Getting my Real 11)

Letter to the Editor

Going to the DMV with my current driver’s license and a copy of what I thought was a birth certificate. Turns out that the certificate was from the hospital. Ok, so I contact the county clerk in Texas where I was bom by phone to request my birth certificate and was told that the request must be made with the form from their website. I said no problem and proceeded, with payment made by a cashier’s check or money order only and include a self-addressed envelope. Done.

I received it approx. 4 weeks later and then return to the Lake Hallie DMV with a copy of my birth certificate. At the counter, the clerk asked for all necessary paperwork: current license, copy of birth certificate, proof of address. Then the clerk asked me “are you married & did you change your last name?” I said yes. She then says, “well, we will need a copy of your marriage license showing your maiden name that matches your birth certificate.” I questioned why, all I was told was, “we need to verify that this matches.” I said, “no problem I have a copy of my marriage license at home.”

A week later, I returned to the Medford DMV since it was closer. At the service counter, I proceeded to hand all my paperwork to the clerk, and she looks at the marriage license and says, “we can’t accept this.” I asked, “why?” Her reply was it must come from the county clerk’s office where you were married in Texas. I showed her that it was and had the county issued license number with the notary seal, signed by the clerk. Once again, I was told it was not acceptable and that I should contact the county clerk. I was very disappointed and left the DMV irritated to say the least.

I contacted the county clerk in Texas once again and was told to send a letter requesting certified copy of my marriage license along with verification letter from the clerk herself. I asked, “why was this necessary” and was told that some states do not accept Texas marriage licenses without a letter, WI being one of them. Once again it had to be paid by a cashier’s check or money order. Approximately 4-6 weeks later I received the paperwork. I opened the letter and to my surprise, it was a b/w PHOTOCOPY (exact copy) of the front page of my marriage license, and 2line letter signed by the clerk stating, “certified copy of rights of marriage.”

I then returned to the Lake Hallie DMV with all my documents. When I handed over everything to the clerk, he literally glanced at the Photocopy/Letter of my marriage license and said “ok” and gave me my Real ID.

Jane Kroeplin Withee