I-864 joint sponsor supporting documents

[Lizemarie 1]

Good morning

 

My husband's father (both US citizens) is acting as our joint sponsor, and he only has a birth certificate transcript (officially signed for the county clerk) i.e. it doesn't list his parents' names. We are using the birth certificate as evidence that our joint sponsor is a US citizen. Do we need to worry about the fact that it is just a transcript and doesn't have his parents' names in there? 

[Villanelle 4,122]

Often times older birth certificates were done in a different format, some are even hand written. This doesnt make them not valid. In order for USCIS to accept Dad as a sponsor Dad needs to show proof of USC. Does he have a passport? No. Thats OK. His birth certificate needs to have a seal on it. "Seal" typically means raised stamp/embossing- on an older document it may not appear to be raised much at all. Sometimes the stamp isnt raised but is still clearly an added stamp on the document. In some jurisdictions when you obtain a copy of a birth certificate you are given a 'reprint' of the birth certificate- other places you get a document similar to what you described in more of a transcript format. The key piece you need for USCIS is the document to have the seal/stamp saying its certified as what is in the record books, done by the clerk who issued the document.

 

You can send what you have right now as to not delay the overall process. It will most likely be accepted for initial processing BUT you may get an RFE for his birth certificate/proof of citizenship. So begin the process to obtain a new copy of his birth certificate now so you will have it in case of an RFE. Dad simply needs to contact the clerk in the place he was born for a copy of his birth certificate. You can typically find info from the clerk online on their specific process. (usually involves providing ID and a fee). If he can not do this in person it can often be done through the mail directly with the clerk. There are also websites like vitalchek that for an additional fee (as a middleman) can obtain the copy for you. 

[Lizemarie 1]

 

2 minutes ago, Villanelle said:

Often times older birth certificates were done in a different format, some are even hand written. This doesnt make them not valid. In order for USCIS to accept Dad as a sponsor Dad needs to show proof of USC. Does he have a passport? No. Thats OK. His birth certificate needs to have a seal on it. "Seal" typically means raised stamp/embossing- on an older document it may not appear to be raised much at all. Sometimes the stamp isnt raised but is still clearly an added stamp on the document. In some jurisdictions when you obtain a copy of a birth certificate you are given a 'reprint' of the birth certificate- other places you get a document similar to what you described in more of a transcript format. The key piece you need for USCIS is the document to have the seal/stamp saying its certified as what is in the record books, done by the clerk who issued the document.

 

You can send what you have right now as to not delay the overall process. It will most likely be accepted for initial processing BUT you may get an RFE for his birth certificate/proof of citizenship. So begin the process to obtain a new copy of his birth certificate now so you will have it in case of an RFE. Dad simply needs to contact the clerk in the place he was born for a copy of his birth certificate. You can typically find info from the clerk online on their specific process. (usually involves providing ID and a fee). If he can not do this in person it can often be done through the mail directly with the clerk. There are also websites like vitalchek that for an additional fee (as a middleman) can obtain the copy for you. 

Thank you for the help!  I was thinking of just sending in what we have since it does have the seal and all of that and then I can deal with RFEs as and when they come up.