Citizenship distinguish from country of origin

[Pursuit 0]

Hi guys,

we just got a notice that our case has been approved and our NOA2 will be sent in the next days via mail!!

Now I want to get my paperwork ready and I am wondering how the translation of my birth certificate has to be made. This is my situation:

I was born in South-Korea but my family moved to Germany a long time ago and I am holding the German citizenship. Since my birth certificate was translated in German by the Korean embassy I am not sure if I have to get it translated again by them in English. Or could I also go to a translation agency and get the German document translated in English.

On the checklist which you have to send once you have everything ready for the interview it is instructed the following: "A certified copy is a photocopy of a filed document, legal or other, in its entirety (everything within a staple) that is sworn to be a true copy by a court clerk or solicitor."

--> Does this mean I have to get my translations notarized?

If anyone was in the same situation, I would be very grateful if you could share your experience.

Many thanks.

[Kathryn41 3,205]

moved from K-1 case filing reports to Consulate forum as more likely to get responses here

[Pursuit 0]

moved from K-1 case filing reports to Consulate forum as more likely to get responses here

Thanks

[Chrito 6]

Hi guys,

we just got a notice that our case has been approved and our NOA2 will be sent in the next days via mail!!

Now I want to get my paperwork ready and I am wondering how the translation of my birth certificate has to be made. This is my situation:

I was born in South-Korea but my family moved to Germany a long time ago and I am holding the German citizenship. Since my birth certificate was translated in German by the Korean embassy I am not sure if I have to get it translated again by them in English. Or could I also go to a translation agency and get the German document translated in English.

On the checklist which you have to send once you have everything ready for the interview it is instructed the following: "A certified copy is a photocopy of a filed document, legal or other, in its entirety (everything within a staple) that is sworn to be a true copy by a court clerk or solicitor."

--> Does this mean I have to get my translations notarized?

If anyone was in the same situation, I would be very grateful if you could share your experience.

Many thanks.

No need to translate BC again into German. Make sure there are stamps or seals on it that say it's for official use or made by an official. Yours should have it since you got it from the Korean Embassy.

As for the original BC in Korean language: Make sure you get a second copy or go to the next "Notar", let him/her copy it. They usually sign the copy and state that this is a true copy and hasn't been tampered with. It's quite expensive, sometimes the "Rathaus" does it too. Ask for a "beglaubigte Kopie". This is just for safety reason, it's always good to have a certified copy of something handy, in that case you can do everything with the copy and the original is safe at home. I have done that with my only copy of my degree, it feels so much better. (Maybe do that with the German translation as well)

Here in the States you'll need a translation into English unless the Korean Embassy is able to issue you an international one or can cough up an English translation in no time. Ask the Amtsgericht in your district about a list of translators or go to a translation agency, if they find a translator doing it from Korean into English, perfect, otherwise you'll have it done from the German one. In Germany every translator translating official documents is able to do "Beglaubigungen" on his work. Look for "staatl. gepruefte und beeidigte Uebersetzer". Those translate you documents, put their stamp and signature on the translation and a remark saying that they are translators with the necessary certification and are sworn in by the court and swear with their signature that the translation is true and accurate. This is called a "beglaubigte Uebersetzung" and the only one you could use for official purposes in Germany. No need for getting those translations certified, they already are.

Little note about translators: Ask for a price quote and ask if they do it from the German translation. Since the translation is not the original some might act up a little, but since it's just a birth certificate it shouldn't be a problem. It would be more difficult to get translated court documents (for example divorce decrees or other court papers with lots of text) translated again since they are required to do it with the original in front of them.

Also ask for the price for additional copies of the translation, they might be cheaper than the first one since the translator just has to print them out and sign them. Translators in Germany are also required to store a copy of every translations they did for a couple of years. So keep a business card of the translator somewhere, when you need a copy they can find it in no time and send you an additional copy.

For your Interview and everything official: Take your original BC and the translations, certified copies of you original BC and the translations

Hope I was able to shed some light, otherwise just ask again

good luck for the rest of the journey!

[Pursuit 0]

Hi guys,

we just got a notice that our case has been approved and our NOA2 will be sent in the next days via mail!!

Now I want to get my paperwork ready and I am wondering how the translation of my birth certificate has to be made. This is my situation:

I was born in South-Korea but my family moved to Germany a long time ago and I am holding the German citizenship. Since my birth certificate was translated in German by the Korean embassy I am not sure if I have to get it translated again by them in English. Or could I also go to a translation agency and get the German document translated in English.

On the checklist which you have to send once you have everything ready for the interview it is instructed the following: "A certified copy is a photocopy of a filed document, legal or other, in its entirety (everything within a staple) that is sworn to be a true copy by a court clerk or solicitor."

--> Does this mean I have to get my translations notarized?

If anyone was in the same situation, I would be very grateful if you could share your experience.

Many thanks.

No need to translate BC again into German. Make sure there are stamps or seals on it that say it's for official use or made by an official. Yours should have it since you got it from the Korean Embassy.

As for the original BC in Korean language: Make sure you get a second copy or go to the next "Notar", let him/her copy it. They usually sign the copy and state that this is a true copy and hasn't been tampered with. It's quite expensive, sometimes the "Rathaus" does it too. Ask for a "beglaubigte Kopie". This is just for safety reason, it's always good to have a certified copy of something handy, in that case you can do everything with the copy and the original is safe at home. I have done that with my only copy of my degree, it feels so much better. (Maybe do that with the German translation as well)

Here in the States you'll need a translation into English unless the Korean Embassy is able to issue you an international one or can cough up an English translation in no time. Ask the Amtsgericht in your district about a list of translators or go to a translation agency, if they find a translator doing it from Korean into English, perfect, otherwise you'll have it done from the German one. In Germany every translator translating official documents is able to do "Beglaubigungen" on his work. Look for "staatl. gepruefte und beeidigte Uebersetzer". Those translate you documents, put their stamp and signature on the translation and a remark saying that they are translators with the necessary certification and are sworn in by the court and swear with their signature that the translation is true and accurate. This is called a "beglaubigte Uebersetzung" and the only one you could use for official purposes in Germany. No need for getting those translations certified, they already are.

Little note about translators: Ask for a price quote and ask if they do it from the German translation. Since the translation is not the original some might act up a little, but since it's just a birth certificate it shouldn't be a problem. It would be more difficult to get translated court documents (for example divorce decrees or other court papers with lots of text) translated again since they are required to do it with the original in front of them.

Also ask for the price for additional copies of the translation, they might be cheaper than the first one since the translator just has to print them out and sign them. Translators in Germany are also required to store a copy of every translations they did for a couple of years. So keep a business card of the translator somewhere, when you need a copy they can find it in no time and send you an additional copy.

For your Interview and everything official: Take your original BC and the translations, certified copies of you original BC and the translations

Hope I was able to shed some light, otherwise just ask again

good luck for the rest of the journey!

Wow! Thanks for taking time to explain everything. It sounds like a lot of paperwork...

I am going to consider your advises.

Thanks so much.

[Chrito 6]

no problem!

Here are the steps again (my previous post is a little bit confusing):

1. Call the Korean Embassy, ask for a second BC (optional) and the English translation, or an international one.

2. If you can get it from them, go to the Notar and get certified copies. Make some copies for yourself, no certification needed (in case of a lost BC you can track it down easily and get a new one)

3. No luck with the Embassy: get a translator, ask for 2 or 3 copies of the translation, you'll need them for all kind of stuff once you're in the US (first of all that whole marriage thing... )

4. Interview: take the originals, the certified copies and some normal copies of everything with you. They might just want to see the originals and keep the normal copies. In case they do not, you got the certified copies to give and can keep the original. Never ever let your original BC leave your hands when you don't know if you get it back. In Germany it's easy to get a BC but I know that in other countries it's really a hassle.

5. Every document for the US Consulate in Germany has to be in English or German. If the document is in a different language it has to be translated.

Edited August 19, 2009 by Chrito