Estimated Vancouver Consulate email reply times

[snapcracklepop 0]

Hi everyone,

I'm a K-1 visa applicant (beneficiary) and I'm scrambling like mad to get my packet 3 info together. I have a 2-fold question about:

a) birth certificates

B) turn-around time from vancouver consulate when replying to my email

So i was born in South Africa and it takes 4-6 months (yes, MONTHS!) to get a long-form birth certificate. I wish I had known about long vs short forms - i thought i had everything planned and ready! (thank you SO much to the VJ'er who gave me this heads-up!)

However I DO have a short form bc where they list my parents' ID numbers (equivalent to Cda SIN numbers). So I emailed them a copy of this bc, and asked if it would suffice, and if not, what secondary evidence would they accept to deem this certificate valid. I emailed them on Monday and still have not heard back from them. In packet 3 they talk about secondary evidence if you can't obtain your birth certif, hence asking them what additional info they would need to accept this bc. So now I'm worried! I haven't heard anything!

I'd love to hear from anyone who can help me with these questions:

a) have you successfully submitted a short-form bc with secondary evidence? if so, what evidence did you provide?

B) how long should I wait before I email them again to follow up?

I can't fax them back until I'm 100% certain they'll accept my bc. The last thing we want is to be denied our visa because i didn't have the right supporting info for the birth certificate. So near, yet so far!

We hope you can help!

Snap

[Carlawarla 1]

You should hear shortly from Vancouver. Make sure you put your case # on the subject line. If you don't hear from them in a week, then I'd email them again with URGENT and your case number in the subject line.

Sorry I can't answer your question about the BC specifically!

[trailmix 77]

You should hear shortly from Vancouver. Make sure you put your case # on the subject line. If you don't hear from them in a week, then I'd email them again with URGENT and your case number in the subject line.

Sorry I can't answer your question about the BC specifically!

The thing i'm wondering is if they will deem your long form birth certificate as 'not available'.

Here is what they state for SA birth certificates in the Reciprocity tables:

Birth Certificates

Available. Applicants should submit their requests directly to the Department of Home Affairs, Private Bag X114, Pretoria 0001, and should request a long form birth certificate, which lists the details on the parents. Applicants should also provide their full name given at birth, their date and place of birth, and both parents’ names, including the mother’s maiden name. The request should specify that an English language copy is desired. In cases of illegitimacy or adoption, the long-form birth certificate will not be sent directly to the applicant (for reasons of confidentiality), but will be sent to the appropriate consular post. In cases where a search reveals that the applicant’s birth was never registered, a form letter to this effect will be issued.

Below is the information you are probably talking about with regard to a Birth Certificate not being available, this information can be found in the DS-230 civil documents list - the thing is, with the back up documentation, when the BC is not available, you also have to get a letter from the issuing authority stating why it is not available:

Birth Certificates

Each applicant will need to obtain an original birth certificate issued by the official custodian of birth records in the country of birth, showing the date and place of birth and the parentage of the alien, based upon the original registration of birth.

The certificate must contain the:

Person’s date of birth

Person’s place of birth

Names of both parents, and

Annotation by the appropriate authority indicating that it is an extract from the official records

Unobtainable birth certificates

The applicant’s birth record may not be obtainable. Some reasons are listed below:

The applicant’s birth was never officially recorded.

The applicant’s birth records have been destroyed.

The appropriate government authority will not issue one.

Please obtain a certified statement from the appropriate government authority stating the reason the applicant’s birth record is not available. With the certified statement the applicant must submit secondary evidence. For example:

A baptismal certificate that contains the date and place of birth, as well as both parents names (providing the baptism took place shortly after birth)

An adoption decree for an adopted child

An affidavit from a close relative, preferably the applicant’s mother, stating the date and place of birth, both parents names, and the mother’s maiden name.

Edited August 15, 2008 by trailmix

[snapcracklepop 0]

You should hear shortly from Vancouver. Make sure you put your case # on the subject line. If you don't hear from them in a week, then I'd email them again with URGENT and your case number in the subject line.

Sorry I can't answer your question about the BC specifically!

The thing i'm wondering is if they will deem your long form birth certificate as 'not available'.

Here is what they state for SA birth certificates in the Reciprocity tables:

Birth Certificates

Available. Applicants should submit their requests directly to the Department of Home Affairs, Private Bag X114, Pretoria 0001, and should request a long form birth certificate, which lists the details on the parents. Applicants should also provide their full name given at birth, their date and place of birth, and both parents’ names, including the mother’s maiden name. The request should specify that an English language copy is desired. In cases of illegitimacy or adoption, the long-form birth certificate will not be sent directly to the applicant (for reasons of confidentiality), but will be sent to the appropriate consular post. In cases where a search reveals that the applicant’s birth was never registered, a form letter to this effect will be issued.

Below is the information you are probably talking about with regard to a Birth Certificate not being available, this information can be found in the DS-230 civil documents list - the thing is, with the back up documentation, when the BC is not available, you also have to get a letter from the issuing authority stating why it is not available:

Birth Certificates

Each applicant will need to obtain an original birth certificate issued by the official custodian of birth records in the country of birth, showing the date and place of birth and the parentage of the alien, based upon the original registration of birth.

The certificate must contain the:

Person’s date of birth

Person’s place of birth

Names of both parents, and

Annotation by the appropriate authority indicating that it is an extract from the official records

Unobtainable birth certificates

The applicant’s birth record may not be obtainable. Some reasons are listed below:

The applicant’s birth was never officially recorded.

The applicant’s birth records have been destroyed.

The appropriate government authority will not issue one.

Please obtain a certified statement from the appropriate government authority stating the reason the applicant’s birth record is not available. With the certified statement the applicant must submit secondary evidence. For example:

A baptismal certificate that contains the date and place of birth, as well as both parents names (providing the baptism took place shortly after birth)

An adoption decree for an adopted child

An affidavit from a close relative, preferably the applicant’s mother, stating the date and place of birth, both parents names, and the mother’s maiden name.

Thanks Carlawarla and trailmix! This info is dynamite. I get the (sinking) feeling it'll be another 4-5 month wait while I request the long-form bc thru the SA consulate in Cda. It almost makes it worthwhile to just fly to SA and pick it up myself - that reduces the process time to 4-6 weeks. Love makes you do crazy things

[MissStacey 1]

Wow- sorry to hear that it will be such a long wait for a BC. Does it have to be done via the SA Consulate if you are in Canada? Is there any way for you to get in touch with the registry/vital statistics- (not sure what the place is you would have to deal with) directly?

[Loco179 0]

Took the little lady 4 days to get a reply. It was awesome of them because we do not have a case number yet. We asked about children and if they needed to come to the interview. BTW the answer was 14 and younger do not need to attend. Saved us a bundle.

[snapcracklepop 0]

Wow- sorry to hear that it will be such a long wait for a BC. Does it have to be done via the SA Consulate if you are in Canada? Is there any way for you to get in touch with the registry/vital statistics- (not sure what the place is you would have to deal with) directly?

Yeah, I was super bummed when I heard the news.

I did a bit of sleuthing and the explanation I get re the delay from the various SA embassies (NY, Toronto etc) is that it depends how long an embassy waits to send the "diplomatic pouch" to SA and then get it back. They might wait months b4 sending it - a savings measure maybe? I guess people who don't have ties back home have to go that route. So about your question, I think I may have a way to go directly to the registry in SA!

... My mum still lives there and she said she's willing to stand in line (it takes forever to get official stuff done there) and apply on my behalf. Cross fingers! If she's allowed to ask for it and have it mailed to her, it takes 4-6 weeks instead of months. That sounds SO much better eh?! Thank you mum!

fingers crossed,

Snap

[snapcracklepop 0]

Took the little lady 4 days to get a reply. It was awesome of them because we do not have a case number yet. We asked about children and if they needed to come to the interview. BTW the answer was 14 and younger do not need to attend. Saved us a bundle.

Glad to hear they were so helpful Loco179! Today is day 5. I'll wait another week. But based on the info Carlawarla gave, it looks like I'm SOL and should just get the long-form and not wait for a reply ... time's ticking ...