Really necessary to mail original birth/marriage certificate?

[maeve808 5]

I just printed out the instructions for the next step in the CR-1 visa process (I'm preparing packet 3). It says they want the original and a copy of the birth certificate, police certificate and marriage certificate. It's ok with me to mail them the original police certificate, but do people really mail their original birth and marriage certificate? What if these important documents get damaged or lost? The birth certificate was issued at birth and is really old and fragile already. Do I really have to mail the original or just show it to them at the interview?

[N&S 32]

You can call up the German city office that issued your birth certificate and order another copy - my little town even offered an international version that was in English so I didn't have to pay for translation. Costs was I think in the order of 30 Euro plus postage, but don't remember exactly.

Edited February 5, 2014 by N&S

[HK12 273]

I double N&S's post. Call the Standesamt of the place where you were born and ask for an International Birth Certificate. Their advantage is that they are stamped originals yet are in multiple languages including English. One international birth certificate cost me 10 Euros.

Edited February 5, 2014 by HK12

[maeve808 5]

Sorry, I didn't mention that I meant the birth certificate of my spouse, who is Bulgarian. So we only have this one old version. We also have translated it already. So in this case, we would really have to mail the original? Since it's in Bulgarian, how would they know what it says? Is it not enough to mail them a copy and the English translation and then show them the original at the interview?

[Phillip Kazuto 28]

Yeah mail the original , also attach with another translate one

[maeve808 5]

In case we really mail them our original documents, will we get them back during the interview?

[HK12 273]

In case we really mail them our original documents, will we get them back during the interview?

I got all of mine back.

[Schlaire 2]

I understand your apprehension, but yes, you need to send in your original, and yes, you will get it back. I'd scan it, then mail it certified to prove JUST IN CASE something happened.

But, that's about all you can do without taking it in in person.

[awaywego 28]

You are worried about the fragile state of the birth certificate. Perhaps it would be worthwhile to try and contact the people who keep the records in your husband's hometown in Bulgaria and ask about purchasing another copy. (I do not know who this is in Bulgaria, but, if it helps connect roughly equivalent government bodies, it is Vital Records in the US and the Standesamt in Germany.) That may or may not be possible, timely, or easy, but it may also be as simple as filling out a request form and paying a fee.

Since the birth certificate is not in English, someone who is proficient in both Bulgarian and English must translate it. That person will need to state/certify that they are proficient in both languages and that the translation is correct. (Example statement: link)

We will be sending our packets "Einschreiben" (registered, requires recipient's signature), possibly with "Rückshein" (signature mailed back to us). That might make you feel better about sending original documents.

[Darnell 8,478]

maeve - are you really a DCF filer?

[maeve808 5]

Thanks all for your replies. We decided we will mail the original via registered mail (Einschreiben) and attach a request that we would like the original documents back when the process is completed. We can't order another original copy because in Bulgaria you have to go in person and we're both in Germany at the moment.

And yes Darnell, I'm really a DCF filer.

[Darnell 8,478]

ok.

wow - what a difference in Consulate Instructions, aye?

For China, it's a list of documents in the P3 letter,

that one has to prepare

and bring in to the interview,

as the thing to send in FROM the P3 is a signed readiness letter, plus a coupla other small things.

Yer US Embassy IV Unit wants the big list, before they'll set the interview ? That massively sucks !

For China, one signs at the bottom, stating they are ready, and have the documents prepared, and then the IV Unit sets the date. All of the big doc collection there is done on interview day.

Maybe it's a huge shift, overall, since the DS-260 started being used.

[maeve808 5]

Yes Darnell, at the Frankfurt Consulate they want you to mail all documents to them before they give you the interview. That's why I was concerned regarding my original documents because I don't trust the mail even in Germany (things have gotten lost before). But it looks like we don't have a choice.