Certified copies requested by Guide

[Nibake 4]

First of all, thanks for the guide which is probably the best around.

 

Secondly, I'm going to be "that guy"

 

The guide mentions certified copies of Marriage and Divorce documents under I-130. Under the I-485 section it mentions certified copy of Marriage but simple copy of divorce. 

In reading the instructions for both forms, I do not see anything that requires certified copies. In addition, sending in duplicate certified copies (one for each form) would cause me to have to go out and get more. Elsewhere on this forum I am reading that USCIS is ok with simple copies. Can anyone shed any light on this? Have others received RFE's for this? If it is not explicitly required by the instructions, I would rather not add time and money beyond what is already required. Unless there is a specific reason that I'm not seeing for the guide to be this way, maybe it should be updated/clarified? Thanks.

 

While on the subject, here are some of the things that I would be sending in simple photocopies of:

Passport(s)

Visa

Marriage

Birth cert(s)

Divorce

Other evidence (statements, taxes, bonafide marriage evidence, I-864 abd I-944 supporting evidence)

 

Edit: Disregard profile info, this is for Brazilian national AOS from F1. 

 

Edited September 27, 2020 by Nibake
Profile info

[Ayrton 965]

32 minutes ago, Nibake said:

First of all, thanks for the guide which is probably the best around.

 

Secondly, I'm going to be "that guy"

 

The guide mentions certified copies of Marriage and Divorce documents under I-130. Under the I-485 section it mentions certified copy of Marriage but simple copy of divorce. 

In reading the instructions for both forms, I do not see anything that requires certified copies. In addition, sending in duplicate certified copies (one for each form) would cause me to have to go out and get more. Elsewhere on this forum I am reading that USCIS is ok with simple copies. Can anyone shed any light on this? Have others received RFE's for this? If it is not explicitly required by the instructions, I would rather not add time and money beyond what is already required. Unless there is a specific reason that I'm not seeing for the guide to be this way, maybe it should be updated/clarified? Thanks.

 

While on the subject, here are some of the things that I would be sending in simple photocopies of:

Passport(s)

Visa

Marriage

Birth cert(s)

Divorce

Other evidence (statements, taxes, bonafide marriage evidence, I-864 abd I-944 supporting evidence)

 

Edit: Disregard profile info, this is for Brazilian national AOS from F1. 

 

Everything submitted should be photocopies. They will tell you when they want to see originals, like for interview for example.

[Nitas_man 3,100]

Copy the originals and send them with the petition.  At interview bring the original(s) and a copy.  
They will keep the copies (interviews) but they will want to verify the original documents.

[Nibake 4]

Thank you for the replies!