Originals or photocopies?

[toby]

Hi. 

In IMM3903, the document checklist for China applicants, tells us to include original documents for items 1-7 (basically IMM forms) and photocopies of other documents “unless instructed otherwise”.

This led me to think that unless Immigration called specifically for an original, a photocopy would do.  But then – in item 8 -- Immigration requests:

-  “certificates of birth ... and marriage ....”
- “... photocopies of household register ....”
- “A photocopy of the bio-data page of your passport ....”

By not stating “photocopy” of birth and marriage certificates, but specifically calling for a photocopy of household register and passport page, is Immigration in effect asking for originals of the birth and marriage certificates?  These are hard to get, and difficult and expensive to replace.

And I have just found out that notarizing copies of these documents is next to impossible in China.

What did you do in similar cases?

[SadGirl:(]

I sent in a photocopy of birth certificates and a photocopy of our marriage certificate.  The only original documents I sent in was the medicals and the police clearances, everything else was a photocopy.