[Plymgirl]

Hi
I hope maybe somebody could answer this question.
I am re-applying for mine and my OH's birth cert. from S.A. There is a choice of 4 different cert. to get. Please could someone tell me which one I must choose.
1. Unabridged cert.
2. Computer printed abridged cert.
3. Certified copy of birth register (Vault copy)
4. Handwritten abridged cert.

My mom still lives in S.A. and she can apply for them just we are unsure.
My mom is also re-applying for our matric cert which I did not know you could do. She is great and very useful as my foreign embassy in getting docs.
Thanks So Much
Zelda:confused:

[ysbeer]

Hi Plymgirl,

You must use the unabridged version. That is what we requested. It actually says on the form for international use you must acquire the unabridged version.

Why would you need your matric certificate? We got our ITA and it does not say that we need to provide evidence thereoff.

[Steadybears]

Hi Plymgirl
Definately get the unabridged version - thats what we applied for from the wonderful Home Affairs in SA - let me just tell you it takes 10 weeks and then we still had to make many calls to find out why it was taking so long. PM if you having trouble getting them - I have a contact who you can phone after the 10 weeks. Good luck you need it with our Home Affairs..

Jayne

[ourquest]

In my understanding any birth certificate which lists both parents is acceptable, in the case of South Africa this would be either a vault birth certificate or an unabridged birth certificate. This can also be termed a full birth certificate; our boys have handwritten ones on white paper from home affairs (I believe these are the vault birth certificates) or you could get the computer printed yellow ones from home affairs. These certificates were considered sufficient for our boys to be given UK citizenship and passports on the basis that I (their dad) was born in the UK, so they will be enough for NZIS too.

I have to recommend a document procurement company based near Durban called "Bunny Hop". They seem able to get almost any document from Home Affairs within a couple of weeks; they have people permanently standing in queues and I think they know the right people in the Pretoria office. I don't have their details on me now but you'll find them using google. For a moderate fee they take the stress out of the process. We have used them for passports (sa and uk), birth documents, marriage certs. They are happy to deal with overseas-based clients.

In answer to a previous post a Matric certificate can be used to prove English proficiency for a non-principle applicant (unless that applicant has a qualification contributing to bonus points in which case it is insufficient).

All the best.

[Plymgirl]

Hi There
Thank you so much for the replies but now I am really going to ask a dumb
question. You all said unabridged cert. BUT which one
1. the computerised one
2. the handwritten one OR
3. Just the unabridged
Sorry i know i sound relly silly but just want to make sure i get the right one.
Thank you foryour time and patience
Zelda

[Alan+Mignon]

Hi Plymgirl,
I am from S.A. and have just received all the family's birth certificates. We were told by an agent-similar to "Bunny Hop" as mentioned by ourquest, to request the vault copy from home affairs. From what I can gather abridged version just has name and date and place of birth of person, whereas unabridged and vault copy both include names of parents. I don't think it matters whether you get unabridged computerised or vault copy- handwrittten!

[ICR]

Hello Zelda

We are also from SA. We were also told we would need unabridged certificates, we have submitted computer printed ones.

When you apply there is an option to tick what type you are requesting and if I recall there are only two options, abridged and unabridged.

We were fairly fortunate ours only took about six weeks and that was after only one call!!!

Good luck

[Plymgirl]

Hi There
Thank you very much for all those answers you guys have been really helpful
Now I can get my mom on the case.
Thanx again
Zelda