do docs need to be certified?
 

i'm just getting all my paperwork together while we wait on the medicals and police checks to come back. i've sorted out all our birth certs, wedding cert, qual certs etc, and was going to go get them certified tomorrow.

only i've just been checking back against the visa forms and firstly, i don't think they want birth certs for any of it, and secondly there seems to be no mention of things being certified.

so now i don't know if i've assumed/imagined the need for everything to be certified or if it indeed does. am i about to shell out a few hundred bucks when i don't need to??!?!?!

in case it matters, we're going with essential skills/work, partnership and student visas

thanks

Re: do docs need to be certified?
 

We never had anything certified. I sent in kids birth Certs to prove my husband was their dad.

Re: do docs need to be certified?
 

I think if you are not sending in the Originals and copies you have to send in certified copies.

Taken from Immigration site About the application process

"Certified copies
Can I send copies?
If you are unable to send your original documents, you may be able to send certified copies of your documents.

A certified copy is a photocopy that has been stamped or endorsed by a person who confirms that the copy is a true copy of the original document.

The person who certifies the copy must be authorised to do so by law in your home country or in New Zealand – for example a lawyer, Notary Public, Justice of the Peace, or court official.

If we have asked you to send original documents, please also include a photocopy of the document. This will help speed up the decision on your application."

Re: do docs need to be certified?
 

I got my degree certificate, registration certificate and passport certified by a lawyer in London. Cost was £2 per copy so it shouldn't be too expensive.
I only got them certified as I needed my passport and didn't want the others to be sitting on a desk somewhere for months;)

Re: do docs need to be certified?
 

Thanks all, glad I wasn't going mad! Got them all done today, although it fist he a lot more than 2 quid each lol

Re: do docs need to be certified?
 

Is there a time limit on the certification? I'm trying to do as much in advance as I can but we're still around 12 months away from knowing if we can move or not. If I have copies certified now would that be OK if we don't come out for 12-24 months yet?

I'm averse to sending original documents as I've had them lost before and it cost me a fortune to get them replaced.