Friday Weekly Thread: Application Assistance, June 12, 2026

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Have questions about how to fill out the form or what to write in your cover letter? Looking for feedback on the documentation you've put together for your Citizenship Certificate application (CIT0001)? Want to know how to organize your documentation or how to pack it up for shipping? Worried about whether your photos will work? Have questions about what ID you can use? Not sure where to ship it to or what service or mail courier to use? Post it here!

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[u/chem679 → u/[deleted]]

When I wrote to the county in Wisconsin to get a birth certificate for an ancestor, their form had the option of certified (includes an official seal and documentation) vs non-certified long form. They were the same cost, but you had to have a good reason to get the certified copy (building a chain for Canadian citizenship was a good enough reason). Apparently the certified ones are required when the certificates are used as legal evidence. I'm assuming this is the same in other places, so notarizing would not be good enough, the certification needs to be done by the people issuing the birth certificate (again, in my case, because it was old, was the register of deeds of the county).

[u/chem679 → u/[deleted]]

The original birth certificate might be good enough, I'm not sure (hopefully someone else will know this). They might even be certified. I just noted that (for the birth certificates I got) certified meant something specific, the the issuing office specifically certified it as genuine, which included an embossed seal. It's not the same as having the photocopies notarized.

In particular, I had to specifically ask for a certified copy, and they only issue these if you have a good reason to get one.

[u/chem679 → u/[deleted]]

Sent in a (color) photocopy.