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vwatts

Where to get certified/notarized copy of my foreign passport?

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Please help as I'm at my wit's end. I want to apply for US citizenship but first need to "retain" my South African citizenship. For that the SA embassy needs a form filled out together with "certified copies" of my passport and birth certificate. In the states Maryland and Virginia, these docs cannot be certified/notarized, but I see in DC they can. I called up several banks and UPS/Fedex stores in DC but no-one will do it. Any help will be appreciated!

Edited by vwatts

01/20/2001 - Met in Davis, CA

Aug/Oct 2003 - Moved to SA

10/10/2004 - Married in SA

05/27/2007 - Filed I-130

07/17/2007 - I-130 approved

07/23/2007 - Received Packet 3

08/22/2007 - Interview!

10/10/2007 - Arrived in US

12/2/2007 - Received PRC in mail!

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I'm not sure what a certified copy of a passport would be, but a certified copy of a birth certificate is often what we might call the "original" ie: not a photocopy. In the US, these will typically have a raised seal on them from the governmental agency who certifies that it is a true copy of the actual original record which the government retains. So at least for that document you should be able to get one from back home...

K-1:

January 28, 2009: NOA1

June 4, 2009: Interview - APPROVED!!!

October 11, 2009: Wedding

AOS:

December 23, 2009: NOA1!

January 22, 2010: Bogus RFE corrected through congressional inquiry "EAD waiting on biometrics only" Read about it here.

March 15, 2010: AOS interview - RFE for I-693 vaccination supplement - CS signed part 6!

March 27, 2010: Green Card recieved

ROC:

March 1, 2012: Mailed ROC package

March 7, 2012: Tracking says "notice left"...after a phone call to post office.

More detailed time line in profile.

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Please help as I'm at my wit's end. I want to apply for US citizenship but first need to "retain" my South African citizenship. For that the SA embassy needs a form filled out together with "certified copies" of my passport and birth certificate. In the states Maryland and Virginia, these docs cannot be certified/notarized, but I see in DC they can. I called up several banks and UPS/Fedex stores in DC but no-one will do it. Any help will be appreciated!

Can't your embassy certify the copies? Normally that's how it's done (and for a fee of course) as notaries in the US have limited powers - they just identify you and your signature and that's it.

ROC 2009
Naturalization 2010

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Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Bulgaria
Timeline

Ok, I don't know if my experience will work for you but Imma share it - it might just give you some guidance.. ;)

A "certified copy" is a document that is issued from the same agency/department that usually issues birth certificates(for ex. if you lost it, where would you go get a new one??).. In BG, the certified copy looks EXACTLY the same as the original, only has a stamp DUPLICATE.

Now, I also needed a certified copy of my passport(for a diff. reason) but apparently very few countries allow that - in Bulgaria it's forbidden by law to notarize any copy of any passport or ID. Are you 100% sure they need a CERTIFIED COPY of your passport?? Are you in USA or SA? Cant you just present the actual passport? :confused:

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~ WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU LEMONS - MAKE ORANGE JUICE AND LEAVE EVERYBODY WONDERING ~

USCIS
04-01-2010 NOA1
08-16-2010 NOA2

NVC
08-30-2010 NVC CASE# ASSIGNED
10-07-2010 EXPEDITION GRANTED!!! SIF!!!
10-21-2010 INTERVIEW - APPROVED!
11-02-2010 VISA IN HAND!

USA
11-08-2010 POE Philadelphia
12-07-2010 Welcome Letter and NOA for Green card
12-13-2010 GREEN CARD IN HAND!

ROC
09-04-2012 Filed ROC package (VSC)
09-07-2012 NOA 1
04-15-2013 ROC APPROVED!
04-20-2013 10 Year Green Card Received!

NATURALIZATION

02-20-2014 Application for Naturalization Package Mailed to NSC

02-23-2014 Application received by NSC

03-04-2014 Check for application fee cashed

03-08-2014 NOA came in the mail with notice date of 03-04-2014

03-17-2014 Received biometrics appointment letter in the mail

03-24-2014 Biometrics appointment in Tucson, AZ

05-13-2014 Interview at Tucson, AZ - PASS!

06-13-2014 Oath Ceremony in Tucson, AZ!

06-13-2014 I am a United States Citizen!

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Did you contact your embassy and see what exactly they need? Sometimes, all they need is the original passport and copies sent for them to verify and keep. That's what I used to do and it used to take care of it. Call the embassy and see what they accept.

N-400 Naturalization Timeline

06/28/11 .. Mailed N-400 package via Priority mail with delivery confirmation

06/30/11 .. Package Delivered to Dallas Lockbox

07/06/11 .. Received e-mail notification of application acceptance

07/06/11 .. Check cashed

07/08/11 .. Received NOA letter

07/29/11 .. Received text/e-mail for biometrics notice

08/03/11 .. Received Biometrics letter - scheduled for 8/24/11

08/04/11 .. Walk-in finger prints done.

08/08/11 .. Received text/e-mail: Placed in line for interview scheduling

09/12/11 .. Received Yellow letter dated 9/7/11

09/13/11 .. Received text/e-mail: Interview scheduled

09/16/11 .. Received interview letter

10/19/11 .. Interview - PASSED

10/20/11 .. Received text/email: Oath scheduled

10/22/11 .. Received OATH letter

11/09/11 .. Oath ceremony

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Thanks everyone! I'm in US. Have PRC for almost three years already, and would like citizenship for various reasons. I have contacted my embassy in DC, and they have suggested I just go there and they"ll notarize it, and take the application at the same time. Never realized how notaries are so limited in their powers in the US.

01/20/2001 - Met in Davis, CA

Aug/Oct 2003 - Moved to SA

10/10/2004 - Married in SA

05/27/2007 - Filed I-130

07/17/2007 - I-130 approved

07/23/2007 - Received Packet 3

08/22/2007 - Interview!

10/10/2007 - Arrived in US

12/2/2007 - Received PRC in mail!

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