USCIS says that your birth certificate is wrong. What should you do?
You may have received a “Request for Evidence” in which USCIS says that you did not submit the correct format for your birth certificate. Here’s what to do. First, take out the copy of the application that you submitted (I hope you kept a copy!) and find the page with your birth certificate. Second, find your country on the US Department of State Reciprocity website. Third, select your country and scroll to section called “Birth, Death, Burial Certificates.” Fourth, read the requirements on the website, and compare the requirements to what your birth certificate shows.
You may see that your birth certificate is NOT the correct format. For example, your birth certificate may have the title “Short Version” but the US Department of State website states that “Only the Long Version is acceptable for visa purposes.” Or, the US Department of State website may require the birth certificate to be issued by the Municipality Registry of Deeds, but yours was issued by the hospital where you were born.
You may see that your birth certificate is in the exact format specified by the US Department of State. For example, the USCIS Request for Evidence may claim that both your parents’ names are not on the birth certificate, yet you clearly see your parents’ full names.
If your birth certificate is NOT in the correct format, respond to the Request for Evidence by the deadline with a copy of the correct format of your birth certificate.
If your birth certificate is in the correct format, respond to the Request for Evidence with a letter that states that the birth certificate that you already submitted is in fact correct and that you are re-submitting a copy of it with your letter. Also, we always ask to USCIS to return to processing your case as quickly as possible and that the erroneous request for a birth certificate is causing you undue stress and unnecessary delay.
Note that the US Department of State website may not state that it requires your name and date of birth to be on the birth certificate. However, your name and date of birth are required information on the birth certificate even if the US Department of State reciprocity schedule for your country does not specifically list those items.
If you need to talk to an experienced immigration attorney. We’ve helped hundreds of people traverse the complicated immigration and citizenship process. We would love to help you as well. Call (617-272-7980) or email hello@cambridgeimmigrationlaw.com to get in touch.
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