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Valley veteran denied passport
Posted: 08.29.2011 at 10:52 PM
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Robert Castillo watches the travel channel and dreams of all the places he would like to visit, but there is one problem.

This valley born veteran has applied and been denied a passport three times now.

"I was wondering why, why? I was American enough to serve in the military but I wasn't American enough to get a passport,” said Robert.

In 2010 he applied for a US passport because he wanted to fulfill a dream to visit Spain and go back to Mexico for dental work.

"I used to go back and forth to Mexico through Progresso but back then you didn't need a passport, just your driver's license” said Robert.

So instead of traveling out of the country, Castillo says for the past year he's been back and forth with the State Department in Houston because they say he has insufficient documentation.

He's already provided them with a birth certificate, identification, and elementary school transcripts, but he claims that was not enough.

“They said I was short a baptismal paper. I ask myself what if I was an atheist or some other religion where they didn’t practice baptismal procedures, would they give me a passport then,” added Robert.

Robert was born in 1939 in Edcouch and says he was adopted as an infant since his mother died while giving birth to him and his father was killed in World War II, so getting a baptismal paper will be a challenge.

“My church in Edcouch had baptisms but they didn't carry the paperwork. They didn't have an office back then” said Robert.

In the meantime the State Department has not returned Robert’s birth certificate to him.

And they continue to deny him a passport.

To this day, he is not considered a citizen by the State Department.

He is deeply hurt and insulted that the US Government won't accept his birth certificate as enough proof of citizenship, the same document accepted by the military when he enlisted.

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