Just to Clarify...

[Justdazed 1]

Hello,

I'm going over my checklist to submit my I-129F and G-325a foms and I wanted to clarify the meaning of 'Copy of Birth Certificate for the US Citizen to establish citizenship'.

It has been my understanding that anytime you make a copy of birth certificate/marriage certificate it should be notarized to prove against fraud.

Also, my FH and I are going to get passport photos done to submit with the forms and I was just wondering what the 'note' was in the guide section.

thanks for your help!

Edited February 1, 2006 by bride2be

[Yorkie 0]

bride2be, you just need to submit a photocopy of the birth certificate. However, later in the process, you might need to prove you have the original but don't worry about that at the moment.

Not sure what the 'note' is but we just submitted photos that we got from the photo booths then signed and dated on the reverse.

Good luck

Yorkie

[Justdazed 1]

bride2be, you just need to submit a photocopy of the birth certificate. However, later in the process, you might need to prove you have the original but don't worry about that at the moment.

Not sure what the 'note' is but we just submitted photos that we got from the photo booths then signed and dated on the reverse.

Good luck

Yorkie

there was a 'see note' link and it wasn't working

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

US notaries notarize SIGNATURES. They do not authenticate photocopies.

[lucyrich 20]

Your original birth certificate is maintained in a vault somewhere by the government.

The closest to an original you're ever likely to see is a certified copy. This has a raised seal or stamp that certifies that it's a true and accurate copy of the original maintained in the vault. The raised seal or certification is done by the same government agency that maintains the original, and you get the certified copy directly from the agency that keeps your original (often a county clerk, county recorder, or similar).

Since a certified copy is the closest to an original that most people see, some people erroneously call a certified copy an original. This is the source of a lot of terminology confusion.

Any photocopy of a certified copy is just a photocopy. For USCIS purposes, notarization doesn't help or hurt a photocopy. Notarized or not, it's still a photocopy.

When you submit a petition to the USCIS service center, you may send an ordinary photocopy of any birth certificates/marriage certificates required. At the interview, you should bring the certified copies from which you made the photocopies. They'll want to look at the certified copy, verify the seal, and keep the photocopy.

[Justdazed 1]

Your original birth certificate is maintained in a vault somewhere by the government.

The closest to an original you're ever likely to see is a certified copy. This has a raised seal or stamp that certifies that it's a true and accurate copy of the original maintained in the vault. The raised seal or certification is done by the same government agency that maintains the original, and you get the certified copy directly from the agency that keeps your original (often a county clerk, county recorder, or similar).

Since a certified copy is the closest to an original that most people see, some people erroneously call a certified copy an original. This is the source of a lot of terminology confusion.

Any photocopy of a certified copy is just a photocopy. For USCIS purposes, notarization doesn't help or hurt a photocopy. Notarized or not, it's still a photocopy.

When you submit a petition to the USCIS service center, you may send an ordinary photocopy of any birth certificates/marriage certificates required. At the interview, you should bring the certified copies from which you made the photocopies. They'll want to look at the certified copy, verify the seal, and keep the photocopy.

I'm sorry but you just confused me even more.

All I want to know is if I can photocopy my FH's BC or not.

I just had MY BC's notarized because I have my orginals on hand, that's why I asked.

[Justdazed 1]

thanks for the help guys, I'll just photocopy the BC.

I'm obviously being confused by different American and Canadian definitions.

[DavidN 1]

Your original birth certificate is maintained in a vault somewhere by the government.

Actually, they keep them safe and flat under a huge Sealy or Serta mattress at an undisclosed location in Nevada.

[gag54611 1]

bride2be,

What you have just stated in your last post is not what you stated in your original post. In the original post, you mentioned that you thought that copies had to be notarized. People have simply said that you cannot 'notarize' a document. You can only notarize a signature. Since the signing authority on a birth certificate is not you, getting it 'notarized' was pointless because the Notary could not accept you as the signatory. As was also stated, it is unlikely that you have an 'original' birth certificate. You will most likely have a certified copy that was issued by a certifying authority, such as a courthouse. The confusion over notarizing and certifying is common.

That being said, a simple photocopy of the certified BC is exactly what you should send to USCIS in your package. When you get to interview stage, the original certified copy will need to be presented.

Regarding the link that doesn't work (it worked fine for me by the way), I think it might point to the State Dept requirements for photos. Try this link instead.

Best of luck,

G

[Justdazed 1]

bride2be,

What you have just stated in your last post is not what you stated in your original post. In the original post, you mentioned that you thought that copies had to be notarized. People have simply said that you cannot 'notarize' a document. You can only notarize a signature. Since the signing authority on a birth certificate is not you, getting it 'notarized' was pointless because the Notary could not accept you as the signatory. As was also stated, it is unlikely that you have an 'original' birth certificate. You will most likely have a certified copy that was issued by a certifying authority, such as a courthouse. The confusion over notarizing and certifying is common.

That being said, a simple photocopy of the certified BC is exactly what you should send to USCIS in your package. When you get to interview stage, the original certified copy will need to be presented.

Regarding the link that doesn't work (it worked fine for me by the way), I think it might point to the State Dept requirements for photos. Try this link instead.

Best of luck,

G

I figured that out thank you, I will photocopy his BC

Edited February 1, 2006 by bride2be