ORIGINAL OR COPIES

[JAMO1973]

I have questions about the certificates needed for the application. Do you send originals of birth certificate, marriage and divorce certificates or do you send copies of the originals?

 

[PMM]

Hi

I have questions about the certificates needed for the application. Do you send originals of birth certificate, marriage and divorce certificates or do you send copies of the originals?

Did you bother to read the checklist and the country specific guidelines? The answers are there.

 

[JAMO1973]

Yes I bothered to look. I didn't understand so that's why I'm asking here. This is what it says:

Birth and marriage certificates must be Government-certified true copies (copies certified as authentic by
the issuing governmental authority, signed and sealed).

Now on the document checklist supporting documents section it says send copies unless otherwise instructed. That's my doubt.

 

[jomz]

I have questions about the certificates needed for the application. Do you send originals of birth certificate, marriage and divorce certificates or do you send copies of the originals?

It depends on your country. Some country specific guides ask for originals, some for notarized copies, and some can submit straight photocopies (US, western Europe). Best to follow your country specific guide for this information, because here you may get an answer which may not be correct in your situation (country specific instructions).

 

[Ponga]

The document checklist is generic, whereas your country specific instructions are NOT, so...you're going to need the Government-certified true copies.

 

[JAMO1973]

Ok thanks for the answer. Now one more thing. Do I need to send theses certificates twice? Once for the checklist of imm 5491 and my specific country checklist?

 

[JAMO1973]

Thanks ponga. So meaning originals. And what do they mean by sealed? I have never seen sealed documents here.

 

[jomz]

Thanks ponga. So meaning originals. And what do they mean by sealed? I have never seen sealed documents here.

the word sealed used in this context means stamped with the raised seal (google notarial seal to see what it looks like, it is a little hard to explain it ). All notarial documents contain a seal on them. But if you will be sending originals, you should be fine as long they have all the proper stamps on them. Note that if your documents are not in English or French you will need them translated and notarized (meaning they will than contain the notarial seal on them).

 

[JAMO1973]

We have had all "official" documents translated by what they call a perito traductor here in Mexico. Someone legally authorized to translaet by the state where we live. All personal e-mails I translated as it would have cost a fortune to have have them done by a translator.