Birth Certificate required for I-130 Filing?

[nukedukem 0]

I'm planning to petition for my Chinese wife for a CR-1 visa so we can move to the US. I see in the forums that a lot of people are including a copy of their beneficiary's birth certificate in the contents of the I-130 filing. However, I can't seem to find this as a requirement in the I-130 instructions. Is this a requirement or are people adding it just in case?

On another note, her name AND birthday on her birth certificate are different then the name and birthday on her ID (mom was a month under legal age for kids so changed date, decided on a different name a couple of months after she was born). Has anyone encountered a similar deal？ We're thinking about just reporting the birth certificate lost and asking for another proof of birth, I don't know if this is possible or how long it could take. There's no legal records documenting the name change, but looking for something that would suffice.

I've been living in China and plan to process via DCF and submit the initial documents in two weeks. As I understand the first application needs to contain:

• I-130
  
• G-325a
  
• Copy of my birth certificate
  
• Three pictures of her
  
• Picture of me (all on white background, 2 inch)
  
• Photocopy of marriage certificate, and notarized translation.
  
• Copy of lease of apartment showing proving living together
  
• Some affidavits from friends.
  
• Cover letter (not required, just to make things easier)
  

Am I missing anything here? Thanks to everyone for all the helpful info on the forums.

[Inky 1,110]

http://www.visajourney.com/content/i130guide1

here is the step by step guide. It states that the birth cert for intending is not needed anymore. Either way would she not list her birth name as her name, and then list her other name in other names used? Or is that not an option.

[Inky 1,110]

http://www.uscis.gov/files/form/i-130instr.pdf

okay it wont let me edit my other post but I just checked the CR-1 instructions as well, on page 4 of this link it says " what if a document is not available " and lists what to use and do. Take a read over the instructions.

[nukedukem 0]

http://www.uscis.gov/files/form/i-130instr.pdf

okay it wont let me edit my other post but I just checked the CR-1 instructions as well, on page 4 of this link it says " what if a document is not available " and lists what to use and do. Take a read over the instructions.

Inky thanks for the quick response! Just wanted to confirm that about the birth certificate.

About her name, thats a good suggestion, maybe she can list two. The thing is her current name is her ‘official" name in her ID, passport and other documentation. Shouldn't be a big deal, especially since we have time to work it out during the wait period after the I-130.