sent birth certificate to NVC in IV package, but still got a checklist

[meghanbangoura 0]

I sent an original and a photocopy of a certified copy of my husband's birth certificate (Guinea, West Africa) when I sent the IV package, but I have received a checklist for a birth certificate. Three of my friends looked over my package, so I am 100% certain I sent the birth certificate and a photocopy. I will call the NVC on Monday to ask why, but I am wondering what you all think and if anyone else has had the same problem.

Of course, the letter with the checklist does not specify if there is something in particular wrong with the birth certificate, it simply re-states all the requirements for birth certificates. Do you all think that maybe that means that they think the birth certificate was not included at all?

Here is the checklist. I have added in my comments to show that I think the birth certificate includes all the required information, with one possible exception.

______3 - BIRTH CERTIFICATE:_______________________________________

Please submit this applicant's photocopy of the original document listed above. Each applicant must send a photocopy of the original birth certificate issued by the official custodian of birth records in the country of birth, showing the date and place of birth, and the parentage of the alien, based upon the original registration of birth.

Documents must be from the appropriate issuing authority. Failure to provide the correct document will delay your case and may result in rescheduling of your interview or refusal of a visa.

The certificate must contain the following information:

Person's date of birth yes

Person's place of birth yes

Names of both parents, and yes

Annotation by the appropriate authority indicating that it is an extract from the official records There's nothing that says this specifically, but it is signed and stamped by a civil registry officer and it came from the Civil Registry Central Office

If the certificate is a photocopy of the certified original document, it must come from the issuing government authority and it must contain annotation by the issuing authority indicating that it is an extract from the official records. I did send a certified copy. Again, it does not say in so many words that it is an extract from the official records, but that is may be lost in translation. The title of the document ("Extrait d'Acte de Naissance") contains the word "extrait," which in French means "extract," but the full phrase "Extrait d'Acte de Naissance" translates to "birth certificate."

- A baptismal certificate that contains the date and place of birth, as well as both parents names

(providing the baptism took place shortly after birth)

- An adoption decree for an adopted child

- An affidavit from a close relative, preferably the applicant's mother, stating the date and place of birth,

both parents names, and the mother's maiden name The above looks like it is part of the directions for what you can do if you cannot get a birth certificate.

Suitability of Documentation for Immigration Purposes:

For many countries, the U.S Department of State has established country-specific criteria for ensuring

that applicants submit documents appropriate for visa processing. Please go to our website

http://nvc.state.gov/to determine if the U.S. Department of State has issued any country-specific

guidelines for the document requested. I did not find any specifics for Guinea.

All documents not in English or in the official language of the country where the visa application will be

processed must be accompanied by a certified translation. Even though the document is in French and he will go to the embassy in French-speaking Senegal for his interview, I sent a translation.

Your translation must include a statement by the translator which includes the following:

Translation is accurate

Translator is competent to translate The translator statement I sent contains this verbiage.

What else could explain this checklist?

I did not write my case number on the original. I put a post-it note with the case number on the BACK of the certificate, so maybe this caused it to get lost in the shuffle?

Another theory is that I think we straddled the NVC's change in process where they now say that photocopies of official documents are OK, whereas when we began the process, originals were required. Maybe this change in process is the cause of the checklist sent in error.

These are what I believe to be the "old" directions which say originals PLUS a photocopy are required and they do not provide the specifics of what the certificate must include as the newer directions do (see below).

What I believe to be the newer directions are at this link, which I accessed by logging in to my portal on the Department of State website and clicking on N/A under Civil Documents for the IV. These directions say photocopies are fine, but there is a new requirement (right?) that you use a long form birth certificate, which as far as I understand it, means both parents' names must appear, which they do on my husband's.

In sum, why oh why did I get this checklist?!

[NikLR 13,220]

Can you get a birth certificate that has both parents names on it? This is known as a long form birth certificate.

[meghanbangoura 0]

Thank you for your reply. The birth certificate I sent the first time has both of his parents names, so do you think this checklist might have been sent in error?

[meghanbangoura 0]

Thank you for your reply. The birth certificate that I sent with the original package a couple of months ago has both his parents names on it, so do you think this checklist may have been sent in error, or is there is some other explanation?

[NikLR 13,220]

They may have lost it or they may have misplaced it. You can call, ask for a supervisor review if you wish or just supply a photocopy of a new birth certificate.

Edited December 22, 2014 by NLR

[meghanbangoura 0]

Got a hold of someone at the NVC this morning (after serval busy signals and 30 minutes on hold). I asked why I got a checklist for a birth certificate when I sent one. The rep said that it simply says in the system that they did not get it. I asked if there had been a problem with the one I sent, would it say that in their system? She said yes, it would specify the problem if there was one, so I feel confident that the problem is that they simply lost it. How can this happen? Have others had this happen with the NVC?

[NikLR 13,220]

Many people have had this issue lately. Could be why they now ask for just photocopies.

[meghanbangoura 0]

Even though I'm not on this site much, I did have a feeling that they lose papers a lot! Glad to hear you confirm it. Photocopies make so much more sense! Now only if I could just email it to them... ;-)

[Innocence 1]

Many people have had this issue lately. Could be why they now ask for just photocopies.

Does it vary by country? Because our lawyer specified I needed to provide an original of the birth certificate, not a photocopy or a cert. copy. I was actually pretty nervous about sending an original document because I know that replacing something like that if it's lost can take ages and is a complicated process.

[NikLR 13,220]

No its just a new rule since Nov 12 2014.