What is an “original” birth certificate ?
So I’m planning on applying for a marriage visa to the U.S (the nonimmigrant visa) but it says on the U.S immigration website that I need an original copy of my birth certificate but I lost my birth certificate years ago so Was that the original? Or just another “copy” I got my birth certificate again from my local registrar but
is that still an original? I’m just so confused. Was the one I lost the original? Or was that just a copy? Or does the one i currently have considered the original? Any help would be appreciated.
I’m from England btw.
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An original birth certificate comes from the local registar office.
The original is the one that the local registrar keeps. What you lost was a copy.
A certified copy suffices as an "original" for your purposes.
An original copy is like a genuine replica. It's a copy from the agency that recorded your birth originally. Most people don't have the original anymore; mine is over 60 years old, but even if I had it, I surely would not mail it away. Get a new copy from the registrar's office in the town you were born. Hope that's not 4,000 miles away from where you live now.
You apply for a copy from the registrar and it comes by snail mail.
An original or original copy from the local registrar - ie not a photocopy / scan
If you have one that is certified as an original or a certified copy of the original, those will work. They don't want you to use a copy machine or one you print off the internet. It must have an original, official seal or mark of some sort.
Your birth certificate is a copy of the information contained in the Registry of Births, Marriages and Deaths. So there is no 'original', all birth certificates are copies. What you are being asked for is a certified copy meaning a copy created by the registrar so yes, what you have is exactly what they need.
Americans use English alarmingly incorrectly as you have probably already noticed..
the one that was givin to your parents when you were born
Original means it has the original imprint of the issuing agency and is not a photocopy.