Certified copy of certified marriage and birth cert, passport (merged)

[kccb 10]

I photocopied my marriage certificate. Is this sufficient for a certified copy of my marriage certificate?

 

Edited October 30, 2017 by Penguin_ie

[inloveVEN 46]

Yes if you are filing the petition it is fine all you only need to make copies from your original documents.  are you in this step? or are you talking about the interview?

[kccb 10]

Just now, inloveVEN said:

Yes if you are filing the petition it is fine all you only need to make copies from your original documents.  are you in this step? or are you talking about the interview?

Yes, sorry should have been more clear. I am putting together all the papers to file the petition

[inloveVEN 46]

2 minutes ago, kccb said:

Yes, sorry should have been more clear. I am putting together all the papers to file the petition

good, then you only need copies of your documents.

[kccb 10]

I am putting together the paperwork to file my petition (American living in Canada with a Canadian husband) The instructions ask for:

 

A copy of the intending immigrant's birth certificate and/or passport along with English translation. (If in any language other than English)   My husband was born in Guatemala and his birth certificate is in Spanish. To get an english translation do I have to find a certified translator where I live and have them translate it or can my husband translate it?   If I include the passport instead of birth certificate, do I need to photocopy and include each page of the passport?

[SusieQQQ 11,586]

23 minutes ago, kccb said:

I am putting together the paperwork to file my petition (American living in Canada with a Canadian husband) The instructions ask for:

 

A copy of the intending immigrant's birth certificate and/or passport along with English translation. (If in any language other than English)   My husband was born in Guatemala and his birth certificate is in Spanish. To get an english translation do I have to find a certified translator where I live and have them translate it or can my husband translate it?   If I include the passport instead of birth certificate, do I need to photocopy and include each page of the passport?

Guidelines for translation here https://www.state.gov/m/dghr/flo/154965.htm

although it doesn’t say so there, I understand that the translator can’t be involved in the petition or be an immediate family member of someone who is, so afaik your husband can’t do it.

passprt is just copy of the bio page.

[Hypnos 6,576]

It will be a photocopy of a certified copy, but that won't make this new copy a certified copy. 

 

But you only need photocopies for the initial submission to USCIS, so that's OK. 

[NikLR 13,227]

The petition should not need a copy of your husband's birth certificate.  It needs a photocopy of the PETITIONER's birth certificate, or entire passport as proof of US Citizenship. 

 

However anyone that is competent to translate, aka fluent in both languages can do it.  Yes it can be your husband, you, or someone online. 

 

 

http://www.visajourney.com/content/i130guide1

http://www.visajourney.com/wiki/index.php/EZGuideSpouse

[kccb 10]

2 minutes ago, NikLR said:

The petition should not need a copy of your husband's birth certificate.  It needs a photocopy of the PETITIONER's birth certificate, or entire passport as proof of US Citizenship. 

 

However anyone that is competent to translate, aka fluent in both languages can do it.  Yes it can be your husband, you, or someone online. 

 

 

http://www.visajourney.com/content/i130guide1

http://www.visajourney.com/wiki/index.php/EZGuideSpouse

 

Assembling the I-130 Package: Checklist 
Forms and Documents (follow these assembly instructions. All supporting documents must be in English or be translated as noted here.): 

1. Payment as required by USCIS. Use a personal check so you can track the payment. Money Orders are also accepted. Read the Guide to Paying USCIS Immigration Fees. 2. Cover Letter. Should include a description of what your are petitioning for (I-130), a table of contents (list everything in the packet). If you need additional room to explain your case, attach a separate sheet (list the attachment on the cover sheet). Make sure to sign and date the cover sheet. 3. Form I-130: Petition for Alien Relative 4. Copy of the Full Birth certificate (front and back) for the US Citizen or a copy of ALL pages of the US Citizen's passport. This is used to establish citizenship. 5. A copy of petitioner's proof of naturalization. (If applicable)  6. A copy of petitioner's proof of permanent residency. (If applicable)  7. A copy of the intending immigrant's birth certificate and/or passport along with English translation. (If in any language other than English)  8. A certified copy of your certified marriage certificate (again, translated if not in Engligh) 9. A certified official copy of the petitioner's and/or intending immigrant's divorce documents. (If one or both of you have been divorced before) 10. A copy of a prior spouse's death certificate. (If filing for a spouse, and one or both have you were married before, and the prior spouse died)  11. Two passport-type photos (see specification) of the US Citizen. Write the full name on the back of each photo. Place in a plastic bag and label the bag "Photo of <Insert Name>". Attach the bag to a sheet of paper and place behind the corresponding I-130. 12. Two passport-type photos (see specification) of the foreign spouse. Write the full name of the beneficiary on the back of each photo. Place in a plastic bag and label the bag "Photo of (insert name) ". Attach the bag to a sheet of paper and place behind the corresponding I-130. 13. Evidence of a bonafide marriage (see note below for what to include)  14. Form I-130A: Supplemental Information for Spouse Beneficiary

 

 

Number 7 in the above checklist asks for "A copy of the intending immigrant's birth certificate and/or passport along with English translation"

[NikLR 13,227]

The link has number 7 crossed out and says no longer needed on my computer...   Just like it has for the last 5 years. 

 

Forms Needed to File for a IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa:

1. I-130
2. I-130A
3. G-1145 (optional) 

The above forms can be filled out on your computer and printed. Make sure you sign and date them as required. Anything you cannot fit by typing, you can handwrite (very neatly) in black ink in the blank instead. You should always verify the current forms at www.uscis.gov.

Assembling the I-130 Package: Checklist 
Forms and Documents (follow these assembly instructions. All supporting documents must be in English or be translated as noted here.):

1. Payment as required by USCIS. Use a personal check so you can track the payment. Money Orders are also accepted. Read the Guide to Paying USCIS Immigration Fees. 2. Cover Letter. Should include a description of what your are petitioning for (I-130), a table of contents (list everything in the packet). If you need additional room to explain your case, attach a separate sheet (list the attachment on the cover sheet). Make sure to sign and date the cover sheet. 3. Form I-130: Petition for Alien Relative 4. Copy of the full Birth certificate (front and back) for the US Citizen or a copy of ALL pages of the US Citizen's passport. This is used to establish citizenship. 5. A copy of petitioner's proof of naturalization. (If applicable) 6. A copy of petitioner's proof of permanent residency. (If applicable) 7. A copy of the intending immigrant's birth certificate and/or passport along with English translation. (If in any language other than English) (no longer needed) 8. A copy of your marriage certificate (If not in English then again get a translation) 9. If either you or your spouse were previously married, submit copies of documents showing that all prior marriages were legally terminated (court certified copies of the petitioner's and/or intending immigrant's divorce documents). 10. A copy of a prior spouse's death certificate. (If one or both of you were married before, and the prior spouse died) 11. Two passport-type photos (see specification) of the petitioner. Write the full name on the back of each photo. Place in a plastic bag and label the bag "Photo of <Insert Name>". Attach the bag to a sheet of paper and place behind the corresponding I-130. 12. Two passport-type photos (see specification) of the non-US Citzen spouse. Write the full name of the beneficiary on the back of each photo. Place in a plastic bag and label the bag "Photo of (insert name) ". Attach the bag to a sheet of paper and place behind the corresponding I-130. 13. Evidence of a bonafide marriage (see note below for what to include) 14. Form I-130A: Supplemental Information for Spouse Beneficiary

 

Edited October 30, 2017 by NikLR

[NikLR 13,227]

Also if you read the I-130 instructions themselves it does not state to include the beneficiary's birth certificate.

 

This WILL be needed, translated, for the NVC and interview, but not the I-130. 

[bakphx1 789]

I got my husband's documents translated by online translation services.  They don't charge a lot, have nice templates for forms and certify the translation.  It just followed my principle of "make it easy for them to approve."  

[Jeanne Adil 1,651]

immigration may say this but i sent original and english translation with application and when the packet got to NVC they asked again for original

so, it is really country dependent 

[NikLR 13,227]

2 hours ago, adil-rafa said:

immigration may say this but i sent original and english translation with application and when the packet got to NVC they asked again for original

so, it is really country dependent 

No its not.  USCIS doesnt require a beneficiary's birth certificate.  If you sent one its not automatically included into the IV package so you'd have to include it again there.  However the Montreal Consulate in Canada does require all civil documents to be translated into English  (even those in French.)

 

You only need to send the beneficiary's birth certificate to the USCIS if requested by the USCIS.