[begaines]

Could you guys please tell me about the COC where do I get the form? What all do I need to send with it? We are really behind on this one. Please the website and all information would be helpful.

Also, What is the form that is needed to get the original documents back from Guatemala? Could you please give me the info on this as well.


Thanks a Million!!!

[DPline]

Do I remember correctly that your daughter came home an an IR4 visa, so you are talking about getting an origional COC? (As to a new one after a name change.) If so, it is form N600 and here is the link: USCIS - Application for Certificate of Citizenship

The form to get back the sealed packet you turned in to Immigration when you entered the country with your daughter is USCIS form G884. USCIS - Return of Original Documents
You need to email the Buffalo office at BUF-G884@DHS.GOV with your child's A# (on the COC and on the visa in their Guat passport) and they will tell you where the packet is located so you can be sure you are sending the G884 to the right office.

I would not try to both at the same time though. My personal opinion is to do the G884 first, though there are those who disagree. Often if a local office gets hold of the packet to process the N600, it can be very difficult to get them to process the G884 to get the packet back. As long as you include all the necessary documents with the N600 application, there is no issue with them not having the Immigration packet.

[mommytoEli]

there are links to what you want (both things) on the first post of this thread

uscis, passport, & other helpful links

[mommytoEli]

man....debbie beats me EVERYTIME. i'm gonna get her a shirt that says "queen of Guatemala paperwork." she is seriously amazing!

[DPline]

LOL! There are days that it seems like that is the only thing I know anything about. As least per my almost 11 year old!

[DPline]

Here is the list of supporting documents to go with the N600 because the instructions are less than clear.

Passport photos - Child
Birth Certificate – Child (Guatemalan BC)
Marriage Certificate -Parents (if applic)
Divorce decree –Parents (if applic)
Proof of US citizenship - Parents (state BC for each parent or COC if parent was born abroad)
Proof of Legal custody - Child (Protocolo)
Permanent Resident Card (Green card) - Child
Proof of required US residence - Parents
Final adoption decree - Child w/Parents (Readoption paperwork)
Evidence of legal name change - Child (& Parent if applicable)

Also anything in SPANISH, must have the ENGLISH translation copy included, like the Protocolo, etc

[SKL]

Hijack alert - I have some related questions inspired by this thread:

1) How long do they keep that "packet"?

2) If I'm going to request a revised COC (IR3 visa but name changed), should I avoid requesting the "packet" at the same time?

I note that they still don't have my kids' original COCs in their database (from Fall 2007), so I am a bit scared to mess with their records before I have all the stuff I "really need."

[DPline]

The infamous sealed packet is kept forever. Well, maybe they have some 100 year limit or something, I really don't know, but not any time frame you need to worry about. Just email the Buffalo office at the address above and they will tell you where it is.

Are you the one having issues with SSA because of the COC's? Honestly, I wouldn't worry about the N565 and the G884 at the same time. The thing with the N600 is if the local office gets that and requests the packet for supporting documents at the same time you submit the G884, that could well totally mix USCIS up. For the N565, they only need the form, the name change document, and the origional COC. And a check! So the packet doesn't come into play.

All that said, I just can't understand why your kids COC's wouldnt' be in the data base after that long, but USCIS is a mysterious thing. If it were me, I would fill out the G884, find out where to send it, and send it in. And then I would try to get someone at my Sentator's office to look into the COC thing to deal with the SSA issue. (Assuming I am remembering correctly.) Then again maybe submitting the N565 and getting the new COC would get it in the data base faster???? That one has me stumped. Hopefully someone else has some ideas!

[SKL]

Originally Posted by DPline

Are you the one having issues with SSA because of the COC's? Honestly, I wouldn't worry about the N565 and the G884 at the same time. The thing with the N600 is if the local office gets that and requests the packet for supporting documents at the same time you submit the G884, that could well totally mix USCIS up. For the N565, they only need the form, the name change document, and the origional COC. And a check! So the packet doesn't come into play.

All that said, I just can't understand why your kids COC's wouldnt' be in the data base after that long, but USCIS is a mysterious thing. If it were me, I would fill out the G884, find out where to send it, and send it in. And then I would try to get someone at my Sentator's office to look into the COC thing to deal with the SSA issue. (Assuming I am remembering correctly.) Then again maybe submitting the N565 and getting the new COC would get it in the data base faster???? That one has me stumped. Hopefully someone else has some ideas!

Yes, that's me. This is my dilemma. Right now the government is supposedly working on confirming the stuff on my COC in order to provide SSNs. (Don't ask me why they can't just go by the COC! Why have a certificate if it doesn't mean anything?) If the original COC info isn't in the computer, how would they issue a new COC? If I went to get the new COC right now, would that gum up the works with the SSN? And if they haven't entered the original COC stuff yet, might they still need that "package" to provide some needed data? It's all very mysterious and I don't suppose anyone has the answers. As a tax professional, I find it interesting how much more efficient the government is at taxing us than at performing the services we pay for.

[DPline]

This is just my opinion, so I very well could be wrong, but my thought is that if you have the COC, and have for quite some time, it sounds like a data entry issue and not anything involving the packet. And honestly, if down the road they want something from the packet, they would contact you. Filing the G884 just wouldn't concern me.

I do think that SSA no longer accepting the COC and having to have the database 'backup' is crazy. I just don't get that. Has there been a run on fake COC's? My understanding of the N565 is it goes to one of the two service center that process it. They check the application and the name change documents, that they have the old COC and then if all is in order, issue the new COC. Though I am a little wishy-washy about actually doing that as I would worry about the old one and the new one not being in the database and it delaying you longer with SSA. How long have you been waiting for this confirmation?

I am still with what I said last night. If it were me, I would file the G884 and then if you have been waiting some time for confirmation from SSA, I would contact my senator's office and try to get them looking into the COC confirmation thing. Or make an appointment with your USCIS office to take to someone. From Fall 2007 just seems really odd to me.

[cborsa7]

Chimming in...

This sounds similiar to what happened with our COC. You'll need your name changed COC before they are probably going to give you the number as a citizen. They should have issued you a number as a legal resident already though, the day you applied. There is no reason for no number, so if you need the number now, you'll need to go back with print from their website and insist on it. We side stepped the SSA and contacted USCIS and our congressman instead of waiting for SSA to get it straight. It can take them months. It ended up faster to just get the new COC, SSA seems to be lost on the process and there policy is each office has the right to decide your case.

Again, I fully agree with Dpline, Send the G-884 before the N-600 and a local office grabs your paperwork. Sending it right when you get home is best.

Good Luck!

[DPline]

I was thinking I needed to PM you to get your input Kelly. I thought of you when reading this.
Hopefully SKL will pop back and confirm, but I think SSA is refusing to issue a number in any name at all until they confirm the COC in their database.

[cborsa7]

Hopefully SKL will pop back and confirm, but I think SSA is refusing to issue a number in any name at all until they confirm the COC in their database.

SKL-
If this is the case PM me. I'll share with you what we had happen and how we corrected. SSA never had a clue and we would have been waiting forever!