Certified True Copies - Photocopies Query

[Andynd1uk]

I have a query regarding certified true copies. The only photocopies my spouse and I will be providing are a photocopy of our passports and a photocopy of our Marriage Certificate. My question is, do I have to have both of these certified or do certification not apply to these photocopies?

 

[cheng9999]

I have a query regarding certified true copies. The only photocopies my spouse and I will be providing are a photocopy of our passports and a photocopy of our Marriage Certificate. My question is, do I have to have both of these certified or do certification not apply to these photocopies?

If your documents are already in English, you do not need certified true copies.

The other photocopies would be applicant's birth certificates, your children's (if any) birth certificates, etc. Again, if these are already in English, photocopy would be fine. So I believe just the marriage cert and passport would not be enough for the applicant.

 

[LanaLanski]

WHAT an amazing relief! You just gave me my sanity back.

I sent my application in on July 21, 2016 and for every item that needed to be translated we sent the originals, but everything else we sent in copies. I was having anxiety because the instructions didn't say "certified copies" of everything, just copies and certified translations.

This just gave me so much piece of mind.

 

[canuck_in_uk]

WHAT an amazing relief! You just gave me my sanity back.

I sent my application in on July 21, 2016 and for every item that needed to be translated we sent the originals, but everything else we sent in copies. I was having anxiety because the instructions didn't say "certified copies" of everything, just copies and certified translations.

This just gave me so much piece of mind.

Note that the requirement for certified copies varies from country to country, so the answer given to Andynd1uk might not be applicable to you. You would need to check your country-specific checklist.

 

[LanaLanski]

Note that the requirement for certified copies varies from country to country, so the answer given to Andynd1uk might not be applicable to you. You would need to check your country-specific checklist.

Thanks for your reply ;D

Since I wrote this I found out that I am an approved sponsor and my husbands application has been sent to Bucharest for processing. Do you think I still need to worry about certified true copies? Or do you think they would have rejected/sent back everything if I made a mistake?

 

[canuck_in_uk]

Since I wrote this I found out that I am an approved sponsor and my husbands application has been sent to Bucharest for processing. Do you think I still need to worry about certified true copies? Or do you think they would have rejected/sent back everything if I made a mistake?

Sponsor approval doesn't necessarily mean that the app is complete. While Mississauga is supposed to check to make sure the app is complete, they don't look at every specific requirement, hence why many applicants get document requests after SA. Once the app is sent to the VO, they do a more thorough check.

Your country-specific checklist specifies notarized photocopies of documents. If any of your partner's official documents were in English or French and you sent only a photocopy, you may receive a request for a notarized copy.

 

[LanaLanski]

Sponsor approval doesn't necessarily mean that the app is complete. While Mississauga is supposed to check to make sure the app is complete, they don't look at every specific requirement, hence why many applicants get document requests after SA. Once the app is sent to the VO, they do a more thorough check.

Your country-specific checklist specifies notarized photocopies of documents. If any of your partner's official documents were in English or French and you sent only a photocopy, you may receive a request for a notarized copy.

Thanks! I'll keep an eye out and I'll report back to help others. So far so good. ;D

 

[Lady_Ashka]

May I ask, I was wondering if:

1. Passport copies need to be notarized (for eastern europe? didn't seem to find that in the guide anywhere, it just says they want a copy of the passport), and
2. It says on my (PA) guide that copies of documents need to be notarized, so that's clear, but I wonder, what about my (Canadian) sponsor? His checklist (nor guide) does not seem to specify if copies (for instance of his passport bio page or his driving license for proof of address, etc) need to be notarized?

 

[profiler]

May I ask, I was wondering if:

1. Passport copies need to be notarized (for eastern europe? didn't seem to find that in the guide anywhere, it just says they want a copy of the passport), and
2. It says on my (PA) guide that copies of documents need to be notarized, so that's clear, but I wonder, what about my (Canadian) sponsor? His checklist (nor guide) does not seem to specify if copies (for instance of his passport bio page or his driving license for proof of address, etc) need to be notarized?

The guide and checklist states clearly what needs to be originals or notarized. If it doesn't say, a regular photocopy is fine.

 

[Lady_Ashka]

Yeah, that's just it though. Nowhere in either his or mine guide does it talk about notarized copies at all (just a propos certified translations of documents not in english in mine), and then only on my checklist there is mention of notarized copies, but not on his. Does that then mean that unless specifically stated that copies need to be notarized they need not be?

 

[Sous02]

Yeah, that's just it though. Nowhere in either his or mine guide does it talk about notarized copies at all (just a propos certified translations of documents not in english in mine), and then only on my checklist there is mention of notarized copies, but not on his. Does that then mean that unless specifically stated that copies need to be notarized they need not be?

True but remember in the magical kingdom of cic notarized is notarized. Certified is notarized and a certified translation unless you are sending the original and then you need only supply a certified translation and the original. copies that they request and do not specify certified but are not in English and French need to be only a translated copy that is only certified! Phew I am exhausted! what a wonderful wotlrld

 

[Lady_Ashka]

Yeah, I have translations figured out so that's fine. But I was wondering about passport copies (where it does not ask for a notarized copy in either of our guides and checklists), and other documents like proof of address IDs (which we will make copies of) - it does not say to notarize them, but just thought I'd make sure Sous, you'll get your DM soon, I'm sure!

 

[profiler]

CIC Call Centre told me that almost all copies are just copies. The only ones explicitly asking to be notarized (notes from friends or family as an example) must be notarized.

The rest can just be copies.

 

[Sous02]

Yeah, I have translations figured out so that's fine. But I was wondering about passport copies (where it does not ask for a notarized copy in either of our guides and checklists), and other documents like proof of address IDs (which we will make copies of) - it does not say to notarize them, but just thought I'd make sure Sous, you'll get your DM soon, I'm sure!

Passports copies do not need to be notarized as they are legal documents recognized by cic. Thanks for the encouragement

 

[Sous02]

CIC Call Centre told me that almost all copies are just copies. The only ones explicitly asking to be notarized (notes from friends or family as an example) must be notarized.

The rest can just be copies.

I would rarely base a decision on the call centre as I have seen every possible answer to a multitude of questions. I think error on the side of caution is the best practise. The dollars used to notarize is tiny in the big picture.
Even following their written instructions does not guarantee 100% compliance