Forum: Story Ideas

Your description makes the alien sound like some kind of clone,

Only in the technically wrong but often used meaning of "clone" == "adult born," she's not a copy of anything, but creative and possibly fine tuned recombination having between two and six parents (it might be fun if she's primary daughter of two guys).

so technically she was born there in the barn.

In this case, she's already technically legal,

That's an interesting take, and true, technically. The only nitpicky detail that she was born from a stone scaled pineapple that fell out of the sky, so we do not go around advertising that, upon credible fear from agencies potentially wanting to dissect her.

Ideally we don't even say mom she's a grandma (ETA: and besides the newborn's word, the teenagers wouldn't have immediate means to prove that either, of course).

Conversely, if the trail doesn't exist, it's more likely those agencies would not believe drivers license, passports, etc are legitimate.

Yup, for example locally here nobody trust physical driver's license as a legal document per se, the cop is supposed to call home and verify it on the system every time. That creates a practice you don't really need to carry it if happen to have any other picture ID on you (including not only passport* or the state ID card but slso student's card and even Riga city public transit ticket card) and the existence of driver license is verified on the network. It was already practiced unofficially upon goodwill of the cop, recently there was a motion to make it officiall in law, but I actually don't know what stage that is. Funny enough, I know a pair of twins who abused this for almost a year while only once of them had a driver's license. Well, if they got into some shit in two different parts of country simultaneously there could be additional shit though.

*pasports are rarely carried, but legally mandatory to possess and potentially shockingly for you Americans, a physical passport here is the only legal document for voting, and you get a fat, through-the-page-soaking wet stamp in the notes section of that to testimony you did, with a number, and different color each time. That system was introduced for the independence referendum from Soviet Union in environment of total distrust (both sides had credible suspicions it would be cheated or attempted to fix) even despite fears the mere participation could potentially be reason for repressions, and stuck at that since.

But well, I was rather thinking about it happening somewhere superficially resembling US. Although it's not necessarily so, that's where alien hunting government agencies are more prevalent in fiction.

but legally mandatory to possess and potentially shockingly for you Americans, a physical passport here is the only legal document for voting,

Not really shocking to me. I would support such a standard here, but I'm not holding my breath for it to happen. An effort like that would cause a general meltdown for multiple groups here.

The idea that a trail of records is available for every citizen is incorrect.

As said before, it depends on the country. Any western country will have a trail for a young person as noted in the OP. School records at a minimum.

Home school. No records required, since no one outside the family knew of the birth.

It happens more frequently than I would have thought, since every state in the US has a list of ways to apply for and to validate a person's birth status without a birth certificate.

Home school. No records required, since no one outside the family knew of the birth.

Have you ever actually home schooled anyone? Every state requires testing/records. We home schooled our son, there was most definitely records required.

You just don't get it.

If a birth is not registered, exactly how do you think the state is going to require testing? They don't know the kid exists.

You just don't get it.

If a birth is not registered, exactly how do you think the state is going to require testing? They don't know the kid exists.

Actually, you're not understanding in context of the OP. No records = no legalization. I'll take your lack of response to mean you have not ever home schooled anyone.

Actually, you're not understanding in context of the OP. No records = no legalization.

It doesn't matter if they are no records, if they were born in the US, they are legally a citizen, no legalization required.

The only record needed is a birth certificate.

And what irvmull is describing happens, just not as frequently as he thinks.

Still today occasionally there are cases where anti-government parents deliberately conceal the birth of a child from the official records, home school with no records as you describe, the state can't require testing of a child that they don't know exists.

This tends to happen with anti-government people in highly rural states who are living on homesteads, possibly off grid.

The child is still 100% a legal US citizen. There is no requirement for legalization in such cases.

In the OP situation, the "alien" was technically born in the US. The only real documentation requirement is to obtain an official birth certificate. This can be difficult, but it's not impossible.

And what irvmull is describing happens, just not as frequently as he thinks.

I never said it didn't happen. It is however very rare.

As for technically being born here, the OP never specified America as the country of origin, therefore you've assumed. Given the original poster is from Latvia, that's an illogical assumption.

The story could be based in numerous different countries, all with their own peculiarities regarding citizenry and documentation thereof. I would expect in a former Soviet state for that to be especially true.

Since he's here asking the question, it's a logical assumption for it to be any native English speaking country, of which there are many. The American centric responses may or may not even apply.

ETA

But well, I was rather thinking about it happening somewhere superficially resembling US. Although it's not necessarily so, that's where alien hunting government agencies are more prevalent in fiction.

America is not the only place with such efforts. Canada, U.K. for instance both have their own variations of that.

I never said it didn't happen. It is however very rare.

Agreed.

Since he's here asking the question, it's a logical assumption for it to be any native English speaking country, of which there are many. The American centric responses may or may not even apply.

My reply is dependent on birthright citizenship.

The US is not the only country with birthright citizenship, it's not even the only English speaking country with birthright citizenship.

As for technically being born here, the OP never specified America as the country of origin, therefore you've assumed. Given the original poster is from Latvia, that's an illogical assumption.

Since he's here asking the question, it's a logical assumption for it to be any native English speaking country, of which there are many.

Why is the second a logical assumption?

Just because the OP is asking the question here does not mean the story is set in an English speaking country, only that the story would probably be written in English. I've known authors to write stories and post them in different languages to different sites.

I don't need a 2x4, I'll just use your cock...

:)

I probably wasn't clear not considering how the word "alien" is actually used. My concern about "authorities" is less about immigration services but rather Men in Black types, and that's what US with their alphabet soup agencies are famous for to be a plot point in an extraterrestrial landing story.

My concern about "authorities" is less about immigration services but rather Men in Black types, and that's what US with their alphabet soup agencies are famous for to be a plot point in an extraterrestrial landing story.

ET hacking into government servers to manipulate the data has been used before. It would be easy enough to insert that in to make here legal.

Out on herself she may be better at hacking brains than computer networks. One can be a tool for the other, if she can be maneuvered to have skin to skin contact with the right guy or girl (s)he may be willing suddenly to do almost anything for her. Or alternatively, if one of her initial donors had applicable skills already, perhaps they can link again and create a mini hive mind to enhance that. Or even combination therefore somewhere.

But I think it's important to not make her appear all powerful demigodesses succubus even if she might be or become one over time.

There had to be an alien intelligence behind her creation. Does that intelligence just dissappear upon her bodies creation?

Larry Correia used a variation as part of the world building for his Monster Hunter universe. Monsters / undead could be declared 'legally human' and taken off the kill-on-sight list if they served a term in three letter agency black ops.

It happens more frequently than I would have thought, since every state in the US has a list of ways to apply for and to validate a person's birth status without a birth certificate.

Actually it's more often a problem for older people not because of home schooling and stuff like that but because these records (Birth Certificates) are still today primarily maintained on paper at the county level.

People lose their personal copies and then go to get a fresh copy from the county clerk's office only to find out that the official records were lost when the county clerks office moved 5 years back or were destroyed when the county clerk's office burned down.

If we're talking modern day times in the US, then even without a birth certificate, children still have to have a social security number to be claimed as an exemption.

So if you've got a 14 year old, she's GOT to have a paper trail in the US. Whether it's her SSN, or her paperwork from the orphanage.

Not if you are an anti-government nut living off-grid in a remote rural area. Then you may have no taxable income, so no need to claim an exemption for your undocumented children.

Not if you are an anti-government nut living off-grid in a remote rural area. Then you may have no taxable income, so no need to claim an exemption for your undocumented children.

True

Which only leaves the age issue. If the alien is claiming to be less than 18 then it's likely to be off to a care home. To stay with the group and avoid that it's best to claim 18+

If the alien is claiming to be less than 18 then it's likely to be off to a care home.

That's the main hurdle that may deter from seeking the fully legal way.

She has a genetically provable relation to a family -- or several, to choose from, but making it count may not be trivial, perhaps. Making her direct part of one (like the shadow twin suggestion) may be an option, but may drive unwanted attention. Why someone, otherwise normal would keep one of their children undocumented? Rather, she's some kind of wayward cousin, ostensibly. Getting it all through formalities for adoption may be a problem still I imagine.

She might claim to be runaway from a non-existent, wholly invented branch of one of the families, or one of the families could have one suitable (in a tailored pretext approach), apparently supposedly cult or off-grid anti-government crazies. Something like that might be easier to sell to the families in the first place, even if it later doesn't stand for scrutiny

Also could explain why she should be worried about authorities.

The question is partially attempt of assessment, what appears to be less risky, to stay fully underground (what may be suboptimal for other reasons for the explorer), attempt to get a forged identity, or attempt to legalize trough official channels.

Even if the last may be most visible, it may be actually least suspicious if done right while the MiB types lurking may not yet be looking around for apparent humans popping into existence. That may change if one of the other pods they collected hatch a human too. Getting her legalized is partially excercise in trying to insure against her being screened for when something like that happens.

I got around that in one story by having the character go to Former Yugoslavia. A lot of records were destroyed during the conflict, and they just slipped into a refugee camp and claimed to be a new person.

I actually kind of like this idea, and i'll have to remember the premise.

Agreed. Temporal placement would be important, especially prior to 1990.

Kind of fat chance with a teen. Make a kid suicide or accident death appear to just been a run away? Might help with establishing history, but not necessarily with adoption in the new family. There's then the problem with matching the dead kid's profile and such a scenario may gather unwanted visibility if noticed. A genuine street child with not much data points of their unremarkable existence maybe. With a bit of handwaving may be useful.

I admit you have a valid point, but i thought it would be all a matter of paperwork.....

What you quoted is specific to the state of Illinois. It may well be different in other states.

Thanks. In unrelated way I was wondering if a parent going to US for work could bring a child along and send to school, and supposed it should be possible. This clear it up as definitely so, no questions asked, at least in Illinois case.

If I ever get around to trying to write the space alien scenario... for now I kind of like the angle with her being pretended to be a runaway child from real or made up weirdo off-grid branch of one or two of the families of her support group.

Thus home born and home schooled till now, totally undocumented, and perhaps supposedly suffered some domestic violence, and need to hide from them (who will never seek her), but don't want police involved if it can be at all avoided (and thus the need to live with the guy who's may not be her supposed relative (although actually her father)).

The convoluted backstory that might not stand real scrutiny wouldn't be even a bug. It could showcase her persuasive power or blow up just for the fantastic truth to not be believed any either. But if she can go to school as just someone's cousin no questions asked, she can blend in either way.

That she has no legal guardian, just someone who pretended to be, may be a problem though?

Documents needed for school enrollment checklist

School districts must ask for a certified copy of a birth certificate within 30 days of enrolling your child. If a birth certificate is unavailable, then other proof of the child's identity and age is required. If you cannot provide a birth certificate, you will have to make a sworn statement explaining why the birth certificate can't be produced.

Schools can require proof of immunizations prior to enrollment. A list of the required immunizations can be found at the Illinois State Board of Education website.

Schools will also ask you to show documents with both your name and your address to prove residency. Schools can't require any one specific document.

...

A notarized affidavit from the parent or adult who lives with the child stating that the child eats and sleeps at the residence.

An Illinois State Board of Education affidavit can also be used as proof of residency.

(emphasis mine)

Although it seems to be implied in the language, nothing there seems to explicitly state that the person enrolling the child in school has to prove to be the child's parent or legal guardian.

Rather, it almost seems like the school wouldn't even necessarily weird out even learning she's currently living with her aunt's friends, as long as the adults go along with her legend.