Original or Certified Copies??

[metinil 0]

I'm starting to work on my AOS paperwork, and wanted to get some suggestions. It says I will need original or certified copies of documents which includes birth certificate, marriage certificate, naturalization certificate (for him), etc.

Should I send the originals or get copies? I don't know how organized or disorganized the service center is...

Also, I'm from B.C., Canada. Is the small birth certificate ok, or do I need to order the large one? The only difference is the large one has names of mother and father, and their birthplaces. (See here: http://www.vs.gov.bc.ca/births/certificate_lg.html http://www.vs.gov.bc.ca/births/certificate_sm.html )

Thanks!

[YuAndDan 153]

Copies...

USCIS no longer routinely requires submission of original documents or "certified copies." Instead, ordinary legible photocopies of such documents (including naturalization certificates and alien registration cards) will be acceptable for initial filing and approval of petitions and applications.

http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/men...00045f3d6a1RCRD

DO NOT send your original I-94, birth cert, marriage cert, etc...

[Eric-Pris 1,602]

Make regular photocopies, no need to certify or notorize anything.

Only send originals if you don't mind losing them because you will NOT get them back.

[*JG* 2]

Make regular photocopies, no need to certify or notorize anything.

Only send originals if you don't mind losing them because you will NOT get them back.

Yep. That's what I was going to say.

[sweetpiano 0]

The certified copies of your documents (marriage certif, birth certif) are original from your point of view, so do not send those. Send regular photocopies.

[mellowgeorge 1]

some countries have digitally imaged the original paper documents and requests for birth certificates, etc, usu. are printed on security paper with a seal from the issuing government agency. Those also would work and are easy to reorder.

[BermyCat 1]

As for the birth certificate, I'm pretty sure they'll want the long form one. I was born in Halifax and the US consulate in Bermuda specifically told me that they needed "the format that has your parent's names" to apply for my K-1.

You might want to try asking in the Canada forum though. I've not gotten to the AOS process yet so I could be wrong.

~ Catherine

[metinil 0]

Thanks everyone!

[Galateia 1]

I take it you didn't go through a K visa, since the long birth cert was a requirement?

Cdns definitely need to provide a copy of the long birth cert. A photocopy is fine. Just be warned that getting your long birth cert can take quite a while if you don't already have one.