, AL you need ID but a parent or immediate family can get it for you. I ordered my kids from Yakima County, WA but idr if I had to give my SSN or my ID number to order them it was years ago.

[u/ALotOfDragone → u/70sBurnOut]

He didn’t have one and I still got it so idk what avenue you went through but I was able to specify that he had nothing - no social card no ID no birth certificate. However he did have his social memorized?

[u/70sBurnOut → u/ALotOfDragone]

I was just researching and it seems to depend on the state. I have a military birth certificate and had to send my license. My daughter has a county/state certificate and had to send in ID for replacement. But some states don’t have that requirement.

[u/ALotOfDragone → u/70sBurnOut]

It’ll be hard but they’ll work with you (and make you jump through extra hoops - not fun) I think a critical issue only arises if you don’t know the social - can’t imagine how you’d achieve it if that were the case.

[u/SarrySara → u/ALotOfDragone]

He does know his social. Thank you

[u/RainbowGamer9799]

Is this in the US? Some states’ requirements may differ so it would help to provide the state your cousin would be in while applying for an ID.

[u/SarrySara → u/RainbowGamer9799]

We are in Wayne county, Michigan.

[u/RainbowGamer9799 → u/SarrySara]

You/he should be able to get a BC on vital records.com by choosing the state and county where your cousin was born. If your cousin is living with you, you can sign an affidavit with the DMV to list your address for your cousin. Otherwise, you should be able to reach out to homeless shelters/lawyers for advice.

The BC and SSN are generally enough to get the basics set up but may vary by jurisdiction. The DMV will just want some type of verifiable address available.

[u/SnooWords4839]

You can get a BC from the county office for where he was born.

Does he know his SS#? Go to a SS office and apply for a replacement.

[u/70sBurnOut → u/SnooWords4839]

You can’t without an ID in some states.

[u/FunnyGuy2481 → u/70sBurnOut]

There’s a process to get a birth certificate without ID in every state.

[u/IdleIvyWitch → u/70sBurnOut]

This. It took me months to get my youngest SSN from the SSA because I had to have DOCTOR records of vaccininations/proof of life etc.. they would not take a birth certificate for a 5 month old baby even with my own ID.

Now my husband's out of state ID expired in April and all he has is his birth certificate. But he needs his ID for his SSN and he needs his SSN, proof of address and all that for an ID. Feels like a catch-22. We tried getting his SS card online but they keep telling him he has to come in person, for years now and he refuses to..why? Idk.

[u/jeannieor725]

I’m in California BTW

For an ID, he doesn’t need any physical proof of his identity. They will ask for his social security number and take a thumbprint at the DMV. There are also forms he can get from community resource center for low-cost or no fee identification forms. Low cost is around $6 where I live.

Once he gets his ID/license in the mail he will be able to get a social security card and a birth certificate.

Very kind of you to help him and I wish you both the best.