CERTIFIED Ukrainian birth certificate

[Wayne]

We received this email fro NVC;

______BIRTH CERTIFICATE:___________________________________________
The document you submitted is not an original or certified copy of an original issued by the
appropriate government authority. The document must be an original, or a certified copy of
the original, bearing the original seal or stamp from the issuing authority.

Does anyone have experience in obtaining a CERTIFIED COPY of a BIRTH CERTIFICATE from Ukraine.  They are living in Ukeaine waiting for the visa interviews to be scheduled.

Thanks

[OlgaH]

Wayne, I'm not sure how it is done in Ukraine but I think it should be the same as in Russia.

All my Russian documents that had to be submitted to USCIS I brought to a professional translation company and notary public at the same time. They translated all the documents and notarized them and for additional payment they put an Apostille on the documents.  (Apostille was not necessary and it was my decision to "secure") After that the certified copies of my Russian documents have never been questioned.  

[GoodOlBoy]

Take this problem as a sign from above Wayne.
http://www.russianwomendiscussion.com/index.php?topic=8501.0


GOB

[OlgaH]

Wayne,

Here is a website of the Ukrainian Translators Association
http://www.uta.org.ua/ru

They also have a list of their members and she can contact the Association for more information.

[Wayne]

I called NVC and a woman said that a notary cannot certify a document, it must be certified by the government official who made the copy.  So it would have to be done by someone at ZAGS.

However, she said we can mail the orginal birth certificate to NVC and it will be returned at the visa interview.

[ML]

Wayne, you need to become familiar with the idea that there is a big difference between (1) getting a document Notarized and (2) getting Apostille seal on a document.

Most of us have never heard of the Apostille because it is usually related to International dealings, of which we were not familiar . . . until getting involved with ladies (or business) in FSU.

In FSU, just as in USA, Notaries are a dime a dozen.  In virtually every office in USA at least one secretary is a Notary.

However, Apostille seal comes from a government agency.  More costly and much, much more time consuming, red tape and hassles to get.

[OlgaH]

I remember I met a couple, they also were told they could send the original documents. They did and the documents were lost.

Can there be a misunderstanding regarding the certified copies? May be they asked for for “certified translation”?
USCIS Certification Requirement
http://www.online-languagetranslators.com/uscis-certification-requirement.htm

It is written in the instruction that the ordinary legible photocopy may be submitted.

I really don't know how much rules were changed since 2006, but at that time the translation company in Russia made the photocopies of all my Russian documents, certified the translation and notarized the copies.

Last time when I submitted my documents for naturalization, a translation company in Florida made a photocopy of my Russian document, translated, certified and notarized it.

  

[OlgaH]

However, Apostille seal comes from a government agency.  More costly and much, much more time consuming, red tape and hassles to get.

I don't remember how much I paid for Apostille in Russia, but the translation company did everything in two days including Apostille on my documents. I did not experience any hassles at all. 

[Maxx2]

We received this email fro NVC;

______BIRTH CERTIFICATE:___________________________________________
The document you submitted is not an original or certified copy of an original issued by the
appropriate government authority. The document must be an original, or a certified copy of
the original, bearing the original seal or stamp from the issuing authority.

Ask Obama how to circumvent this.

[OlgaH]

I checked the website of the Department of Justice in my city in Siberia. At present the Apostille cost 1500 rub, and it takes 3 days.

[mies]

Wayne, I'm not sure how it is done in Ukraine but I think it should be the same as in Russia.

All my Russian documents that had to be submitted to USCIS I brought to a professional translation company and notary public at the same time. They translated all the documents and notarized them and for additional payment they put an Apostille on the documents.  (Apostille was not necessary and it was my decision to "secure") After that the certified copies of my Russian documents have never been questioned.  

The quotation in Wayne's post says that they need "official copy" with stamps from the same agency that issued an original. And they never mention that is should be a "translation". They require "official copy".

Wayne's wife and daughter should inquire about it in local ZAGS or "passport table" or any similar institution that is responsible for issuing birth certificates.

[OlgaH]

The quotation in Wayne's post says that they need "official copy" with stamps from the same agency that issued an original. And they never mention that is should be a "translation". They require "official copy".

Mies, below is the quote. They need "certified copy" and copy should have the original seal or stamp from the issuing authority.

And I asked Wayne if there could be a misunderstanding. USCIS officials sometimes also make mistakes. Plus you also can read the instruction on USCIS website.

The photocopies of my Russian original documents were attached to the translations and all the papers were attached to each other with a blue ribbon, altogether they were certified, notarized and sealed. The authority that issued the photocopies of my original documents along with certified translation of the documents was the translation company that I used.  

We received this email fro NVC;

______BIRTH CERTIFICATE:___________________________________________
The document you submitted is not an original or certified copy of an original issued by the
appropriate government authority. The document must be an original, or a certified copy of
the original, bearing the original seal or stamp from the issuing authority.

I attached a page of one of the certified documents

(From the document: I, (name), Public Notary of K_____ City, K_____ region, certify that this copy corresponds to the original document)

[tfcrew]

The quotation in Wayne's post says that they need "official copy" with stamps from the same agency that issued an original. And they never mention that is should be a "translation". They require "official copy".

Make that 'certified translation'.
Both are required for this document and also practically everything else submitted to the State Dept.

[dbneeley]

Wayne, I'm not sure how it is done in Ukraine but I think it should be the same as in Russia.

All my Russian documents that had to be submitted to USCIS I brought to a professional translation company and notary public at the same time. They translated all the documents and notarized them and for additional payment they put an Apostille on the documents.  (Apostille was not necessary and it was my decision to "secure") After that the certified copies of my Russian documents have never been questioned.  

Olga,

I'm puzzled about several things. For one, why did you submit any documents to USCIS when you were emigrating to Australia?

Second, no translation agency can apostille anything. That can only be done by the appropriate government agency. In Ukraine, that would be the Foreign Ministry in Kyiv.

A "certified copy" of an official document is most often a photocopy of the original to which an official stamp has been separately applied by the issuing agency.

For those who are unaware, the American notary publics are *far* different from those of many other countries, including the FSU. Here, a notary does what in the U.S. would be normally the province of an attorney or in Britain of a solicitor. The notary here would handle many kinds of documents such as the transfer of real property, contracts, and so forth. It is a position requiring much more training and responsibility than the very simple requirements in the U.S.

David

[OlgaH]

Olga,

I'm puzzled about several things. For one, why did you submit any documents to USCIS when you were emigrating to Australia?

David,

I think you confused me with somebody else. My husband and I live in Florida.

Second, no translation agency can apostille anything. That can only be done by the appropriate government agency. In Ukraine, that would be the Foreign Ministry in Kyiv.

Correct, the translation agency I used did not Apostille anything   But it was  in their services, so I did not have to go to any Government Department. They did it for me.

In Ukraine not only the Foreign Ministry has right to Apostlle a document, but also the Justice ministry of Ukraine and the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine. It depends on a document. I'm not sure if you need to go to Kyiv for Apostille. I think the Territorial Departments also should have the right to Apostille. May be in Ukraine it is different.

My documents were stamped with Apostille in my city in Siberia by the Department of Justice.

A "certified copy" of an official document is most often a photocopy of the original to which an official stamp has been separately applied by the issuing agency.

In my case  a "certified copy" was a translation of a document certified by a Public notary of my city, who also notarized a translator's signature, and the "certified copy" was stamped with an Apostille.

If you need an Apostille on Russian civil documents, go to the ZAGS office at 10 Griboyedova St. (near metro Chistiye Prudy) in Moscow or the local ZAGS offices in other cities.
 
If you need an Apostille on Russian educational documents, go to the “Glavexperttsentr” of the Ministry of Education at 11 Ordzonikidze St., Bldg. 9, Floor 2, Rm. 13, tel. 649-8072 Glavexperttsentr www.glavex.ru of Rosobrnadzor.

To obtain an Apostille on documents notarized by Moscow notaries bring them to the branch of the Ministry of Justice at 3 Yegerskaya St., tel. 287-1645.  Justice Administration Offices in other areas of Russia will authenticate the paperwork notarized in those regions.  

Some Russian notaries public will notarize and place a Ministry of Justice Apostille stamp on documents.

Russian Regional State Archives are also authorized to Apostille documents which they have issued.  

The Prosecutor’s General Office can place Apostilles on paperwork produced by lower level prosecutor’s offices.
http://moscow.usembassy.gov/apostille.html

Documents issued in Ukraine are apostilled by the Ministry of Justice, located at Artem 73 in Kyiv at these phone numbers: 044 486-4216 (civil registry documents, i.e., death, birth, marriage, divorce certificates, etc.) in Room 155; and 044 486-4988 (notarized documents) in Room 118. Hours are Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9:00 am until 12:00 noon.  A regular apostille takes one day. However, in certain cases the process may take up to 20 business days if the Ministry does not have a copy of the seal and/or signature on file.
http://ukraine.usembassy.gov/ukrainian-issues.html

I attached an Apostille Stamp with a seal of the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation.

[Wayne]

Olga and others, thank you for the information.  I did some more research and found this information on the US Department of State website:

Documents
Civil documents are generally available in Ukraine through local or oblast (district or regional) ZAHS offices. Certified copies of available documents may be exported. Documents prepared for use abroad are in the "DVZ" ("Diysne Dlya Vykorystannya Za Kordonom" - valid for use abroad) series. Records may be requested either by the person to whom they pertain, or, in cases forwarded to the Embassy by the Department, by the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv. Certified copies of documents are made at local notary offices, and signatures and seals of local notaries may be authenticated at the Ukrainian Ministry of Justice. The seal of the Ministry of Justice is authenticated at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) in Kyiv. The U.S. Embassy in Kyiv can authenticate the seal and signature of the MFA.

So it seems there is an exception for Ukraine and a Notary can certify documents, but you need to go one step further and get the APOSTILLE.

We were at the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine in Kyiv last year when I needed to get the non-impediment letter from the US Embassy in Kyiv authenticated. There is also a Ministry of Justice office in Simferopol where we needed to get all the documents authenticated.

So I will let everyone know if this works.