Passport Pages

[inloveVEN 46]

Commonly you need a copy of the first page, where your personal identification appears, and a copy of your visa ijust in the case a visa is needed other pages are not needed

[JimVaPhuong 4,863]

Exactly! it depends on what you are using the copy of the passport for...I copied every page on mine for citizenship. I did send a copy of my birth certificate too, but I didnt know if they would take it since it was a plastic card...that is why I made sure to copy every page of the passport.

The card is a certified birth record - it's not a birth certificate. A certified birth record is a document which is generated from the records of the birth on file, usually by computer. A certified birth certificate is a photo generated copy of the actual document signed by the parents and attending physician at the time of birth. Computer generated records and cards are usually referred to as "short form" birth records. The photo generated copies are usually referred to as "long form" birth records. They will only accept the "long form" for proof of citizenship.

Commonly you need a copy of the first page, where your personal identification appears, and a copy of your visa ijust in the case a visa is needed other pages are not needed

This is only true if you're using this as evidence of having met within the past two years. This won't be sufficient if you're using the passport as proof of US citizenship.

[KemalTuanaYalcin 16]

Err on the side of caution and copy all pages including the front and back cover, especially if you are using this in lieu of a birth certificate or something .

[Mike&Cherry 45]

The card is a certified birth record - it's not a birth certificate. A certified birth record is a document which is generated from the records of the birth on file, usually by computer. A certified birth certificate is a photo generated copy of the actual document signed by the parents and attending physician at the time of birth. Computer generated records and cards are usually referred to as "short form" birth records. The photo generated copies are usually referred to as "long form" birth records. They will only accept the "long form" for proof of citizenship.

This is only true if you're using this as evidence of having met within the past two years. This won't be sufficient if you're using the passport as proof of US citizenship.

My birth certificate is not the short version. It has all my parents info and mine, but is not a photo copy of the origional. They typed it up and put the certification indented stamp and signed it. Is this acceptable because I cannot get a photo copy of the original?

Is it better to send color copies or black and white copies of the passport?

Thanks for your help in advance.

[sancdiap 0]

I only made copies of the front page and the stamps

[Ray-J 2]

So, if I don't feel like going through the trouble and expense of getting another copy of my birth certificate all I need to do is copy ALL passport pages, regardless if they're blank, and notate on the cover letter that my passport is being used as both proof of citizenship and having visited my fiancée?

[WARREN-IRINA 1]

I sent a copy of my state issued Birth certificate and the pages of my Passport that were used during my Russian visit and a notation that all the other pages were blank.

The only other time I have been outside the US was 18 months in Okinawa on military orders for Lyndon Johnson’s Southeast Asia war games in 1967-68 and I listed the barrack’s address as an overseas address. Passports were not required to go there.

Our petition left NVC for Moscow the “Week of Feb. 1” NVC said Tue Feb. 8.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

I know it says to copy all the pages in the passport, but what if your passport has only been used once and the majority of the pages are blank? Do I still need to copy all of them or can I only copy a couple of blank ones and notate on the final copy that the rest of them are blank due to non-use?

all the pages means ALL the pages. Why would you even consider risking an RFE to save a few pieces of paper and 2 minutes at the copy machine? This is a "non-question", a no-brainer. Do what it says, do not ask questions.

I sent a copy of my state issued Birth certificate and the pages of my Passport that were used during my Russian visit and a notation that all the other pages were blank.

The only other time I have been outside the US was 18 months in Okinawa on military orders for Lyndon Johnson’s Southeast Asia war games in 1967-68 and I listed the barrack’s address as an overseas address. Passports were not required to go there.

Our petition left NVC for Moscow the “Week of Feb. 1” NVC said Tue Feb. 8.

Thsi is fine because the birth certificate proves citizenship. If you are using a passport to prove citizenship, copy ALL pages.

I would suggest copying all pages, also, if you are using the passport to prove your meeting. Do not make any attempts to save a few pieces of paper in this process.

[cedwards001 18]

So, if I don't feel like going through the trouble and expense of getting another copy of my birth certificate all I need to do is copy ALL passport pages, regardless if they're blank, and notate on the cover letter that my passport is being used as both proof of citizenship and having visited my fiancée?

That is correct. Submit a copy of ALL pages from your US Passport even if they are blank pages. Copy EVERY page.

[ann and aties 9]

"If you are using the US passport as proof of citizenship (for example in the case of naturalization through parents) you will need ALL PAGES copied to show where you have been, or not been... if you do not include a page they will RFE you since you could be hiding a trip to Cuba or some such wild thing from your past LOL!"

Don't worry, they are not allowed to stamp your passport in Cuba - they give you a tourist visa that they stamp that is not attached and then they take it away when you leave.

[Ray-J 2]

"If you are using the US passport as proof of citizenship (for example in the case of naturalization through parents) you will need ALL PAGES copied to show where you have been, or not been... if you do not include a page they will RFE you since you could be hiding a trip to Cuba or some such wild thing from your past LOL!"

Don't worry, they are not allowed to stamp your passport in Cuba - they give you a tourist visa that they stamp that is not attached and then they take it away when you leave.

The one and only time I've been to Cuba was when I was in the Navy. Even then, I was only in Cuba for about an hour and it was to Guantanamo Bay Naval Base.

[Ray-J 2]

all the pages means ALL the pages. Why would you even consider risking an RFE to save a few pieces of paper and 2 minutes at the copy machine? This is a "non-question", a no-brainer. Do what it says, do not ask questions.

Gary,

I know you have everyone's best interest at heart. This is my first, and hopefully only, time going through this process. I just want to be sure that I have all my t's crossed and my i's dotted before submitting my package.

[JimVaPhuong 4,863]

My birth certificate is not the short version. It has all my parents info and mine, but is not a photo copy of the origional. They typed it up and put the certification indented stamp and signed it. Is this acceptable because I cannot get a photo copy of the original?

Is it better to send color copies or black and white copies of the passport?

Thanks for your help in advance.

If it was produced from computer records, and is not a photo copy of the original birth record, then it's a short form, regardless of how much information it contains. If it contains information about both parents then it's usually possible to use it in lieu of a "long form" birth certificate for most purposes. USCIS knows whether a "long form" birth certificate is available in the state where you were born. I've seen them issue an RFE for a "long form" birth certificate when they knew that they were available, even when the submitted "short form" contained information about both parents. The only time I've seen someone successfully overcome one of those RFE's without obtaining and submitting a "long form" birth certificate was when they were born on a US military base, and the state gave them a certificate stating that the original birth certificate was not on file with the state because the child was born on a "federal reservation".

I would (and did) send color copies. USCIS will usually accept the authenticity of a copy if it appears likely that neither the original nor the copy were doctored in any way. This is easier to determine with color copies, especially if the original document was faint or had a lot of colors that were similar in intensity. It's technical, but B/W copies aren't like B/W photographs that have an unlimited number of shades of gray. B/W copies are scattered black dots on white paper, so their clarity is heavily dependent on their resolution, which itself is dependent on the size of the toner granules. It's less likely that USCIS would send an RFE asking for the original document if you send color copies.

[Mike&Cherry 45]

If it was produced from computer records, and is not a photo copy of the original birth record, then it's a short form, regardless of how much information it contains. If it contains information about both parents then it's usually possible to use it in lieu of a "long form" birth certificate for most purposes. USCIS knows whether a "long form" birth certificate is available in the state where you were born. I've seen them issue an RFE for a "long form" birth certificate when they knew that they were available, even when the submitted "short form" contained information about both parents. The only time I've seen someone successfully overcome one of those RFE's without obtaining and submitting a "long form" birth certificate was when they were born on a US military base, and the state gave them a certificate stating that the original birth certificate was not on file with the state because the child was born on a "federal reservation".

I would (and did) send color copies. USCIS will usually accept the authenticity of a copy if it appears likely that neither the original nor the copy were doctored in any way. This is easier to determine with color copies, especially if the original document was faint or had a lot of colors that were similar in intensity. It's technical, but B/W copies aren't like B/W photographs that have an unlimited number of shades of gray. B/W copies are scattered black dots on white paper, so their clarity is heavily dependent on their resolution, which itself is dependent on the size of the toner granules. It's less likely that USCIS would send an RFE asking for the original document if you send color copies.

Thanks for responding Jim. Your always on point. I guess that I will be sending in color copies of my passport. I'm getting ready to send everything in this next week, just want to make sure there are no issues. Thanks again for your help.

Mike

[HeatDeath 430]

all the pages means ALL the pages. Why would you even consider risking an RFE to save a few pieces of paper and 2 minutes at the copy machine? This is a "non-question", a no-brainer. Do what it says, do not ask questions.

Thsi is fine because the birth certificate proves citizenship. If you are using a passport to prove citizenship, copy ALL pages.

I would suggest copying all pages, also, if you are using the passport to prove your meeting. Do not make any attempts to save a few pieces of paper in this process.

+1 above.

We're involved in a process that costs literally thousands of dollars, by the time all is said and done. It amazes me when people worry about saving pennies on photocopying. The money you save by not photocopying and sending maybe 10 blank passport pages won't even buy you a coffee at Starbucks. If there's even a 5% possibility you'll earn an RFE for your troubles, it's not worth it.

Maybe it's a deeply ingrained leftover indoctrination from our elementary school teachers to "save the rainforests". [similar to the indoctrination we descendants of Ukranian grandmothers get to eat every atom of food that is ever placed on a plate in front of us. Or was that just my family? ]

We just need to get used to it: USCIS hates trees. Follow their instructions literally, buy an indulgence carbon credit if you feel really guilty about it, and just move on.

Edited February 11, 2011 by HeatDeath