Certified Copies

[Saylin 1,605]

Oh my, I paid $20 per copy for my certified birth certificates from the State of Minnesota.

We paid $5 or so per copy of the certified marriage certificate in Colombia.

For this process it seems like 2 sets of the certified copies are needed. One to provide at the NVC stage and one to provide at the consulate/embassy/Local IV office in case the originals do not make it to the interview location.

Not needed for Canada as Canada is eligible for EP (electronic processing)

[safire 0]

You 2 have been so helpful! Thanks so much.

And yes, I do need to read the instructions better, and I would never think of filing unless I was totally sure everything was perfect, however my little toddler is running around making messes all over the place and I"m practically tearing my hair out trying to keep up with him and start organizing this stuff on my end! Hah! The joys of mother hood, if I had only know. LoL. But yeah I just asked anyways because I like to have input from REAL people such as yourselves.

Thanks again! I'm sure I will have more questions soon.

[Saylin 1,605]

You 2 have been so helpful! Thanks so much.

And yes, I do need to read the instructions better, and I would never think of filing unless I was totally sure everything was perfect, however my little toddler is running around making messes all over the place and I"m practically tearing my hair out trying to keep up with him and start organizing this stuff on my end! Hah! The joys of mother hood, if I had only know. LoL. But yeah I just asked anyways because I like to have input from REAL people such as yourselves.

Thanks again! I'm sure I will have more questions soon.

Yeah, I can only imagine the hectic-ness! Perhaps work on this while the toddler is asleep and not messing everything up

And yes, I can relate how getting input from actual people, and not just an inanimate form, can help. I had lots of questions when I was first starting out, and this was my only source for information (besides the government sites). IMMENSE help is an understatement!

And if you ever have any questions, I'd be glad to help

[Orando 57]

Not needed for Canada as Canada is eligible for EP (electronic processing)

Cool, I am probably over cautious and I do not trust the govt or its employees, so I keep duplicate copies of documents, irrespective of the requirements, I always assume worst case scenario with this kind of stuff dealing with the govt...jejejejejee..

[jkelly07 120]

only send copies to the uscis.the nvc will want originals if you send them and your case is complete then your file gets sent to the consulate, when your at the interview ask the IO for the originals back he will make copies.or you can file G-884 is a form to request for original documents returned to you,it needs to be notorized, and I.D read the instructions in the G-884.

[Akwunomy 4]

Our marriage certificate wasn't certified, only the affidavit from people having knowledge about our relationship was. Just make a copy of the certificate and send you will be ok. at one point i believe at the embassy stage or NVC you will need to submit the original.

[bigdog 376]

We sent high quality color copies, they never asked for the originals at AOS although we had them for our interview.

[sheeshkabelle 153]

Do NOT under any circumstances send original documents for an I-130. USCIS is notorious for loosing things. Copies are fine and what they prefer. You have to have the original Certified Certificate. (ie you can not send in a decorative copy, a temporary certificate etc) It has to be the document issued by the state/province and has to have a seal.

From what I've read through other posts and the NVC and Montreal guides;

You can scan in your Certified certificates/passports and do the electronic filing for NVC. You send everything in an email.

Make a few copies of every certificate and passport bio pages. Once you go to your interview, you can give them one of your copies. They still want look at your original, but give it back to you. If you forget to take a copy, some officers will make a copy for you and give the original back.

You will get the IR-1 (10 year card) because you have been married over two years.

Ready Saylin's guide for the NVC and Montreal stages, you will find it reassuring and super helpful. It's like a dose of Prozac

NVC for Montreal Beneficiaries – Electronic Processing and New Online Forms

Edited February 10, 2012 by sheeshkabelle

[Matsiepan 6]

For the initial I-130 package, the beneficiary no longer needs to submit a birth certificate. That is later on in the process once you make it to the NVC.

[GoingCrazy2012 16]

Please read the instructions for the I-130 again. Only copies (photocopies) are required for the I-130 package. I HIGHLY suggest you read the instructions a few times. If you missed this important information, you might have missed something else.

To Saylin: I see in your timeline that at some point you "emailed" the I-864. How is that possible? I thought you had to print out a bar coded cover sheet and mail that along with the I-864 and the supporting documentation to NVC. Could you please guide me a little bit more on this?

[Saylin 1,605]

To Saylin: I see in your timeline that at some point you "emailed" the I-864. How is that possible? I thought you had to print out a bar coded cover sheet and mail that along with the I-864 and the supporting documentation to NVC. Could you please guide me a little bit more on this?

Canada is eligible for electronic processing, so I signed up for it

Unfortunately, Columbia is not one of those eligible countries, so you have to snail mail packages.

[safire 0]

Canada is eligible for electronic processing, so I signed up for it

Unfortunately, Columbia is not one of those eligible countries, so you have to snail mail packages.

Ugh this is all so overwhelming! Can I sign up for electronic processing even if I'm already in the USA?

[Saylin 1,605]

Ugh this is all so overwhelming! Can I sign up for electronic processing even if I'm already in the USA?

Oh, you're doing AOS? Not an IR-1/CR-1 visa? If you're doing AOS, then you don't go through NVC (where EP is done) or the consulate. There is no EP for AOS...

[safire 0]

Oh, you're doing AOS? Not an IR-1/CR-1 visa? If you're doing AOS, then you don't go through NVC (where EP is done) or the consulate. There is no EP for AOS...

Ahh ok. Yes let me give a brief history might help!

My hubby and I met when we were children in Southern California. Our parents were involved in some volunteer work. We then parted ways at 13 years old. We re met each other in 2009. He was in the military stationed at Ft. Lewis Washington, and I was living in Vancouver, BC at the time. My contract job had just finished and he was just getting out of the military at the same time, so we decided to take a road trip to California to see all of our old friends that I hadnt seen since childhood. One thing led to another and we fell in love, got engaged in November 30th. I entered the US on November 16th, 2009. During those months we really couldn't decide if we should move to canada together or do the whole process to stay in the US. Then in January 2010 I found out I was pregnant! Still had difficulty deciding to stay or go, as my husband was unemployed. Then a mutual friend of ours hooked him up with a job in Nevada. So that settled things for us and we decided to move here. We had our little boy in September 2010. Fast forward to now and we finally got our stuff together to apply for my GC.

So now I am working on the I-130 and the I-485 packets to file together when ready. Whenever that might end up being, hopefully soon!

[Saylin 1,605]

Ahh ok. Yes let me give a brief history might help!

My hubby and I met when we were children in Southern California. Our parents were involved in some volunteer work. We then parted ways at 13 years old. We re met each other in 2009. He was in the military stationed at Ft. Lewis Washington, and I was living in Vancouver, BC at the time. My contract job had just finished and he was just getting out of the military at the same time, so we decided to take a road trip to California to see all of our old friends that I hadnt seen since childhood. One thing led to another and we fell in love, got engaged in November 30th. I entered the US on November 16th, 2009. During those months we really couldn't decide if we should move to canada together or do the whole process to stay in the US. Then in January 2010 I found out I was pregnant! Still had difficulty deciding to stay or go, as my husband was unemployed. Then a mutual friend of ours hooked him up with a job in Nevada. So that settled things for us and we decided to move here. We had our little boy in September 2010. Fast forward to now and we finally got our stuff together to apply for my GC.

So now I am working on the I-130 and the I-485 packets to file together when ready. Whenever that might end up being, hopefully soon!

Thanks for the story, definitely helps!

So, yes, you're doing AOS (adjustment of status), and as you're doing that from within the US, you skip the entire NVC and interview process. You'll just be dealing with USCIS, and unfortunately, there is no electronic processing for that.