"Legalization" of document required by DEERS?!

[CDNme 11]

Pretty straightforward... DEERS won't accept my Birth Certificate (long form, English) from Canada to enrol. We've talked to two different people on different days, same answer.

It was enough for DHS and the SS Admin Office. What gives?

The legalization would take minimum 4 weeks. Anyone else run into this? Please advise.

Thank you!

[ekj 0]

I had to get my birth certificate legalized and my sons too and we are from the UK. Unfortunately it does have to be done before they will let you enrol because the legalization basically tells them that its an official document, they dont want to take your word for it, they want to take your governments...I had to get mine and my newborn sons done, its rediculous but so are deers.

[Scott and Mhay 57]

When I enrolled my wife in DEERS we just used her passport and our marriage certificate.

[CDNme 11]

I had to get my birth certificate legalized and my sons too and we are from the UK. Unfortunately it does have to be done before they will let you enrol because the legalization basically tells them that its an official document, they dont want to take your word for it, they want to take your governments...I had to get mine and my newborn sons done, its rediculous but so are deers.

Thanks for letting me know I'm not alone... we've decided to go to a neighboring base because I have talked to a couple others who have mentioned that it may be base-specific. I have made a good friend on here from Sweden (her husband is in the Navy) and they walked into a DEERS office on an Army base and had no problems with her Swedish birth cert. Here goes nothing...

When I enrolled my wife in DEERS we just used her passport and our marriage certificate.

Thanks - This was our impression from the get-go... hopefully we have better luck at another base!

[ekj 0]

Thanks for letting me know I'm not alone... we've decided to go to a neighboring base because I have talked to a couple others who have mentioned that it may be base-specific. I have made a good friend on here from Sweden (her husband is in the Navy) and they walked into a DEERS office on an Army base and had no problems with her Swedish birth cert. Here goes nothing...

Thanks - This was our impression from the get-go... hopefully we have better luck at another base!

It feels so lonely trying to get it done, I probably would have had my son there if deers hadnt messed us around so much. we went in FOUR times...and on the 4th time we could finally get it done...the woman was so rude we initially saw, she said my birth certificate had to be apostiled and when my husband asked what that was she said "google it"....very helpful! :/ Yeah, it does seem to be base specific, my in-laws thought it was rediculous that they made me legalize all the documents (they were air force)....I hope it goes well for you!!

[CDNme 11]

It feels so lonely trying to get it done, I probably would have had my son there if deers hadnt messed us around so much. we went in FOUR times...and on the 4th time we could finally get it done...the woman was so rude we initially saw, she said my birth certificate had to be apostiled and when my husband asked what that was she said "google it"....very helpful! :/ Yeah, it does seem to be base specific, my in-laws thought it was rediculous that they made me legalize all the documents (they were air force)....I hope it goes well for you!!

Bragg? "Google it" was the exact response we got, too. We've been in twice so far... I had never heard of 'Legalization'. DHS and the Social Security Admin Office had NO problem accepting my foreign birth certificate, I was baffled.

Whatever... we're going in on Monday to a DEERS at a surrounding base. Wish us luck!

[ekj 0]

Bragg? "Google it" was the exact response we got, too. We've been in twice so far... I had never heard of 'Legalization'. DHS and the Social Security Admin Office had NO problem accepting my foreign birth certificate, I was baffled.

Whatever... we're going in on Monday to a DEERS at a surrounding base. Wish us luck!

Hahaha YUP!! Bragg...where else?! lmao omg i cant believe you got the same response hahahha that woman is something else smh...I am crossing my fingers for ya girl...hopefully you get someone different. Once you are enrolled though you can get tricare prime! its excellent. It means you can be seen on and off post!

[CDNme 11]

Hahaha YUP!! Bragg...where else?! lmao omg i cant believe you got the same response hahahha that woman is something else smh...I am crossing my fingers for ya girl...hopefully you get someone different. Once you are enrolled though you can get tricare prime! its excellent. It means you can be seen on and off post!

Haha... small world! Thanks a lot! I can't wait until it gets done... everything else was a breeze.

[ekj 0]

Hahaha YUP!! Bragg...where else?! lmao omg i cant believe you got the same response hahahha that woman is something else smh...I am crossing my fingers for ya girl...hopefully you get someone different. Once you are enrolled though you can get tricare prime! its excellent. It means you can be seen on and off post

im going to tell everyone enrolling for DEERS to reply to that woman saying "I did, google said it wasn't going to do it's job for you!"

Haha... small world! Thanks a lot! I can't wait until it gets done... everything else was a breeze.

You'll get there, I promise Just keep pushing through it...it seems to be just that woman in fairness. Housing was a breeze and everything else, all my sons appointments at womack were all a breeze...it was just HER eurghhh...where's donald trump when you need him for his catch phrase?

[Scott and Mhay 57]

For the people having issues with this, have you showed them the visa in your passport? I am telling you I was told my the person that worked at our DEERS office (I am air force and she is a friend of mine) that all that is needed was for her to scan the passport, visa, and marriage certificate. SSN is nice to have, but not REQUIRED no matter what they say. They can do a temporary number in that spot, but you will have to go back once you get the SSN or you will drop out of the system in about 90 days. This was as of 2010. Whenever someone asks me for something that I don't think is right, I tell them to show me in writing where it is required. most of the time they can't produce or they are too lazy to look and I win.

[VickyP 34]

They didn't even want my birth certificate when I got enrolled in DEERS. The only thing they wanted was our marriage certificate and passport that's it.

[CDNme 11]

Just an update in case anyone ever searches for information on Legalizations...

Fort Bragg (NC) has its own special rule requiring foreign nationals to have their Birth Certificate and other identifying documents "Legalized" or stamped by an Apostille from the country of issuance.

We went up the street, 4-5 blocks to the ID/CAC card procession centre for Pope AFB, and I was enrolled in DEERS without issue. In fact - they didn't even NEED my Birth Cert.

Best of luck to everyone!

[Messybrownhair 251]

Wow, I have a BC from the Philippines and never encountered this issue! I think some people just want to make things harder for others for no reason!

[li_09 40]

Yes I believe this too. First woman we dealt with at deers was a nightmare. We ended up leaving cos it felt like she was purposely trying to make things as hard as possible for us. Came back an hour later and spoke to someone else who was a complete delight ?

Edited March 4, 2014 by li_09