How do i get my birth certificate back! Is it in the brown envelope??

[tomaran 0]

Ok bit of a shot in the dark this but wanna know if anyone else had similar experience.

But before i go into it..........I got my visa today!!!!!!!!!

Anyway going back to my interview i was given the blue slip and asked to provide a certified translation of my original birth certificate and send in my original birth cert and translation and passport, before they could issue me the visa.

I promptly did this and paid for the collect/delivery service via SMS. Included in the packet i sent was my originals and single copies of the documents they requested and a short cover note requesting they send back the originals.

So i got the visa this morning (another quick hehe), but none of my original documents were in the packet.

Now i have two conflicting explanations.

My fiance called up DOS and the lady on the phone told her that they would have put them in the brown envelope.

I called up the embassy and the guy on the phone said that they may be 'laying' around somewhere waiting to be sent back. I told him what DOS had said and he said its unlikely they would put them in

the brown envelope. Regardless, he gave me an email code and i emailed the embassy detailing the situation.

Does anyone else have any other ideas?

I mean if they have put my originals in the brown envelope, is it likely i could request and be given them at the POE??

Heeeeeeeeeeeeelpp!!!!!!!!!!

Why are things never so simple lol

[YuAndDan 153]

Have a photocopy handy when you enter the USA and request them from the officer at the POE. If the POE officer wont return it, then you may have to file a G-884 to request them from USCIS, which is where the POE sends the brown envelope.

Also you may be able to confirm if they are in fact in the envelope, in many cases the envelope has a corner removed, and you can see the corners of the documents in side the envelope.

[tomaran 0]

Have a photocopy handy when you enter the USA and request them from the officer at the POE. If the POE officer wont return it, then you may have to file a G-884 to request them from USCIS, which is where the POE sends the brown envelope.

Also you may be able to confirm if they are in fact in the envelope, in many cases the envelope has a corner removed, and you can see the corners of the documents in side the envelope.

A G-884 huh? I'm guessing this is something that happens quite often then. No chance of seeing if its in the brown envelope because the London embassy seals it up good and proper, no corners cut, nada!

If i need to go the G-884 route then i will, but when it comes to getting a marriage licence will they need to see my birth certificate or will my passport be sufficient?

[YuAndDan 153]

Have a photocopy handy when you enter the USA and request them from the officer at the POE. If the POE officer wont return it, then you may have to file a G-884 to request them from USCIS, which is where the POE sends the brown envelope.

Also you may be able to confirm if they are in fact in the envelope, in many cases the envelope has a corner removed, and you can see the corners of the documents in side the envelope.

A G-884 huh? I'm guessing this is something that happens quite often then. No chance of seeing if its in the brown envelope because the London embassy seals it up good and proper, no corners cut, nada!

If i need to go the G-884 route then i will, but when it comes to getting a marriage licence will they need to see my birth certificate or will my passport be sufficient?

Another option, IF you have NOT come to the USA yet, you can go to the Embassy, and have them check the envelope, and then reseal it.

G-884 is sent to USCIS to request a document returned if they have it.

Edited June 9, 2009 by YuAndDan

[tomaran 0]

Have a photocopy handy when you enter the USA and request them from the officer at the POE. If the POE officer wont return it, then you may have to file a G-884 to request them from USCIS, which is where the POE sends the brown envelope.

Also you may be able to confirm if they are in fact in the envelope, in many cases the envelope has a corner removed, and you can see the corners of the documents in side the envelope.

A G-884 huh? I'm guessing this is something that happens quite often then. No chance of seeing if its in the brown envelope because the London embassy seals it up good and proper, no corners cut, nada!

If i need to go the G-884 route then i will, but when it comes to getting a marriage licence will they need to see my birth certificate or will my passport be sufficient?

Another option, IF you have NOT come to the USA yet, you can go to the Embassy, and have them check the envelope, and then reseal it.

G-884 is sent to USCIS to request a document returned if they have it.

Hmmm going to the embassy may be a bit of a mission, i mean i wouldnt even know how to schedule an appointment. I guess i have to wait for a reply back from the email i sent, they may even make that

particular suggestion you mentioned. I'm not travelling for couple of months so i still have time, but thanks for your replies, they are much appreciated.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Ok bit of a shot in the dark this but wanna know if anyone else had similar experience.

But before i go into it..........I got my visa today!!!!!!!!!

Anyway going back to my interview i was given the blue slip and asked to provide a certified translation of my original birth certificate and send in my original birth cert and translation and passport, before they could issue me the visa.

I promptly did this and paid for the collect/delivery service via SMS. Included in the packet i sent was my originals and single copies of the documents they requested and a short cover note requesting they send back the originals.

So i got the visa this morning (another quick hehe), but none of my original documents were in the packet.

Now i have two conflicting explanations.

My fiance called up DOS and the lady on the phone told her that they would have put them in the brown envelope.

I called up the embassy and the guy on the phone said that they may be 'laying' around somewhere waiting to be sent back. I told him what DOS had said and he said its unlikely they would put them in

the brown envelope. Regardless, he gave me an email code and i emailed the embassy detailing the situation.

Does anyone else have any other ideas?

I mean if they have put my originals in the brown envelope, is it likely i could request and be given them at the POE??

Heeeeeeeeeeeeelpp!!!!!!!!!!

Why are things never so simple lol

I am not sure they would give it to you at the POE, they may and take a copy, you can certainly ask. They may also give it to you at the AOS interview, probably more likely, however there is a possibility you will not have an AOS interview. You could also order a new certified copy at the place where you got the last one OR in most cases the copy you kept for your files (because of course you kept a copy of anything you gave them) will be sufficeint for most purposes in the USA until you sort this out.

[Twisted K 2]

congrats on your visa!

[elmcitymaven 9,712]

If you have the GRO index reference number (which you will if you have a photocopy of your BC), it's only 7 quid to order one from the GRO. A whole lot less aggravation than requesting it back from USCIS, or begging at the POE for the copy, or going back to the Embassy to have it unsealed and resealed. If you don't have the GRO number, it's only 3 quid more. If it were me, I'd pony up instead of wasting my time. But I'm funny like that.

[payxibka 10,045]

Ok bit of a shot in the dark this but wanna know if anyone else had similar experience.

But before i go into it..........I got my visa today!!!!!!!!!

Anyway going back to my interview i was given the blue slip and asked to provide a certified translation of my original birth certificate and send in my original birth cert and translation and passport, before they could issue me the visa.

I promptly did this and paid for the collect/delivery service via SMS. Included in the packet i sent was my originals and single copies of the documents they requested and a short cover note requesting they send back the originals.

So i got the visa this morning (another quick hehe), but none of my original documents were in the packet.

Now i have two conflicting explanations.

My fiance called up DOS and the lady on the phone told her that they would have put them in the brown envelope.

I called up the embassy and the guy on the phone said that they may be 'laying' around somewhere waiting to be sent back. I told him what DOS had said and he said its unlikely they would put them in

the brown envelope. Regardless, he gave me an email code and i emailed the embassy detailing the situation.

Does anyone else have any other ideas?

I mean if they have put my originals in the brown envelope, is it likely i could request and be given them at the POE??

Heeeeeeeeeeeeelpp!!!!!!!!!!

Why are things never so simple lol

save the hassle with the USCIS, POE or consulate... just get another one

[tomaran 0]

If you have the GRO index reference number (which you will if you have a photocopy of your BC), it's only 7 quid to order one from the GRO. A whole lot less aggravation than requesting it back from USCIS, or begging at the POE for the copy, or going back to the Embassy to have it unsealed and resealed. If you don't have the GRO number, it's only 3 quid more. If it were me, I'd pony up instead of wasting my time. But I'm funny like that.

I'd love to get another copy of my BC only I was born in Sudan and been in UK ever since (not giving away my age but that was a loooooong time ago). Thats why i needed a certified

translation of my original BC. So as far as getting a replacement i wouldnt even know how to go about it, besides the democratic republic of sudan are not the most co-operative country on the planet

and our family moved to the UK when i was born, and we have no family that live over there anymore, so get a replacement is not an option.

I do have copies of all the documents including my BC so if i were to print these would they be sufficient for other purposes in the USA? Would i need to get the photocopies certified?

And if i can get them certified then presumably i wont need the originals to get them certified would i?

I feel like i'm not making any sense.

But bottom line if could get a replacement for my birth certificate i would, but its near impossible. So can i use the photocopies of my birth certificate as back up?

[tomaran 0]

If you have the GRO index reference number (which you will if you have a photocopy of your BC), it's only 7 quid to order one from the GRO. A whole lot less aggravation than requesting it back from USCIS, or begging at the POE for the copy, or going back to the Embassy to have it unsealed and resealed. If you don't have the GRO number, it's only 3 quid more. If it were me, I'd pony up instead of wasting my time. But I'm funny like that.

I'd love to get another copy of my BC only I was born in Sudan and been in UK ever since (not giving away my age but that was a loooooong time ago). Thats why i needed a certified

translation of my original BC. So as far as getting a replacement i wouldnt even know how to go about it, besides the democratic republic of sudan are not the most co-operative country on the planet

and our family moved to the UK when i was born, and we have no family that live over there anymore, so get a replacement is not an option.

I do have copies of all the documents including my BC so if i were to print these would they be sufficient for other purposes in the USA? Would i need to get the photocopies certified?

And if i can get them certified then presumably i wont need the originals to get them certified would i?

I feel like i'm not making any sense.

But bottom line if could get a replacement for my birth certificate i would, but its near impossible. So can i use the photocopies of my birth certificate as back up?

OK Update on this i got a reply back to the email i sent

'You may return your passport and the visa package to allow a consular officer to examine the package for your missing documents. Please do not open the package yourself.

If you wish to do so, you should contact the Embassy’s courier service, SMS, to arrange for the collection and delivery of your documents to the Embassy. Contact details for SMS are available from their website, www.securemail.co.uk. You should enclose a brief covering letter, explaining the situation, when returning your passport and visa package. '

I cant believe the cheek of this! You should enclose a brief covering letter, explaining the situation,

Ummmm I did send a covering letter when i sent it back the first time!!!

I'll be damned if i'm going to pay SMS yet again to collect and deliver. Besides the fact noooooooooooooo way am i going to send back my visa packet and passport so they can take weeks to send it back. Not risking that. I'll take my chances if i have too.

Anyway i emailed them back asking them if i could get the documents at the POE, or if they could send me an official letter that i could show immigration at the POE.

So frustrating that i am going to have to pay for their mistake if i want my documents back grrrrrrrrrr