Consulate acceptance of incomeplete documents

[garypeg]

Let's say you arrive at a consulate thinking you have all the documents you need and whoever you meet with says well we need such and such. Can you mail in the additional documents or do they make you get a new appointment? Some of the things I have read makes is sound like the latter but that seems unreasonable and unnecessary. Does anyone have any thoughts on this?

Thanks

[campomaggiore]

I was told I needed to correct a document.
Once I had it done, I then faxed the consulate the corrected document. They called me via phone to say it was acceptable and to have it translated. I then mailed the translation and original document to them via certified mail. There was no 2nd appt. All went well and smoothly. (LA Consulate)

[kontessa]

Let's say you arrive at a consulate thinking you have all the documents you need and whoever you meet with says well we need such and such. Can you mail in the additional documents or do they make you get a new appointment?

It depends what you are told during your appointment.

Some of the things I have read makes is sound like the latter but that seems unreasonable and unnecessary. Does anyone have any thoughts on this?

No offense intended, but supplying the consulate with additional documentation either by mail or by presenting them in person to help your case doesn't seem unreasonable or unnecessary. What might seem unreasonable is having to correct the missing 'h' in a misspelled name like 'Antony.

Here are my thoughts: Much of the success of your case depends on how prepared you are, and how it is presented. Then, factor in the phase of the moon and which side of the bed the consular staff member rolled out of on any particular morning. Even a well-prepared case can go sideways. However, if you go to an appointment at a consulate in the US without doing your homework (research online in forums such as this), or without making any attempt to 'war game' what they might do with mistakes in your documents, or if no attempt has been made to correct them, then the chances of your success diminsh astronomically. (Not speaking about simple cases here, but those involving several generations and a variety of mistakes). Just my opinion.

[johnnyonthespot]

The NYC consulate is a bit of a pain for me to get to from my home in Connecticut; I have to drive 30 miles to New Haven or Bridgeport, hop a 1-1/2 hr or so train to Grand Central Terminal, etc. Altogether it takes 2-1/2 to 3 hours each way and I can count on the day's trip costing me $100.00.

Having said that, I am amongst the lucky ones. There are people all over the US who must take a couple of days off from work and spend many hundreds of dollars to fly to their nearest consulate which can easily be 1,000 miles from home.

But, I digress...

At my second NYC appointment, the official took all of the documents she was satisfied with and placed them in a large envelope which she then sealed and affixed her stamp to. She warned me that I was not to open this envelope under any circumstances. She listed for me the few items which she still wanted me to acquire or amend and told me to drop everything off at the consulate or mail it in at my convenience.

I must have been drained by that point, because after getting the additional documents, I bundled them together with the previously sealed envelope and sent the package along with a cover letter to the consulate via Registered Mail/Return Receipt Requested.

Barely five weeks later, acceptance letters for myself and my wife arrived in the mail. Was I ever surprised; I had been warned that the processing could take up to one year.

[garypeg]

Thanks for the replies. I am trying to find all the problems and correct them in advance, or at least have a case prepared, since 1) I want to get the citizenship sooner rather than later and 2) to avoid unnecessary return trips. I had read a thing or two that suggested you had to do everything in person.

You all have been very helpful. Now if I can get the birth certificate out of New York City, one out of Arkansas and another from Siciliy, I think I am ready.

gary

[musaccosteve]

I have an appointment with the L.A. Consulate on April 12. I have a few questions.

1) When did you have your appointment with the L.A. Consulate?
2) How long did the Consulate indicate that you would need to wait to have your passport?
3) What was the Consulate's name that you met with?
4) What specific documents were you required to have apostilled and translated?

Note: I am applying via GF. I am thinking, at a minimum, the documents that I need apostilled and translated pertaining to my application are: a) grandfather's death certificate (he died in U.S.), b) father's birth and death certificate, c) father's and mother's marriage license, and d) my birth certificate. Is it true that only documents that are to be registered with the commune need to be apostilled and translated?

Thank you,
Steve

I was told I needed to correct a document.
Once I had it done, I then faxed the consulate the corrected document. They called me via phone to say it was acceptable and to have it translated. I then mailed the translation and original document to them via certified mail. There was no 2nd appt. All went well and smoothly. (LA Consulate)