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ResourcesVisa & Immigration LawUS Immigration LawDo I Need to Use Originals or Copies of Documents in a CR-1 Visa Application?

Do I Need to Use Originals or Copies of Documents in a CR-1 Visa Application?

Transcript of the above video:

As the title of this video suggests, we are discussing the CR-1, Conditional Resident, application. This is generally issued for those who are married to an American citizen but they have been married less than two years at the time of their entry to the United States. The CR-1, Conditional Resident, is entitled to a two-year Green Card upon entry and they need to go ahead and deal with what is called Lift of Conditions, 90 days prior to the 2 year anniversary of their arrival in the US in CR-1 status.

But more to the point with respect to this video is, are copies sufficient or are original documents necessary when processing an application and a petition for this type of Immigrant Visa through the immigration apparatus? Well the short answer to that question is that depends on the circumstances of the given case. I have seen many cases where quite frankly copies were sufficient although certification and authentication are an issue with respect to copies; I'll get in to that in a moment, but copies often times are going to be sufficient. In certain non-routine cases I see copies are not necessarily sufficient and Department of Homeland Security Officers or Department of State Officers want to go ahead and see original documentation pertaining to the case; again it's all going to be dependent on circumstances.  

Another issue with respect to copies is the authentication and certification of those copies. Generally speaking USCIS or the Department of State apparatus with respect to copies want to know that those are copies of a genuine document and for that reason a certain authentication needs to be undertaken. We deal with this as a matter of course with respect to many of our routine cases but those of you who have sort of a burning question with respect to copy versus original documentation, it is a good idea to contact a legal professional to ascertain whether or not a photocopy is going to go ahead and work for a given document or whether an original is going to be necessary.