Certifying copies (notarizing in US speak....)

[S and R 8]

Hi everyone,

Do I have to certify all copies of my documents for CR-1? E.g photo copies of airline tickets, boarding passes, etc before atatching to the I-130?

Are documents stamped by an Australian JP acceptable to the US Embassy for visa applications or do I have to take everything with me to the USA and look for a local 'Notarizer'?

Thanks in advance.....

Edited January 25, 2011 by Hillaryman

[Mrs O. 29]

Hi everyone,

Do I have to certify all copies of my documents for CR-1? E.g photo copies of airline tickets, boarding passes, etc before atatching to the I-130?

Are documents stamped by an Australian JP acceptable to the US Embassy for visa applications or do I have to take everything with me to the USA and look for a local 'Notarizer'?

Thanks in advance.....

Certfied copy IS NOT THE SAME as notarized copy. Certified copy is what we will refer to as original in most countries, it is NOT a photocopy.

You dont need certified copies or originals for filing the I-130 petition with USCIS, photocopies will suffice; you will need certfified copies or originals of your civil documents(birth cert, marriage cert etc)at the NVC stage. So in answer to your question, the flight tickets, boarding passes etc DO NOT have to be notarized.

[S and R 8]

Thanks for the reply.

I guess I have the definitions mixed up. Im Australia (at least) a photo copy has to be certified by a JP as a true copy of an original sighted by the JP. I thought that was the same as notarising. The question then is: What is to notarise? I'll google the definition meanwhile........ An original is an original, why would it need notarising?

[Mrs O. 29]

Thanks for the reply.

I guess I have the definitions mixed up. Im Australia (at least) a photo copy has to be certified by a JP as a true copy of an original sighted by the JP. I thought that was the same as notarising. The question then is: What is to notarise? I'll google the definition meanwhile........ An original is an original, why would it need notarising?

An original does not have to be notarized, photocopies are notarized.You are right, notarising is having a photocopy stamped as a true copy by someone authorised to do it.

Notarized Copy: You take the orginal documents to a public notary. They make copies of it on their copy machine. Stamps it and signs it with their infomation.The notary is not the issuing authority. The certified copy must come from the issuing authority.

Certified Copy: Getting a copy of the document from the place that first issued it. It looks identical to the orginal or has a "copy" with the seal of the place that issued the orginal document.

[JimVaPhuong 4,863]

Certfied copy IS NOT THE SAME as notarized copy. Certified copy is what we will refer to as original in most countries, it is NOT a photocopy.

You dont need certified copies or originals for filing the I-130 petition with USCIS, photocopies will suffice; you will need certfified copies or originals of your civil documents(birth cert, marriage cert etc)at the NVC stage. So in answer to your question, the flight tickets, boarding passes etc DO NOT have to be notarized.

This is a bit inaccurate. A "certified copy" may indeed be a photocopy of the original document. In the US, original documents are usually kept on file by the authority that's authorized to keep them - state bureau of vital records, or county clerk, etc. A copy can be obtained from that authority with a stamp and signature certifying that it's an authentic copy of the original. The US government will usually accept a plain photocopy of a certified copy. They just want to see that stamp.

Notaries in the US are, for the most part, limited to being a legal witness to a signature. They can't certify a document is genuine.

To answer the OP's question, official documents like birth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates need to be certified as genuine copies. Evidence like boarding passes and such do NOT require any sort of certification. Simple photocopies are enough. Keep the original in case any US immigration officer wants to examine it.

Consulates may occasionally ask for a form or letter to be notarized. What they're asking for is that the signature on the form or letter be witnessed by a notary, and the notary stamps the document stating they confirmed the identity of the signatory and witnessed them sign the document.

[lemayz 2]

I am also wondering something similar....

All of the supporting documents to prove a bona fide relationship (such as a Lease, letter from the banks stating we have a joint account, tickets for trips together) can all be sent as just plain ole copies, right?

What about the affidavits of a bona fide relationship? Should that be an original?

Thanks!