UK Birth Certificate / AOS Interview - please note!

[dcp19 7]

Hi VJ's

 

This is a note to all UK AOS / Green Card / Spousal GC beneficaries who are going through the process.

 

I went in for my interview with my spouse at the Los Angeles office this morning and after swearing in and general pleasantries my interviewer requested to see my LONG FORM birth cert, which (to my surprise) I did not have! I pulled out what I thought was my BC only to be told it was a SHORT FORM Birth Certificate. Now, in the UK we only ever get SHORT FORMS birth certs (news to me!) which have just the name, date and place of birth and DO NOT have the parents details on.

I was then informed that my case would be on hold until I could provide a BC with full parental details that matched my AOS packet. She printed a RFE on the spot and told me my EAD would still be processed, "as we still want you to work" (Oh well, that's nice of them!) but the GC would be on hold until I dropped off the BC at the same office.

 

Pretty stressful at the time, as I felt so close to getting approved.  However, lesson learnt and now I want to help anyone other Brits not to fall short like I did.

 

Here are some useful links to locate your Birth Certificate details:

 

1- https://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/search.pl - This is a free site and was great at finding your local Birth Certfiicate volume and page number on microfilm records (you will need these details if you want a copy fast)

2- https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/default.asp - This is THE General Registry Office gov page that sends out certified LONG FORM BC's. Fill out your details and your local BC volume and page numbers and you can get the BC mailed to you within 4 working days if you pay for priority mail to a UK address (£23 approx). 

 

I can't believe I never knew this was a thing, but there you go!

 

Good luck and don't be a div like me!

 

 

[Wuozopo 4,293]

Anybody adjusting from a K visa already knows this because it was required at the visa interview in London.

[ambrella 62]

My birth certificate has my parents details on it? I've never seen the shortened version.... what year were you born? 

[Britinstl 47]

7 hours ago, ambrella said:

My birth certificate has my parents details on it? I've never seen the shortened version.... what year were you born? 

Same here. Never seen or heard of a short version until I began AOS. 

[yuna628 9,676]

Well, for one, my husband always had his long form BC in the UK. It's not issued to everyone, but some people do absolutely still have them, depending on your age.

 

To get through the K1 process or at the very least even get a police certificate from ACRO, the long form UK BC is needed at the embassy stage. So for those applicants, it's one document you'll need for AOS absolutely. VJ guide also advises the long form is needed.

[dcp19 7]

12 hours ago, ambrella said:

My birth certificate has my parents details on it? I've never seen the shortened version.... what year were you born? 

1977. 

 

However, my nephew's BC's are exactly the same and they were born in the 2000's.

 

 

[dcp19 7]

13 hours ago, Wuozopo said:

Anybody adjusting from a K visa already knows this because it was required at the visa interview in London.

I'm not on a K visa. I'm based in the US on a work visa O1 and doing AOS after marriage here. 

 

[dcp19 7]

45 minutes ago, yuna628 said:

Well, for one, my husband always had his long form BC in the UK. It's not issued to everyone, but some people do absolutely still have them, depending on your age.

 

To get through the K1 process or at the very least even get a police certificate from ACRO, the long form UK BC is needed at the embassy stage. So for those applicants, it's one document you'll need for AOS absolutely. VJ guide also advises the long form is needed.

My AOS is not through a K visa, as I was already working here on a O1. Thought my post might help those who might be in a similar situation to me and for those, who like me, don't read the FINE PRINT.

 

:-/

[payxibka 10,045]

There are two types of birth certificates issued in the UK: Short birth certificates, which contain only the child's details. Long birth certificates (also known as 'Full' or 'A4' certificates), which include both the child's and the parents' details.

[Wuozopo 4,293]

3 hours ago, dcp19 said:

My AOS is not through a K visa, as I was already working here on a O1. Thought my post might help those who might be in a similar situation to me and for those, who like me, don't read the FINE PRINT.

 

:-/

I see. But it is posted in the forum Adjustment of Status (Green Card) from K1 and K3 Family Based Visas. You might want to post it in "Adjustment of Status from Work, Student, & Tourist Visas".

[Reggie B 11]

Yep I noticed this, needed the long form for the interview at the embassy.