Birth Certificate Questions

[thule_guy 0]

Hello Everyone,

I am so glad I have found this website. It has very valuable information on it and many great resources. It is great to see a community like this together to help one another on such enormous tasks like this.

I am in the process of assembling my I-129F package and have a few questions regarding the birth certificate and divorce decree that is sent with the I-129F.

According to the K-1 guide it states to send "copy" with the I-129F for both birth certificate and divorce decree. My question is this:

Do I send the "certified copy" which was issued to me from the court house (which has the raised stamp and signature of person that released the document to me)? Or, do I make of copy of the certified copy and send that copy?

Also, after I send the I-129F package to the USCIS I am to then send all originals to my fiance in Vietnam. Do I send her "originals" (meaning actual originals that were issued at birth and at time of divorce), or are they referring to the original certified copy that was issued to me at the court house?

I am sorry for my confusion on this. Maybe I am overthinking this too much. I just don't want to make any mistakes on this and everything seems so overwhelming.

[Grant PDX 183]

At filing you just need a photo copy of the certified copy. You don't need to send the certified copy. References to originals means "certified copy". Actual originals at time of birth are not required. At the interview they may ask to see the certified copy. I would send that and photo copies, so if they ask to keep one she can offer the copy and keep the certified one. Of course, if any official told me they had to have a certified copy I would have one available and offer it up. They cost me around $15 per certified copy, which is peanuts compared to making that official even the least bit concerned.

[Hank_ 9,174]

Just make a copy (front and back) of your birth certificate. I-129F instructions state copies, if they want originals they will state that in the instructions also.

Requirements for the visa application process vary slightly from embassy to embassy so what works at one may not be the same at another, might want to ask this question on the country specific forum.