Photocopies or certified copies

[QC2CO 1]

Hi everyone.

I couldn't seem to find the answer to this in the forums.

I'm applying for citizenship based on marriage. They say to "send copies of the following docs, unless we ask for an original". Now does this mean a simple photocopy? or does it have to be certified. (

Like my wife's US birth cert, our marriage cert, her divorce papers from her previous marriage and blah.

It's also kind of annoying since I have to provide the same docs for my green card, green card renewal and etc... Don't they have this on file??! hehe. just letting off some steam.

thanks,

Dom

[elishav 0]

Hi everyone.

I couldn't seem to find the answer to this in the forums.

I'm applying for citizenship based on marriage. They say to "send copies of the following docs, unless we ask for an original". Now does this mean a simple photocopy? or does it have to be certified. (

Like my wife's US birth cert, our marriage cert, her divorce papers from her previous marriage and blah.

It's also kind of annoying since I have to provide the same docs for my green card, green card renewal and etc... Don't they have this on file??! hehe. just letting off some steam.

thanks,

Dom

You don't have to send certified copies. You will have to bring the originals to the interview so if they doubt their validity they can have a look-see then. Congradulations!

[QC2CO 1]

thank you for your reply.

It's very annoying to interpret what exactly they need. But hopefully after getting the citizenship, I will not have to deal with them again!

[Wis-Can 0]

I say the same thing, we keep sending in the same stuff over and over again for every step of the process. Your allowed to vent...it makes a person feel better! LOL

[NickD 203]

I say the same thing, we keep sending in the same stuff over and over again for every step of the process. Your allowed to vent...it makes a person feel better! LOL

I have no idea as to how to obtain a certified copy, our register of deeds use to do that, but quit that practice some time ago. Just plain old DIY copies are good enough when sending in the application.

Who hasn't asked that question about having to send in the same old evidence over and over again, wife saw our 3 1/2 inch stack at her interview. As your IO was too lazy to plow through it, insisted on seeing all of our original evidence, even asked if she could keep some. Wife had enough sense to say, no way, would cost us a small fortune to replace it.

We recently had to send in some of the same old stuff again, when my wife petitioned for her son.

[QC2CO 1]

yeah. I agree.

the other funny thing is how they want your fingerprints and stuff again. I'm no Einstein... but I'm sure that my prints are the same as they were last December and back in 2006.

we have to jump through hoops to get in... and I understand they don't want to make it an easy process for people or everyone would want to get in.

[NickD 203]

yeah. I agree.

the other funny thing is how they want your fingerprints and stuff again. I'm no Einstein... but I'm sure that my prints are the same as they were last December and back in 2006.

we have to jump through hoops to get in... and I understand they don't want to make it an easy process for people or everyone would want to get in.

Watched that FBI show, found a killer with 80 year old prints. 1,350 miles for us for just fingerprints with another 450 added to that as our daughter just had to turn 18 before we could apply for USC. Think about all the C02 we are putting into the air.

[Wis-Can 0]

I laughed when they scanned my fingerprints at the POE...I was thinking to myself, this is the 3rd time..its not like your going to email them so I don't have to go to the biometrics appt! LOL Just another hoop to jump through.

[antda 13]

Hi QC2CO,

For marriage certificates, divorce certificates, birth certificates, etc. yes, they only want photocopies when you submit them to the N-400 applicaiton. Certified copies means that there is an official seal and/or signature on them from the issuing government agency, so that they proven are genuine that way. Just send them the photocopy with the application and bring the original to the interview, and you should be ok there

In my case, I also sent a photocopy of my marriage certificate, my husband's birth certificate, and son's birth certificate when I submitted it with my N-400 application. And I brought the original certificates with me for the interiview. Lol...though needless to say, the IO thought the photocopy was ok, and didn't ask to see the original even though I had it with me...Maybe it was because I brought my husband and son with me that day too...guess they didn't want to ask any further..lol..

And bring any other originals of other documents that you submitted with your application before and originals of anything else they ask of you. Don't worry..you'll be fine there, bringing all of the original documents for your interivew.

Lol..And yes, despite having it sent the same/similar things years ago, they want the same thing over and over again....What a shock it was to see my 3-4 inch folder/file during my interview, filled with the paperwork that they had about me over the years....They definitely have it all on file....Just too lazy/busy to look through it all again, I guess...lol....

Oh the time and money over the years I spent photocopying paperwork for the USCIS! (and in the midst of it all, my scanner broke too..lol...)

Oh well, it's all over for me now....No more scanning photocopying here! lol....

Hope this helps. Good luck for the rest of your journey too.

Ant

Hi everyone.

I couldn't seem to find the answer to this in the forums.

I'm applying for citizenship based on marriage. They say to "send copies of the following docs, unless we ask for an original". Now does this mean a simple photocopy? or does it have to be certified. (

Like my wife's US birth cert, our marriage cert, her divorce papers from her previous marriage and blah.

It's also kind of annoying since I have to provide the same docs for my green card, green card renewal and etc... Don't they have this on file??! hehe. just letting off some steam.

thanks,

Dom

Edited December 4, 2009 by Ant+D+A

[antda 13]

QC2CO-Oh yeah, what's the deal with the fingerprints all over again....And on top of that, having to pay an additional $80 each time for such?....

Oh, and then there is the extra time and gas money to travel to the "local" office (which is far away for some people) to get those done.....What a waste!

Why can't we just get them for free at a local police station or something? Or better yet, get them done once for free, and that's it....

Oh well, it's over for me..no more fingerprints....But yeah, can complain about that too...lol....Totally understand here...

Ant

yeah. I agree.

the other funny thing is how they want your fingerprints and stuff again. I'm no Einstein... but I'm sure that my prints are the same as they were last December and back in 2006.

we have to jump through hoops to get in... and I understand they don't want to make it an easy process for people or everyone would want to get in.

Edited December 4, 2009 by Ant+D+A