Adoption certificate & verification letter?

[Carty 0]

Hi all,

I seem to recall reading in the info from US Immigration, that I will need to supply a letter of verification from the GRO (General Register Office) alonside my adoption certificate to verify that it is accepted as a birth certificate. (I should add this is for my forthcoming documentation required for the Embassy interview.)

Yesterday I called the GRO and they told me that in the UK, my adoption certificate is clased as my birth certificate and that they have no such knowledge of any such letters being formatted for US Immigration visa applications. Therefore, as far as they are concerned, my adoption certificate is good enough.

Is anyone able to shed a little light on this as to whether this could cause us any problems with our application?

Carty

[LotofPatience 65]

Hi all,

I seem to recall reading in the info from US Immigration, that I will need to supply a letter of verification from the GRO (General Register Office) alonside my adoption certificate to verify that it is accepted as a birth certificate. (I should add this is for my forthcoming documentation required for the Embassy interview.)

Yesterday I called the GRO and they told me that in the UK, my adoption certificate is clased as my birth certificate and that they have no such knowledge of any such letters being formatted for US Immigration visa applications. Therefore, as far as they are concerned, my adoption certificate is good enough.

Is anyone able to shed a little light on this as to whether this could cause us any problems with our application?

Carty

What If a Document Is Not Available?

If birth certificate is not available, submit a statement from the appropriate civil authority certifying that the document or documents are not available. You must also submit secondary evidence, including:

A. Church record: A copy of a document bearing the seal of the church, showing the baptism, dedication or comparable rite occurred within two months after birth, and showing the date and place of the child's birth, date of the religious ceremony, and the names of the child's parents.

B. School record: A letter from the authority (preferably the first school attended) showing the date of admission to the school, the child's date of birth or age at that time, place of birth, and names of the parents.

D. Affidavits: Written statements sworn to or affirmed by two persons who were living at the time and who have personal knowledge of the event you are trying to prove. For example, the date and place of birth, marriage or death. The person making the affidavit does not have to be a U.S. citizen. Each affidavit should contain the following information regarding the person making the affidavit: his or her full name, address, date and place of birth, and his or her relationship to you, if any, full information concerning the event, and complete details explaining how the person acquired knowledge of the event.

Loto

[LotofPatience 65]

C. Census record: State or Federal census record showing the names, place of birth, date of birth, or the age of the person listed.

[Carty 0]

What If a Document Is Not Available?

If birth certificate is not available, submit a statement from the appropriate civil authority certifying that the document or documents are not available. You must also submit secondary evidence, including:

Hi Loto,

Thank you for your reply.

According to the GRO, my adoption certificate is recognised in UK law as my birth certificate. In fact it has always been produced when a birth certificate has been requested, such as for my passport application, my first marriage and many other occasions over the years.

I am not yet convinced that, in my case, my document as 'not available'. But have noted the alternatives, should I need to go down that road.

[Carty 0]

C. Census record: State or Federal census record showing the names, place of birth, date of birth, or the age of the person listed.

I should add that a birth certificate exists for me. But I was adopted from birth so my 'parents' are my adoptive parents. The details which are on my birth certificate (in some deep dark vault) are no longer valid as that certificate has been stamped to that effect.

So the census record would not apply.

Edited September 1, 2010 by Carty

[Carty 0]

Well what do you know? I have now received an RFE from the NVC as my birth certificate (mentioned above) has not been accepted.

I guess I am going to have to 'demand' the GRO send me a written document explaining that my (pre-adoptive) birth certificate is not available, after all!!

I'll add an affidavit from my father as he adopted me aged 5 months, if that will help. But I tried pushing the GRO for something in writing before, and they kept saying my birth certificate is recognised as a legal document. It is used to obtain passports, driving licenses, etc. and should be good enough for the US Immigration they told me. What a fool I was to listen to that.