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[mia_79]

Correct Station A
Perhaps this is the case. The passport request is a peanut though, just make sure it's valid when applying
Given that I worked in Poland for the past 5 years, I did a certified translation of my last work contract & statement of earning for the year and provided the originals (if you don't show orginals, you have to offer certified copies). I also made an extract from my bank account, listing my netto earnings from month to month. I translated headings and type of transactions by my self and commented that it's a polish account. Whatever i translated my self (including e-mail conversations), I signed and stated that it is valid to the best of my knowledge, etc.
You only need to translate documents which are not in English. For example my wife's Polish passport & ID is in Polish / English, thus no translation needed.
All other official documents such as: marriage certificate, birth certificate, criminal record, etc, you need an official translation. as well as certified copies unless you sent in originals from the government. We found it was easier to provide orignal certificates then translate them.
To reinstate, any document from the government or work which contains your signature i would certify (or provide originals) / translate.
On the other hand, any e-mails, receipts, hotel reservations, etcs, translate your self and sign & again, provide originals or printouts (or certify if you offer copies)
For support letters from your family / friends. Get them to write the letters in english and them have them sign the english version. Will be easier on your pocket Send the originals rather than copies.

 

[Sous02]

Correct Station A
Perhaps this is the case. The passport request is a peanut though, just make sure it's valid when applying
Given that I worked in Poland for the past 5 years, I did a certified translation of my last work contract & statement of earning for the year and provided the originals and certified copies. I also made an extract from my bank account, listing my netto earnings from month to month. I translated headings and type of transactions by my self and commented that it's a polish account. Whatever i translated my self (including e-mail conversations), I signed and stated that it is valid to the best of my knowledge, etc.
You only need to translate documents which are not in English. For example my wife's Polish passport is in Polish / English, thus no translation needed.
All other official documents such as: marriage certificate, birth certificate, criminal record, civil ID, etc, you need an official translation. as well as certified copies.
To reinstate, any document from the government or work which contains your signature i would certify / translate.
On the other hand, any e-mails, receipts, hotel reservations, etcs, translate your self and sign.
For support letters from your family / friends. Get them to write the letters in english and them have them sign the english version. Will be easier on your pocket

Certified in the CIC world also means notarized. It is very confusing but if you dig hard you will find that it means notarized.

 

[mia_79]

Indeed, I found it very confusing as well.

 

[Lady_Ashka]

Correct Station A
Perhaps this is the case. The passport request is a peanut though, just make sure it's valid when applying
Given that I worked in Poland for the past 5 years, I did a certified translation of my last work contract & statement of earning for the year and provided the originals and certified copies. I also made an extract from my bank account, listing my netto earnings from month to month. I translated headings and type of transactions by my self and commented that it's a polish account. Whatever i translated my self (including e-mail conversations), I signed and stated that it is valid to the best of my knowledge, etc.
You only need to translate documents which are not in English. For example my wife's Polish passport is in Polish / English, thus no translation needed.
All other official documents such as: marriage certificate, birth certificate, criminal record, civil ID, etc, you need an official translation. as well as certified copies.
To reinstate, any document from the government or work which contains your signature i would certify / translate.
On the other hand, any e-mails, receipts, hotel reservations, etcs, translate your self and sign.
For support letters from your family / friends. Get them to write the letters in english and them have them sign the english version. Will be easier on your pocket

ok, thanks, that's what I needed to know! So, what documents did you notarize? (as opposed to have a certified translation?)

Sous02 - are you sure?? these are two different words and refer to two different things: certified means that a certified translator did the translation and vouches for their authenticity. notarized means that a lawyer, a notary, was there to vouch for the documents' authenticity. So if you got a certified translation *and* you get it notarized, you are having the document vouched twice. Is that what you did? In the application guide it says that certified translations are required when the doc is not in English or French, whereas the request for letters of support for the relationship says that two of those (or maybe one, I don't remember) need to be notarized, i.e. a lawyer as opposed to a translator needs to sign it. Could you please tell me what it means to 'dig deeper'?? do you have a CIC webpage that would explain that?

mia-79 - thanks again - let me know which documents you had notarized

 

[mia_79]

ok, thanks, that's what I needed to know! So, what documents did you notarize? (as opposed to have a certified translation?)

Sous02 - are you sure?? these are two different words and refer to two different things: certified means that a certified translator did the translation and vouches for their authenticity. notarized means that a lawyer, a notary, was there to vouch for the documents' authenticity. So if you got a certified translation *and* you get it notarized, you are having the document vouched twice. Is that what you did? In the application guide it says that certified translations are required when the doc is not in English or French, whereas the request for letters of support for the relationship says that two of those (or maybe one, I don't remember) need to be notarized, i.e. a lawyer as opposed to a translator needs to sign it. Could you please tell me what it means to 'dig deeper'?? do you have a CIC webpage that would explain that?

mia-79 - thanks again - let me know which documents you had notarized

I edited my previous post, check it again pls notrize copies or send originals, translate anything not in english. this is the rule of thumb.

 

[Lady_Ashka]

Ok, I see - so if, for instance, you are sending your work contract but a copy, not the original, it has to be notarized, i.e. certified by a lawyer. Yes?

However, documents that are not official documents, like Canadian bank account statements etc, do not need to be notarized, yes? (because they are in English).

And:
1. did you go to a lawyer to get two letters of support from your family or friends notarized?
2. documents like the Polish birth certificate submitted as originals with a certified translation are ok, yes?
3. For passport to be submitted with the application - is a scan and printoff enough? how did you get round to that? You said you submitted passport pages as evidence that you went to see each other when you were not living together - was that a scan that you later printed off? (CIC says no pendrives etc).
4. How about bills, internet bills, receipts from shopping etc - did you send them copies without notarization, or did you have them notarized by a lawyer? or did you just send originals?

 

[Sous02]

ok, thanks, that's what I needed to know! So, what documents did you notarize? (as opposed to have a certified translation?)

Sous02 - are you sure?? these are two different words and refer to two different things: certified means that a certified translator did the translation and vouches for their authenticity. notarized means that a lawyer, a notary, was there to vouch for the documents' authenticity. So if you got a certified translation *and* you get it notarized, you are having the document vouched twice. Is that what you did? In the application guide it says that certified translations are required when the doc is not in English or French, whereas the request for letters of support for the relationship says that two of those (or maybe one, I don't remember) need to be notarized, i.e. a lawyer as opposed to a translator needs to sign it. Could you please tell me what it means to 'dig deeper'?? do you have a CIC webpage that would explain that?

mia-79 - thanks again - let me know which documents you had notarized

I am as sure as one can be in this process. I looked all over this web site and cic's and consistently came to the answer that they need to be notarized and certified. The certification applies to the translation and the notarization applies to the authenticity of the original document. In other words the translator used an official copy. This is horrible the way they have it written. If my memory serves me correctly it was on the CIC site and on the country specific guides that I finally found it. It was a lot of research ago though.

 

[mia_79]

Ok, I see - so if, for instance, you are sending your work contract but a copy, not the original, it has to be notarized, i.e. certified by a lawyer. Yes?

However, documents that are not official documents, like Canadian bank account statements etc, do not need to be notarized, yes? (because they are in English).

And:
1. did you go to a lawyer to get two letters of support from your family or friends notarized?
2. documents like the Polish birth certificate submitted as originals with a certified translation are ok, yes?
3. For passport to be submitted with the application - is a scan and printoff enough? how did you get round to that? You said you submitted passport pages as evidence that you went to see each other when you were not living together - was that a scan that you later printed off? (CIC says no pendrives etc).
4. How about bills, internet bills, receipts from shopping etc - did you send them copies without notarization, or did you have them notarized by a lawyer? or did you just send originals?

Yes copies of original need to be notarized.
Up to you on the bank statements, if you can get an original printout from the bank than send that and don't notorize it.

per your points:
1. I didn't get support letters notarized, i had my family and friends write them in english and signed, so per the cic statement, should be valid. I added an intro letter stating my assumption.
2. yes since Poland is funny in this way, they call official copies 'originals'
3. i scanned the first page with photo and details (it's in english or polish / english), I signed all scans i made my self and got my wife to sign them as well.
4. i tried to send originals, notarizing every single bill would be crazy expensive.

 

[Lady_Ashka]

Yes copies of original need to be notarized.
Up to you on the bank statements, if you can get an original printout from the bank than send that and don't notorize it.

per your points:
1. I didn't get support letters notarized, i had my family and friends write them in english and signed, so per the cic statement, should be valid. I added an intro letter stating my assumption.
2. yes since Poland is funny in this way, they call official copies 'originals'
3. i scanned the first page with photo and details (it's in english or polish / english), I signed all scans i made my self and got my wife to sign them as well.
4. i tried to send originals, notarizing every single bill would be crazy expensive.

ok, looks all clear now, thanks just one last question: you printed the passport scans, right?

 

[mia_79]

ok, looks all clear now, thanks just one last question: you printed the passport scans, right?

Yes, printed all pages with stamps + main page with picture, signed & dated.

For each section, we made a table of contents, indicating what was attached and why.
Additionally, we made an introduction to the attachment, which acted as a cover page outlining why it's attached and in support of what document.

Good luck!

p.s: even though completing this package was very stressful and time consuming not to mention costly, we had a great time doing it

 

[Lady_Ashka]

That sounds awesome, i think I'll try to do the same! Thanks and good luck!

 

[mega_option101]

Yes, printed all pages with stamps + main page with picture, signed & dated.

For each section, we made a table of contents, indicating what was attached and why.
Additionally, we made an introduction to the attachment, which acted as a cover page outlining why it's attached and in support of what document.

Good luck!

p.s: even though completing this package was very stressful and time consuming not to mention costly, we had a great time doing it

I didn't explain anything, just put them in the order that the package came in - as I know in Mississauga they will arrange them as they want.

Didn't have any problems - no table of contents included.

 

[NLman83]

Hi All,

I will share what we did for my fiancee, any document which was not in English (this being in Dutch/ Polish) did not require a notarization, it required that it was translated into English via a sworn translator. The only documents that needed to be translated was the Polish Criminal Record Check and this was done by a sworn translator who provided his stamp etc. Likewise, our mortgage and income tax records from the Netherlands were translated into English via Dutch sworn translator. Nothing went through a notary. This is our experience from the last 2-3 months when all these were done. Hope this helps.

Thanks

 

[mega_option101]

Hi All,

I will share what we did for my fiancee, any document which was not in English (this being in Dutch/ Polish) did not require a notarization, it required that it was translated into English via a sworn translator. The only documents that needed to be translated was the Polish Criminal Record Check and this was done by a sworn translator who provided his stamp etc. Likewise, our mortgage and income tax records from the Netherlands were translated into English via Dutch sworn translator. Nothing went through a notary. This is our experience from the last 2-3 months when all these were done. Hope this helps.

Thanks

We notarized the passport copy, drivers license copy.

 

[mia_79]

We were thinking of notarizing my wife's passport, but then assumed since it was in PL / ENG it should be fine.

No additional requests came in concerning this and our status is on Decision Made, I'm hoping/assuming it's a positive decision since we haven't received any additional communications from the VO so far

Cheers