A Grand Rapids, Michigan man just discovered his name is not on his birth certificate. That's strange because he is 22 years old, and people are wondering why he didn't know it before.

Nantai Makura says there is a blank on his birth certificate where his name should be. The official document does have the date of his birth, the place where he was born and his mother's name. However, his own name is missing.

Why it wasn't discovered before

Makura said nobody discovered it even when he went to prison for four years for armed robbery. It was after his release from jail about ten months ago when he discovered the missing information.

He was going through papers to get his life in order when he made the shocking discovery.

Even without that particular official document, Makura has a job. His new employer was willing to give him a chance without the proper identification. He is so happy that he has a good paying job so he can take care of himself without having to depend on others.

It is thought that when Makura was born, his mother didn't have a name at the time. The hospital personnel might have filled out all the information she was given at the time but neglected to include it later.

Getting document corrected

Makura wants to get your birth certificate corrected, but he is finding it to be very difficult to do so. He has tried many government agencies, but he has not gotten much help.

He has contacted agencies on the local and state level, but he has ended up in a dead end. Non-profits agencies and even the hospital where he was born have not been very helpful.

People who know about this story wonder if the man has a social security number. Usually, babies get a social security number soon after they leave the hospital where they were born.

Many important things are connected with a person's name. Without Makura's name on his birth certificate, he could definitely not be able to get a passport or a driver's license. After 9/11, a person's identity is checked more than it used to be. It is interesting that the 22-year-old man has a legal prison number but no legal name.

Steps to take

According to statistics, a person can get a birth certificate changed even though the process can be challenging. The rules for getting it done differ from state to state, and it depends on the reasons for the change. The man's birth certificate doesn't fall under the category of change, it falls under the category of addition to the document because of missing information. Sometimes, a court order is needed to get information added to the legal document.
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