Latest on Laminated Docs

[furble 3]

Just thinking ahead here. Although they won't be needed for a while, my wife's Birth Certificate is Laminated. If you actually had a laminated doument if you could please chime in if that was a problem or not and when it was reviewed?

I am hoping to not have to get a new birth certificate for her. It would be a) expensive due to local shenanigans, and b) require my wife and our baby to travel back to her home village which is very 3rd world (if even that clean) and stay there about a month. This would not be safe for our baby that is 4 months now and a US citizen btw.

[ndu26 114]

I dont know if any one has had their laminated documents accepted but the general concensus is that they should not be. I had some of my diplomas laminated also cos it was fashionable to do it at the time and we were made to believe the documents are being protected but most western nations do not like that ...cos I think it hampers their attempts to verify the originilaity of what people are submitting( and I am guessing feeling the actual paper is part of the process ).

I wonder if there is a way one can UNlaminate a document.

[TimeTravel 78]

Yes, someone mentioned on VJ, their laminated doc didnt have problem with NVC, but it is kind of risk. Why dont you arrange someone in that 3rd world to get her birth certificate? I mean, call someone or some friend or anyone who can take care of this task.

Better to get multiple copies of birth certificate ( Just in case ).

[TimeTravel 78]

I dont know if any one has had their laminated documents accepted but the general concensus is that they should not be. I had some of my diplomas laminated also cos it was fashionable to do it at the time and we were made to believe the documents are being protected but most western nations do not like that ...cos I think it hampers their attempts to verify the originilaity of what people are submitting( and I am guessing feeling the actual paper is part of the process ).

I wonder if there is a way one can UNlaminate a document.

In India, it was also fashion to get 10th & 12th mark-sheet laminated. But I didnt go for that option, because as the time goes, then it may ruin the doc. I always kept my doc in transparent bag. It almost keeps it safe as a lamination can do.

I doubt if there would be anything to UNlaminate a doc. It is better to get duplicate copy of that doc!

[furble 3]

Yes, someone mentioned on VJ, their laminated doc didnt have problem with NVC, but it is kind of risk. Why dont you arrange someone in that 3rd world to get her birth certificate? I mean, call someone or some friend or anyone who can take care of this task.

Better to get multiple copies of birth certificate ( Just in case ).

Wish it were that simple. A little about how Indonesia works (if anyone is interested)....

Indonesia has a complex local government system. It's actually sort of clever, but cumbersome and behind a few centuries, although I can see actually see it's merrits as it is actually quite well organized. Basically the country is divided into villiages in districts within cities. Each level has it's own Manager/Boss/Mayor and if you want to do anything you have to go through the heirarchy within the Village you are registered too (which is the one you are born in unless you apply to change it). You basically have to first see the villiage boss (The RT) and have them sign off, then go to the the District manager (The RW) and have him sign off, then go to the City Mayor (The Lurah) and have them sign off, then take all that signed stuff to the correct goverment office and submit it then wait a while to get your document. This all has to be done in person as per the rules or if you pay someone a lot of money they will do it for you, but that isn't legal and we make sure to do everything legitimiately becasue we don't need any problems. Of course the next level up on the heirarchy won't sign of until the one below them has signed, and each one may require a waiting period because they are busy signing stuff all day amongst their other duties.

Of course she would have to do all of this with our little one in-tow. Seems like something my America wouldn't want to put one of it's newest citizens through.

Then you wonder, why not just have her change her registered villiage? Same process everyone in the old village has to sign off on it, and then everyone in the new village you are moving too has to sign off. Worse yet though, each of the 3 bosses in the old village want a "fee" or "release tax" to lose one of their constituants, which is entirely up to whatever they want, and then the new village wants a "fee" to get in as well which is also left up to their imagination.

So she is from a really small village in Java that only recently got electricity and sort-of running water. Now of course we stay in Bali which is much nicer Also interesting, to stay in Bali she has to get a "Temporary Stay Permit" kind of like a local Visa every 3 months to continue to stay here lawfully. It also takes a few weeks to process that every time, but at least once you have one you just keep renewing it.

This is all because of the old Deutch system put in place as a means of population control for the various Islands from what I understand.

[furble 3]

I dont know if any one has had their laminated documents accepted but the general concensus is that they should not be. I had some of my diplomas laminated also cos it was fashionable to do it at the time and we were made to believe the documents are being protected but most western nations do not like that ...cos I think it hampers their attempts to verify the originilaity of what people are submitting( and I am guessing feeling the actual paper is part of the process ).

I wonder if there is a way one can UNlaminate a document.

Well yea, of course it's better if they aren't laminated but too late now. Frankly it's so common place here I don't know anyone that hasn't laminated their documents in Indonesia. They are so important here as you need to provide a photocopy of them to do just about anything and they are a nightmare to replace. Running a photocopy-mart is a great business here BTW if anyone is looking for a new career.

Kinda sucks not being able to laminate some stuff. On our baby's birth certificate the baby's first foot prints and the baby's face is watermarked into the paper and it's just really cute, but just on kind of a green cardboard construction paper. I so badly want to laminate it to protect it and keep it safe forever, but I will have to wait so as not to cause a problem. People here think we are absolutely crazy for not having laminated it yet, along with a few other things.

[nenooye 8]

i had my birth certificate laminated..and I had no problem with my K1 visa till marriage untill now..

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

Actually most older laminations heated low melt plastics together and the paper under is not affected. If you carefully cut at the very edge of the contained document you can usually get it out undamaged. However this is an at risk task.

[VisaJourney2011 14]

My Beneficiary laminated the Birth Certificate document but to be safe we got another Original Birth Certificate and did not laminate.

We know non laminated document has no issue but laminated document may or may not. If there is problem, it could delay your process and you may be asked to get non laminated ones.

So Why chance it ! I would not !

Just thinking ahead here. Although they won't be needed for a while, my wife's Birth Certificate is Laminated. If you actually had a laminated doument if you could please chime in if that was a problem or not and when it was reviewed?

I am hoping to not have to get a new birth certificate for her. It would be a) expensive due to local shenanigans, and b) require my wife and our baby to travel back to her home village which is very 3rd world (if even that clean) and stay there about a month. This would not be safe for our baby that is 4 months now and a US citizen btw.

Edited January 6, 2012 by VisaJourney2011