On Sep 8, 11:58 pm, Jenny Purcell wrote:
> >"Jenny Purcell" wrote in message
> I wasn't able to get certified copies of things (in fact, when I tried
> to get them, I was told that certified copies don't EXIST in the US,
> anymore). The term certified copy seemed to throw alot of bureaucrats
> into a tailspin, even just asking.
>
> I could get "originals", and that was it. What I did do was go to a US
> bank notary and have them make photocopies and stamp each as a "true
> copy of the original". My husband called a hotline for Australian
> immigration and the person there told him that they would be
> acceptable, but, our experienes with hotlines in the past have been
> less than reassuring.
>
> I'm not an idiot, even if I sound like one floundering through this
> process. I've always been told in the past that I have to provide an
> "original document with a raised seal", or, that a photocopy is
> acceptable, and the Town Clerks wanted to know which I wanted, as
> well.
>
> Do they actually want my originals with the seals? Are they the
> so-called certified copies, or, are my notarized photocopies in the
> league of what I should be providing?
With that stamp "true Copy of the original" and the officials'
signature, that is what is known as a certified copy, so you're
covered. You only need the originals where called for. At the time of
my application, the FBI clearance was one of the originals I had to
provide. I heard that you can do a digital copy of it now, but I'd
check on that. If you've been married before, you need previous
marriage certs as originals (with the seals as you state) too. At
least I needed them with my appliacation. Funy, thinks like birth
certificates could be certified copies. The checklist on the
application says which ones can be certified copies and which ones
need to be originals. In my case, no one will certify copies in
California. I got around this two ways. I was close to the Arizona
border, so drove there and got copies done by a Notary, and I took
some with me on my many vacations and trips to Australia and had
copies certified there. But, tt sounds like you have what you need
locally.
Don't know what you need in the states you've been in for clearance.
In California, you had to get electronic fingerprints done and sent to
the State government with a personal request for your own record. From
there, they sent you a letter that detailed if you had a record or
not.
> >Let me know if I can help further.
>
> Do you think it would be appropriate to post a list of what we do have
> as supporting evidence of the validity of our relationship and get
> feedback on whether it sounds like a good amount, or, if it seems a
> bit thin?
Sure, a list of what you plan would be great.
Greg
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