Birth certificates and divorce decree...

[garnet80 1]

Okay I am going to try to ask this here, I tried posting it in the US Embassy and Consulate forum (prolly the wrong place anyway!), but no replies, and I am certain you guys will know!

When I (I am the USC) send my fiance the things from the NOA-2, I need to send all originals, so it says. Now, do I really need to send my genuine original birth certificate? I have a certified copy I ordered from the state I was born in, but it has way less information on it than the real original. I don't love the idea of putting my genuine birth certificate in the mail, and then having my fiance have to travel with it too...

Also, my divorce decree. On the day of the divorce, at the courthouse, I had them make up like 5 certified, stamped, copies. I don't have a clue which is the "real" one now. Unless I misplaced it or something (yikes). Do you all suppose that any old certified copy will do?

Thank you guys. We would not be at this stage of the game (52 day NOA-2!) without *this* forum in particular!

[Wyatt's Torch 45]

Certified copies from the state are perfectly fine.

[garnet80 1]

Awesome, thank you!

[Wyatt's Torch 45]

No problem! We had several certified copies of our marriage certificate (I'm honestly not sure if we even HAVE the original now...), several certified copies of my birth certificate and copies of various other things. They were accepted without question.

[VanessaTony 3,567]

Okay I am going to try to ask this here, I tried posting it in the US Embassy and Consulate forum (prolly the wrong place anyway!), but no replies, and I am certain you guys will know!

When I (I am the USC) send my fiance the things from the NOA-2, I need to send all originals, so it says. Now, do I really need to send my genuine original birth certificate? I have a certified copy I ordered from the state I was born in, but it has way less information on it than the real original. I don't love the idea of putting my genuine birth certificate in the mail, and then having my fiance have to travel with it too...

Also, my divorce decree. On the day of the divorce, at the courthouse, I had them make up like 5 certified, stamped, copies. I don't have a clue which is the "real" one now. Unless I misplaced it or something (yikes). Do you all suppose that any old certified copy will do?

Thank you guys. We would not be at this stage of the game (52 day NOA-2!) without *this* forum in particular!

Your birth certificate is no longer needed. Sure send it if you want but it won't be asked for. I'm surprised your divorce stuff is being asked for but the checklist does mention it: http://vancouver.usconsulate.gov/content/v...packet3k1k3.pdf Your birth cert was only needed for the petition.

[HeatDeath 430]

In Utah, there isn't even such a thing as an "original marriage certificate" that you keep. The officiant, you two, and your witnesses sign the marriage license at the ceremony, turning it into your "original" marriage certificate. You take it to the county office, and they keep it permanently, and will only give you certified copies.

State-issued certified copies are what the consulate means by "original". They are merely distinguishing between state-issued "extracts from official records" and personal photocopies that you make on a work photocopier, computer scanner+printer, or at Kinko's.

Also, to confirm, I did not need to produce my USC fiancee's birth certificate at the interview. They, of course already had a copy of it from the I-129F petition anyways. They did want to see an original of my birth certificate, and would have kept it for inclusion in the file had I not, according to their instructions in the Packet 3, brought a photocopy of it.

Edited March 9, 2010 by HeatDeath

[Obama 2012 1,714]

Your birth certificate is no longer needed. Sure send it if you want but it won't be asked for. I'm surprised your divorce stuff is being asked for but the checklist does mention it: http://vancouver.usconsulate.gov/content/v...packet3k1k3.pdf Your birth cert was only needed for the petition.

That's one of those things I'd say it's better to be safe than sorry.

Dot every "I" and cross every "T" as they say.

I think it'd be better to have certified copies ready and not need them, than to risk someone asking and not having it...

[Wyatt's Torch 45]

That's one of those things I'd say it's better to be safe than sorry.

Dot every "I" and cross every "T" as they say.

I think it'd be better to have certified copies ready and not need them, than to risk someone asking and not having it...

I 100% agree. It's quite likely that you won't get asked for it, but it simply can't hurt to have a copy just in case. Really, the relatively small sum of money to acquire one is worth the peace of mind.

I wasn't asked for ANY documents other than the ones required on the checklist...but do I regret having copies of several other documents? Not one bit...because they can literally ask you for ANY document to put their minds at ease in terms of verification.