HELP! URGENT! BIRTH CERTIFICATE!

[benjNjolly 1]

I just need some input from you guys. My fiance is about to send our K1 (fiancee visa) visa application tomorrow. We've been preparing for this since August. But when his friend, who also processed a fiancee visa application 3 years ago, saw our requirements, he immediately told my man to contact me because I needed to have my birth certificate certified/notarized. Now my question is, is it really necessary? Or the usual birth certificate from NSO will do? Ugh. I never thought this would be so stressful!

[C-ma'am 684]

I just need some input from you guys. My fiance is about to send our K1 (fiancee visa) visa application tomorrow. We've been preparing for this since August. But when his friend, who also processed a fiancee visa application 3 years ago, saw our requirements, he immediately told my man to contact me because I needed to have my birth certificate certified/notarized. Now my question is, is it really necessary? Or the usual birth certificate from NSO will do? Ugh. I never thought this would be so stressful!

Nothing needs to be notarized UNLESS otherwise instructed by USCIS/NVC or the Embassy.

[benjNjolly 1]

Nothing needs to be notarized UNLESS otherwise instructed by USCIS/NVC or the Embassy.

Thanks for your response. It's just unclear to me if the birth certificate needs to be notarized as the USCIS website doesn't say so.

[JensJrny2Ray 367]

Thanks for your response. It's just unclear to me if the birth certificate needs to be notarized as the USCIS website doesn't say so.

It doesn't. You will need an official copy for your K1 interview though, I believe.

[P A U L 14]

if you can't get a birth certificate, your passport (unexpired) is sufficient evidence.

[C-ma'am 684]

if you can't get a birth certificate, your passport (unexpired) is sufficient evidence.

Sufficient evidence for what? Careful with giving out this information. The OP is the beneficiary, not the petitioner. What you said works for the petitioner only.

In reality, the beneficiary will not have to present a birth certificate until the interview stage. If they want to send one with their petition, they are free to do it.

OP: Follow the guide and you cannot go wrong. http://www.visajourney.com/content/k1guide

[P A U L 14]

Sufficient evidence for what? Careful with giving out this information. The OP is the beneficiary, not the petitioner. What you said works for the petitioner only.

In reality, the beneficiary will not have to present a birth certificate until the interview stage. If they want to send one with their petition, they are free to do it.

OP: Follow the guide and you cannot go wrong. http://www.visajourney.com/content/k1guide

What about birth certificates, some people have trouble getting them? This is a problem for us also. Some people, especially our younger staff, think all the world is like the USA. I remember one, when I was in the Kansas City office, the beneficiary was from Viet Nam, she was born in 1954 there was no birth certificate. The CO asked me about this and I looked at the file. I said "Do you know what was going on in Viet Nam in 1954?" She looked at me, straight faced and said "What, their computers were down?" If a birth certificate cannot be obtained they can usually get something from a church, a village official, something, and send that with a letter of explanation. Or just their passport and a letter explaining the situation (this applies to AOS more than I-129f as beneficiary birth certificate is not required for the petition, but I wanted to ask anyway, it seems a common question here)

Check out this interview. http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/220499-k-1-petition-information

Passports are usually always acceptable in place of an unavailable or non-existent birth certificate because it contains the DOB, at the very least, that the issuing government has approved.

Edited November 17, 2012 by P A U L