[englishkoala]

I have some confusion around whether the below documents need to be certified or if they can just be uploaded as a colour scan. So far my understanding on whether they need to be certified is:

Applicant:
* Passport - no
* Birth Certificate - yes, but on the certificate it says "certified copy of an entry", but it is the one I got when I was born, is that okay?
* Photo (passport sized) - no
* Photo (other, not a passport sized photo) - no

Sponsor:
* Birth certificate - yes, but on the certificate it says "i hereby certify this is a true copy of particulars...."
* Passport - no
* Medicare card - yes

Thank you!

 

[Skybluebrewer]

Absolutely nothing needs to be a certified copy if you're uploading legible color scans. It's pretty black and white so there shouldn't be any confusion.

The logic behind certified copies being submitted goes back to when paper applications could be submitted. You had to submit certified copies of everything for one very simple reason, because you wouldn't send them off with originals for them to keep, or for them to hold during processing. They weren't going to take your original passport, birth certificate, etc. So you'd mail in certified copies of documents.

Everyone applies online now so there's no reason to certify copies. If they ask you to, that's a CO specific request and could be for a number of reasons, one that I'm thinking is they believe the copy has been doctored and want to see a certified copy stating it's an exact scan of an original.

I've never uploaded certified copies and had 3 partner visas granted with no issues.

If the birth certificate you have is genuine, then it doesn't matter. I had to order a copy of my child's birth certificate, but because it came from the same issuing authority it was accepted even though it was not the original, only a certified copy issued by the state.

 

[englishkoala]

Absolutely nothing needs to be a certified copy if you're uploading legible color scans. It's pretty black and white so there shouldn't be any confusion.

The logic behind certified copies being submitted goes back to when paper applications could be submitted. You had to submit certified copies of everything for one very simple reason, because you wouldn't send them off with originals for them to keep, or for them to hold during processing. They weren't going to take your original passport, birth certificate, etc. So you'd mail in certified copies of documents.

Everyone applies online now so there's no reason to certify copies. If they ask you to, that's a CO specific request and could be for a number of reasons, one that I'm thinking is they believe the copy has been doctored and want to see a certified copy stating it's an exact scan of an original.

I've never uploaded certified copies and had 3 partner visas granted with no issues.

If the birth certificate you have is genuine, then it doesn't matter. I had to order a copy of my child's birth certificate, but because it came from the same issuing authority it was accepted even though it was not the original, only a certified copy issued by the state.

Great! Thanks for helping