Ha, checking online status and the mailbox again.

[NickD 202]

This time for my wife's US passport with hopes of getting her certificate back in one piece.

Nobody seems to know nothing in this country anymore about certified copies, wife tells me this can be done in both Colombia and Venezuela. Kind of a long place to go to get a certified copy and not even sure if the good old USA will recognize it.

It's my understanding that the US passport carries equal weight to the certificate of citizenship to prove US citizenship. But the USCIS says it's naughty to make copies of the citizenship certificate while the DOS highly recommends it. Especially if your passport gets lost while traveling, say to make good copies of it and leave it with friends or relatives so they can either FAX or e-mail it so you can come back home.

The DOS accepts copies of passports but not copies of the citizenship certificate?

Do I sound confused on this issue? You are darned correct, extremely confused. Also confused why a replacement passport book even with an electronic chip in it is so much cheaper than a replacement certificate of citizenship. Oh, and the USCIS does want a copy of your old certificate, so okay to make a copy of it for that. More confusion, but cannot make a copy of it for the DOS.

Did ask why, same old answer, I don't know, I just work here.

[NickD 202]

Oh, and at this time, my wife has no proof that she is here legally, her conditional PRC is expired with the one year extension, they took her ten year card, and the DOS demanded she surrender her certificate of citizenship.

Do you think I should hide her in the attic until her passport comes in? Much like that Jewish girl, what's her name, in Nazi Germany.