translated copy birth certificate not returned?

[LDG 2]

Hi all,

My now wife entered the US with K1 visa and the sealed envelope from the embassy. We'll be getting her SSN and ID card this week and planned on preparing the AOS paperwork. I noticed this process requires her birth certificate copy again, translated. She gave this along with other translated and notarized documents to the embassy and didn't get this back from her K1 visa interview in Guangzhou. She wasn't given anything back from the POE officer out of the sealed envelope either, other than vaccination information and a small sealed envelope addressed to USCIS given to her by the doctor in Guangzhou (im not too sure what this is either, i think medical also, POE officer didnt need it).

Her birth certificate is in her parents home back in China. She forgot to bring it along. Is another translated copy of this absolutely necessary, doesn't USCIS keep these documents? We'd hate to lose more money getting another translation done. Was she supposed to get this stuff back after the interview?

Thanks for any advice.

[payxibka 10,044]

There are many situations in which you can adjust your status... not all of them will have previously provided documents. The best answer is to simply give them what they want... don't trust they will look for something in a file if you do not provide

Edited September 27, 2010 by payxibka

[Anh map 2,098]

Documents submitted become part of a person's file.

I just sent another copy of a translated divorce decree with my wife's Naturalization. Always a good idea to have multiple's ready. Most times you are only going to submit a copy, but want to have an original at the interview(s) in case an interviewing officer wants to inspect.

My suggestion is to get a couple more official birth cert's along with certified translations. That way you always have one.

[Darnell 8,478]

If I were in yer shoes -

I'd only submit a photocopy of that white book, with a written request for them to return the original to you.

Yer lass hand-carried all in the sealed envelope - I'm surprised you not write any phrasing 'she asked for it back, and they refused'. There were 2 opportunities to get it back - interview day and POE.

Now, IIRC, it doesn't matter - just include a photocopy on AOS submittal.

and that's it !