Birth certificate for I-485: real or memorex?

4432644260095117 · Post by **4432644260095117** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 11:40 am

Do I have to give DHS my "original" birth certificate, or will they accept a photocopy?

The certificate itself is a notarized copy of the original (which was lost before I even moved to Canada); I paid the UK company that now handles Central Records for this, so am loathe to lose it.

ALSO, what about marriage certificates or, in my case, divorce decrees?

nelsona · Post by **nelsona** » Fri Jan 26, 2007 4:50 pm

Rule of thumb. never send any original to USCIS.

4432644260095117 · Post by **4432644260095117** » Fri Jan 26, 2007 5:43 pm

That's what I figured, but it's taken 5 years to get to this stage, and I do NOT want some bored anal-retentive civil servant filing all my paperwork under T for Trash because of some nit-picking rule.

Thanks.