Civil documents: original or certified copies?

[darth vader 133]

I find the following information on the NVC website regarding civil documents:

It says one can bring original documents OR "certified copies". I was under impression that I do have my original birth certificate but it turns out what I thought was original is a color copy. It seems like the DOS never returned my original birth certificate after the K1 interview. The color copy however accompanies a translation and certified by a professional translator.

To be clear, I do not have the original birth certificate anymore but I do have a color copy, translated version and a certificate of accurate translation from a professional translator from four years ago when I interviewed for a K1 visa.

I wonder if this is enough and qualifies as a "certified copy"?

Inviting @pushbrk to answer. Thanks in advance!

[Dee elle 1,368]

29 minutes ago, darth vader said:

I find the following information on the NVC website regarding civil documents:

It says one can bring original documents OR "certified copies". I was under impression that I do have my original birth certificate but it turns out what I thought was original is a color copy. It seems like the DOS never returned my original birth certificate after the K1 interview. The color copy however accompanies a translation and certified by a professional translator.

To be clear, I do not have the original birth certificate anymore but I do have a color copy, translated version and a certificate of accurate translation from a professional translator from four years ago when I interviewed for a K1 visa.

I wonder if this is enough and qualifies as a "certified copy"?

Inviting @pushbrk to answer. Thanks in advance!

With documents such as birth, marraige, death certificates, you never have the original certificate..  this is always held by the agency which issues it... but you obtain a certified copy from the issuing agency. So a certified copy of your birth certificate must be one issued by the agency who holds the original record.. it cannot be a photocopy which you then have certified to be an accurate copy etc.. it must come from the issuing authority. Your translated and verified copy will suffice for the translated copy, but you must get the actual one from the issuing agency.. Always worth getting several "copies"at one time. 

[pushbrk 12,883]

2 hours ago, Dee elle said:

With documents such as birth, marraige, death certificates, you never have the original certificate..  this is always held by the agency which issues it... but you obtain a certified copy from the issuing agency. So a certified copy of your birth certificate must be one issued by the agency who holds the original record.. it cannot be a photocopy which you then have certified to be an accurate copy etc.. it must come from the issuing authority. Your translated and verified copy will suffice for the translated copy, but you must get the actual one from the issuing agency.. Always worth getting several "copies"at one time. 

This is the correct answer.  An original "certified copy" is obtained from the government entity that holds the "original" official document.  What you have seems to be a photocopy of a certified copy.  For the interview, this is not sufficient.  That it "was not returned" is irrelevant.  You need a new one.

Edited July 29, 2018 by pushbrk

[darth vader 133]

3 minutes ago, pushbrk said:

This is the correct answer.  An original "certified copy" is obtained from the government entity that holds the "original" official document.  What you have seems to be a photocopy of a certified copy.  For the interview, this is not sufficient.  That it "was not returned" is irrelevant.  You need a new one.

 

2 hours ago, Dee elle said:

With documents such as birth, marraige, death certificates, you never have the original certificate..  this is always held by the agency which issues it... but you obtain a certified copy from the issuing agency. So a certified copy of your birth certificate must be one issued by the agency who holds the original record.. it cannot be a photocopy which you then have certified to be an accurate copy etc.. it must come from the issuing authority. Your translated and verified copy will suffice for the translated copy, but you must get the actual one from the issuing agency.. Always worth getting several "copies"at one time. 

Another question about the birth certificate: two different NVC wiki guides on VJ seems to give conflicting answers so as to whether an I-130 beneficiary (CR1/IR1 visa applicant)'s birth certificate is needed for the NVC stage. Can we set the record clear on this?

[pushbrk 12,883]

27 minutes ago, darth vader said:

 

Another question about the birth certificate: two different NVC wiki guides on VJ seems to give conflicting answers so as to whether an I-130 beneficiary (CR1/IR1 visa applicant)'s birth certificate is needed for the NVC stage. Can we set the record clear on this?

Yes, the visa applicant's birth certificate is needed at the NVC stage.  However, a photocopy is now OK for NVC and the original certified copy is taken to the interview.  The only originals sent to NVC are the signed affidavits of support, and then only when submissions by mail are required.