+1(514) 937-9445 or Toll-free (Canada & US) +1 (888) 947-9445

Common-law: Birth Certificate

P Min

Full Member
Mar 22, 2024
28
0
I got a copy of my birth certificate from the household registration office (governmental agency) in my home country, and it has a household registration office SEAL on it and the paper also says The document is consistent with the original document kept on file.

And my birth certificate was translated by a certified translator already.

IMM 5589 Checklist says ".... include a notarized (certified) translation with a certified copy of the original document "

My question is ... Is it okay to provide the
  1. Certified Translation Document
  2. The copy document with the household registration office SEAL
Thank you so much for your answers.
 
Last edited:

armoured

VIP Member
Feb 1, 2015
17,285
8,889
I got a copy of my birth certificate from the household registration office (governmental agency) in my home country, and it has a household registration office SEAL on it and the paper also says The document is consistent with the original document kept on file.

And my birth certificate was translated by a certified translator already.

IMM 5589 Checklist says ".... include a notarized (certified) translation with a certified copy of the original document "

My question is ... Is it okay to provide the
  1. Certified Translation Document
  2. The copy document with the household registration office SEAL
Thank you so much for your answers.
What country? Is the one you got on 'official' coloured paper in addition to the seal?

You should be fine, this is standard for many countries with civil registration offices (like your household registration office) - extracts from the civil registry, printed and/or sealed on official paper, are considered equivalent to originals. (It is a bit annoying that IRCC doesn't clarify that these official duplicates are fine)

Since you've translated the text above, can only go by what you wrote - what I've seen in other countries (again, translating) are variations on things like 'duplicate' and 'this is an official extract from the civil registry.' And they often don't provide / won't provide the physical original (and IRCC usually knows this).

I think this approach is fairly common in some parts of Europe (quite possibly all EU) / former Soviet Union.

This is, by the way, how things are now done in all the provinces I'm aware of and many of the USA states, too - although the names of the agencies/registrar and precise language for whether they call it an original or duplicate or extract or whatever. There are sometimes caveats like only births since some year (when they consolidated the records from counties or the like).
 

ERCAN

Hero Member
Jan 25, 2023
659
349
I think that "certified copy" in the context of the translation (this part of IMM 5589 Checklist addresses exactly that) simply means that when translation is made it's done from a copy which is then bound to the translation either using ribbon, threads or any other means. Then the translator certifies that the translation was done from the original and its copy is true and attached to the document (the exact wording varies).

However, this is an old style approach and most translations are now electronic, and if this is the case just a scan (photo) of the original document along the translation is accepted. At least in my submission half of the documents were not bound together.
 
  • Like
Reactions: armoured

P Min

Full Member
Mar 22, 2024
28
0
I think that "certified copy" in the context of the translation (this part of IMM 5589 Checklist addresses exactly that) simply means that when translation is made it's done from a copy which is then bound to the translation either using ribbon, threads or any other means. Then the translator certifies that the translation was done from the original and its copy is true and attached to the document (the exact wording varies).

However, this is an old style approach and most translations are now electronic, and if this is the case just a scan (photo) of the original document along the translation is accepted. At least in my submission half of the documents were not bound together.

I'm from Taiwan. I've been reading many posts, and quite a few people mention that the copied document needs to be notarized (a true and certified copy) in the home country.

I wasn't sure if the household registration office seal on the paper would be considered a true and certified copy or not.

Thank you so much for your answers.