Lost original birth certificate. Dealbreaker for the AOS interview?

[Allie D 39]

Do I need to bring my original birth certificate to the AOS interview? The obvious, safe answer is YES. Unfortunately, my birth certificate is (or was) with my parents in my home country: they lost it during a move two years ago. I only have a scan which I made several years ago. That's the version I submitted with my paper AOS application. My husband and I are appearing for our I-485 interview in early June. My parents have tried and failed to find my original certificate.

 

Perhaps fortunately, all of the information in my birth certificate is also in my passport (city of birth, country of birth, date of birth, mother's name, father's name). Is my lack of the original birth certificate a deal breaker? If the immigration officer asks, should I explain my situation and hope for the best? I'm just looking for thoughts, since no one here -- I think -- is an immigration officer.

 

Thanks!

[p-ana 933]

They probably won't ask for it, but it's in the list of documents you need to take with you to the interview. if it's asked you can explain and hope for the best.

if I were you though, I'd ask my parents to get a new copy for me and have them send it out as soon as possible, if not for the interview, for your own records.

[Hypnos 6,579]

USCIS may ask to see an original certified copy.

 

You should obtain a new certified copy from the appropriate authority in your country of birth.

 

There are USCIS and consular officers active on this forum.

[Allie D 39]

 

USCIS may ask to see an original certified copy.

 

You should obtain a new certified copy from the appropriate authority in your country of birth.

Thanks! For some reason, my parents and I didn't think of this as an option. Right now, my only "proof of birth" is my passport. I needed a birth certificate to get that issued.

[Hypnos 6,579]

Some governmental agencies in the US, such as the Social Security Administration, may ask to see an original certified copy of your birth certificate; it's something everyone should have, if you can obtain one.

[Allie D 39]

 

Some governmental agencies in the US, such as the Social Security Administration, may ask to see an original certified copy of your birth certificate; it's something everyone should have, if you can obtain one.

That's good to know. I sent my parents an email to see if they can get a government-issued birth certificate. I'm not sure how the procedures work back home. Obviously this version won't be the "original", i.e. the one that was issued when I was born. To clarify, would this be a notarized *copy* in USCIS' eyes? Or would it count as an *original*?

[Hypnos 6,579]

If you give your country we can be of more help.

 

You would likely be obtaining an original certified copy; the original that was created when you were born is maintained by the custodian of the record, and is never taken away from that authority's possession, a copy given to you (or your parents) is certified by the authority to be a true and accurate copy of the one in the authority's records.

Edited May 5, 2017 by Hypnos

[Allie D 39]

 

If you give your country we can be of more help.

 

You would likely be obtaining an original certified copy; the original that was created when you were born is maintained by the custodian of the record, and is never taken away from that authority's possession.

Makes sense -- thanks for your help! I was born in India. It's good to know that an original certified copy will work and that I don't need the one issued when I was born. I should have looked into this earlier instead of harboring the assumption that only the "original original" would work.

[Hypnos 6,579]

https://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en/fees/reciprocity-by-country/IN.html (click on Birth... Certificates on the left) indicates that you can obtain one if you were born after 1st April, 1970.

Edited May 5, 2017 by Hypnos

[Allie D 39]

 

https://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en/fees/reciprocity-by-country/IN.html (click on Birth... Certificates on the left) indicates that you can obtain one if you were born after 1st April, 1970.

Excellent!

[IkaStuart 24]

Hi everyone. I need help. Please. 12 days from now we will have our AOS interview. On the list of requirements it's written also the birth certificate (to bring original with us). What to do in the case when we already submitted the original one? We sent both original and the copy. Basically this one was official international form. Do I need to take another original int form with me or no? Thank you so much...