Question! RFE Birth certificate

[ajperdomo 0]

Hey there,

I am new to the forum, but i have been watching the forum like a ghost for quite sometime. It's extremely helpful. Anyways, this is a very specific situation that I'm trying to solve.

SO my wife is from south africa, but currently living in london, england. She has a dual citizenship because her mom was from the united kingdom. Along with her DS-230 form. She sent in her South african birth certificate, it's a long from that is handwritten, and it was issued and stamped/signed by the internal affairs of south africa. It's the exact complete original from when she was born. She also included her british certificate that states that she is a citizen of the united kingdom, but was born in south africa.

About a week ago, we got a RFE stating that we need to submit the birth certificate. All they can tell me is that we didn't submit a birth certificate from the right issuing government. I hate how the people on the phone can't be super specific. I personally have two options in which i think went wrong here:

either she needs a south african birth certificate from home affairs (as opposed to internal affairs) because on the visa website it says that if you need a birth certificate then to send a letter to home affairs. Or they got confused when she sent in the other certificate explaining her citizenship to the UK.

We called and requested a supervisor re open the file and look at it, because it could be their error, but what do you think?

I just don't get how these two original documents aren't the most legit birth certificates they've ever seen. Yes the certificate has info about her parents, and yes its signed and stamped, and it has two sides to it, one in another language, and one with it full transcribed. i could provide a picture of it if you guys want to check it out.

Please help!

thank you

AJ

[Miss M 54]

Hi

I am not sure, but could it be that they want the UNABRIDGED version of her South African birth certificate. One of my sons was born in South Africa and they issued him with that handwritten birth certificate and then told us that we could apply for the unabridged version at the Department of Home Affairs in Pretoria (we were living in Cape Town). We didn't need it as my son is a US citizen and we didn't want South African citizenship for him, but my understanding was that the unabridged version is the 'more formal', typed out version of his birth certificate. In most instances, for any sort of formal paperwork, the unabridged version is required.

I just remembered too, that we got married in Cape Town and the US consulate requested an unabridged version of our marriage certificate (not the handwritten one we received on the day we got married) and we had to apply to the Department of Home Affairs in Pretoria for it.

Hope this helps.

[ajperdomo 0]

Hi

I am not sure, but could it be that they want the UNABRIDGED version of her South African birth certificate. One of my sons was born in South Africa and they issued him with that handwritten birth certificate and then told us that we could apply for the unabridged version at the Department of Home Affairs in Pretoria (we were living in Cape Town). We didn't need it as my son is a US citizen and we didn't want South African citizenship for him, but my understanding was that the unabridged version is the 'more formal', typed out version of his birth certificate. In most instances, for any sort of formal paperwork, the unabridged version is required.

I just remembered too, that we got married in Cape Town and the US consulate requested an unabridged version of our marriage certificate (not the handwritten one we received on the day we got married) and we had to apply to the Department of Home Affairs in Pretoria for it.

Hope this helps.

The thing is, i looked up that term abridged and unabridged. and i came up with this link. http://www.differencebetween.com/difference-between-abridged-and-vs-unabridged-birth-certificate/ It states that with south africa there is a huge difference between the two. Though this birth certificate we sent in must be the unabridged one because it has parents details, and it is signed and stamped by internal affairs as stated, regardless of its hand written form. Thoughts?

AJ

[ajperdomo 0]

This may be too small to see. My iPhone shrunk the picture when i put it into a paint app so i could cover up personal info. But this is exactly what we sent in.

NOTE: I was thinking. Is it an issue you think that the Identification number is "not stated"

This may be too small to see. My iPhone shrunk the picture when i put it into a paint app so i could cover up personal info. But this is exactly what we sent in.

NOTE: I was thinking. Is it an issue you think that the Identification number is "not stated"

[Miss M 54]

Yes, our son's birth certificate is exactly what you're describing. It is handwritten and includes my full details, my husband's full details and of course our son's info. It is signed and stamped by the Departmnet of Home Affairs in Cape Town. Howvere, we were advised that this is an ABRIDGED certificate and we were free to apply for the UNABRIDGED one should we need it. From my understanding, the UNABRIDGED one is exactly the same thing except that it is typed and more formal looking.

For our CR1 visa application, the US Consulate would not accept our handwritten (abridged) marriage certificate (understandably so as it is too easy to forge) and we had to apply for the unabridged (typed out) version which essentially contains the exact same info.

This website http://www.gmtm.co.za/birthcertificate.html calls the unabridged certificate 'a computer print out and the document can be apostilled or legalised.'

I would call the South African consulate in London and seek clarification, but the above is what both the South African government (Home Affairs) and the US consulate explained to me as the difference.

In my dealings with the Department of Home Affairs, there is generally a lot of confusion about correct procedures and terms so you may need some patience.

[Miss M 54]

http://www.hotfrog.co.za/Companies/GMTM-Consultants/Unabridged-Birth-certificate-57604

Here's an image of an unabridged birth certificate. That's what my marriage certificate looks like, too.

[ajperdomo 0]

http://www.hotfrog.co.za/Companies/GMTM-Consultants/Unabridged-Birth-certificate-57604

Here's an image of an unabridged birth certificate. That's what my marriage certificate looks like, too.

Thank you, that does help me a lot. I actually emailed the people on that page to see if they could intact get it in 15 days. I'm going to get it for sure just in case. But hopefully the nvc still feels as if they made a mistake haha. ugh.

AJ

Thanks again!

[Miss M 54]

Good luck with your application, and be careful with those people who claim they can help you with the paperwork. I've heard some bad stories involving scams.

And remember to double check the abridged vs unabridged issue with the SA Consulate.

Best of luck with everything!

[onlybelieve 1]

Hey there,

I am new to the forum, but i have been watching the forum like a ghost for quite sometime. It's extremely helpful. Anyways, this is a very specific situation that I'm trying to solve.

SO my wife is from south africa, but currently living in london, england. She has a dual citizenship because her mom was from the united kingdom. Along with her DS-230 form. She sent in her South african birth certificate, it's a long from that is handwritten, and it was issued and stamped/signed by the internal affairs of south africa. It's the exact complete original from when she was born. She also included her british certificate that states that she is a citizen of the united kingdom, but was born in south africa.

About a week ago, we got a RFE stating that we need to submit the birth certificate. All they can tell me is that we didn't submit a birth certificate from the right issuing government. I hate how the people on the phone can't be super specific. I personally have two options in which i think went wrong here:

either she needs a south african birth certificate from home affairs (as opposed to internal affairs) because on the visa website it says that if you need a birth certificate then to send a letter to home affairs. Or they got confused when she sent in the other certificate explaining her citizenship to the UK.

We called and requested a supervisor re open the file and look at it, because it could be their error, but what do you think?

I just don't get how these two original documents aren't the most legit birth certificates they've ever seen. Yes the certificate has info about her parents, and yes its signed and stamped, and it has two sides to it, one in another language, and one with it full transcribed. i could provide a picture of it if you guys want to check it out.

Please help!

thank you

AJ

She's going to need an unabridged b/c , and it took us 2 months to get a copy of my husband's b/c.they are slow when it comes to documents!!! Good luck to you!!!

[shenaaz 5]

Hey there,

I am new to the forum, but i have been watching the forum like a ghost for quite sometime. It's extremely helpful. Anyways, this is a very specific situation that I'm trying to solve.

SO my wife is from south africa, but currently living in london, england. She has a dual citizenship because her mom was from the united kingdom. Along with her DS-230 form. She sent in her South african birth certificate, it's a long from that is handwritten, and it was issued and stamped/signed by the internal affairs of south africa. It's the exact complete original from when she was born. She also included her british certificate that states that she is a citizen of the united kingdom, but was born in south africa.

About a week ago, we got a RFE stating that we need to submit the birth certificate. All they can tell me is that we didn't submit a birth certificate from the right issuing government. I hate how the people on the phone can't be super specific. I personally have two options in which i think went wrong here:

either she needs a south african birth certificate from home affairs (as opposed to internal affairs) because on the visa website it says that if you need a birth certificate then to send a letter to home affairs. Or they got confused when she sent in the other certificate explaining her citizenship to the UK.

We called and requested a supervisor re open the file and look at it, because it could be their error, but what do you think?

I just don't get how these two original documents aren't the most legit birth certificates they've ever seen. Yes the certificate has info about her parents, and yes its signed and stamped, and it has two sides to it, one in another language, and one with it full transcribed. i could provide a picture of it if you guys want to check it out.

Please help!

thank you

AJ

Hey,

You do need an unabridged birth certificate.If you are on facebook go to the group:docs4expats.The women there (Norma) is able to get the unabrideged birth certificate for a small fee in a few weeks.I have gone with her (she did my police clearance certificate as well as other documents) and she is reliable though you might want to pay half first and the balance when she does receive it.

Edited August 16, 2012 by shenaaz