London Interview - Birth Certificate

[Dave Moseley 0]

So I'm gathering all my documents for my interview tomorrow, and I want some advice on my birth certificate

The letter I received with a checklist of documents clearly states: "The date, place of birth, and parent(s) name(s) must be shown on the birth certificate." However, my original UK birth certificate from 1986 doesn't have my parents' names on it, nor is there space for that information - it's a perfectly-square, surprisingly small certificate, but it's the original from when it was completed three days after my birth.

For anyone who has had an interview in London, is this going to be an issue for me? I'm not even sure if I go down to the town hall and get a certified copy that it'll show anything different? But if that's what I need to do, I need to go NOW. Please advise!

[Lisa-O 8]

Hi,

I had this exact same problem within a couple of days from the interview! You do need the long version, which I didn't have as they weren't issued in '79. I went to my council office and explained the situation as it usually 'takes a while' for them to produce it, but they were happy to do it within an hour for me. In all honesty if there is any way you can get the long version, do it. I wouldn't gamble on London refusing you, or delaying your visa, and maybe having to rearrange the interview.

Good Luck

Hi,

I had this exact same problem within a couple of days from the interview! You do need the long version, which I didn't have as they weren't issued in '79. I went to my council office and explained the situation as it usually 'takes a while' for them to produce it, but they were happy to do it within an hour for me. In all honesty if there is any way you can get the long version, do it. I wouldn't gamble on London refusing you, or delaying your visa, and maybe having to rearrange the interview.

Good Luck

The long version shows your parents info

[agnesb 47]

So I'm gathering all my documents for my interview tomorrow, and I want some advice on my birth certificate

The letter I received with a checklist of documents clearly states: "The date, place of birth, and parent(s) name(s) must be shown on the birth certificate." However, my original UK birth certificate from 1986 doesn't have my parents' names on it, nor is there space for that information - it's a perfectly-square, surprisingly small certificate, but it's the original from when it was completed three days after my birth.

For anyone who has had an interview in London, is this going to be an issue for me? I'm not even sure if I go down to the town hall and get a certified copy that it'll show anything different? But if that's what I need to do, I need to go NOW. Please advise!

I think you're better off going to a local office if you don't want your visa on hold until you provide the required document. As per http://travel.state.gov/visa/fees/fees_5455.html?cid=8993#docs long version with parents name is required. That being said I am not sure if there's anyone who was approved with short version but I doubt it.

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

For anyone who has had an interview in London, is this going to be an issue for me? I'm not even sure if I go down to the town hall and get a certified copy that it'll show anything different? But if that's what I need to do, I need to go NOW. Please advise!

Based on 5.75 years of reading London VJ...YES it will be an issue. I have seen quite a few without a long form birth certificate. Your case will be on hold until you send in the proper document. Then you could wait a week or even three weeks for them to get back to your case. Then another week for processing and delivery. So unless you can get a new certificate instantly, add some time on to your anticipated visa receipt.

[Dave Moseley 0]

Yeah, this backs up what else I read while desperately ringing around... I played it safe, at great cost... the only local office that could issue it was 200 miles away, so bought a new train ticket and made a stop there on the way to London (on a day the office was closed! - luckily I called this morning and they were willing to help me out, just needed to ring the doorbell). It's been a mare of a day but hopefully it'll all pay off tomorrow thanks for letting me know!

[CLMIKE 22]

I just checked my fiancee's birth certificate, and she's got the same problem.

Who should she contact in order to get a long version? I'm not really sure what "council office" means as to where she'd have to go.

[CLMIKE 22]

Yeah, this backs up what else I read while desperately ringing around... I played it safe, at great cost... the only local office that could issue it was 200 miles away, so bought a new train ticket and made a stop there on the way to London (on a day the office was closed! - luckily I called this morning and they were willing to help me out, just needed to ring the doorbell). It's been a mare of a day but hopefully it'll all pay off tomorrow thanks for letting me know!

Ok now I'm curious

Why was the only local office that could issue it 200 miles away? Was it because of the last minuteness? Or was it because it's difficult to get the long version?

[Dave Moseley 0]

I tried calling my local town hall but I've moved a good few times, always in a westerly direction, so they weren't actually able to issue one... I had to call the office in my home county where it was issued. It was actually only 130 miles away from me, according to Google Maps, but at this late stage, every mile is an inconvenience if your fiancee is in the same situation, she needs to call the records office of whatever she was born and request a new copy... they can send it out first class mail, but that wasn't an option for me since my appointment is 9am tomorrow. Hence the trek to get it in person

[CLMIKE 22]

So if her BC says she was born in the Registration district of Lambeth to call them? Or would where she lives now, Leigh on Sea, be enough?

I found this site. I think this is what she will need on who to contact. http://www.lambeth.gov.uk/Services/CommunityLiving/Births/BirthCertificatesHistoricalSearches.htm

Also, good luck on your upcoming interview. We're still waiting on USCIS to send the approved NOA2 to NVC...

Edited December 9, 2013 by CLMIKE

[lost_at_sea 995]

This is how you'd usually get a birth cert (I've used them a couple times - they're quite prompt): http://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/

Edited December 9, 2013 by lost_at_sea

[Pitaya 2,577]

~Moved from K-1 Process to UK Regional Forum~

~Inquiry is embassy-specific~

[CLMIKE 22]

Do you have to list something separate in the instructions to make sure you get the long version instead of the short version?

[lost_at_sea 995]

Do you have to list something separate in the instructions to make sure you get the long version instead of the short version?

You mean with the link above? IIRC, they only issue long ones.

[cathy2904 97]

This is how you'd usually get a birth cert (I've used them a couple times - they're quite prompt): http://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/

+1 to this.

[nobbie 105]

or call the registrar of births deaths etc wherever you were born, I did it over the phone for a tenner. The long certs have been arounf for years and years, the small ones were free, the long ones parents had to pay for, I had only the short version.