Birth Certificate and Documents in Lieu of Birth Certificate
You will need to provide a photocopy of your birth certificate and a photocopy of the birth certificate of each family member applying with you. Please be advised that each of the birth certificates must include all of the following information

Applicant’s Full Name
Full Date of birth (Month, Day and Year)
Place of birth (City, Province/State if applicable, country)
Full Name of Mother (BOTH First Name and Last Name – maiden or married name.) Both first name and last name must be spelled out. An initial is not sufficient.
Full Name of Father (Both First Name and Last Name.) Both first name and last name must be spelled out. An initial is not sufficient.

Birth documentation must comply with the State Department Foreign Affairs Manual (“FAM”), which specifies documents required and available from each country. A Birth Certificate is available from most countries. In some instances, a Birth Certificate may not exist or may not contain all of the required information. If that is the case, the FAM will describe what alternative documentation may be submitted in place of a birth certificate.

Indian Nationals

If a birth certificate does not exist or it does not contain all of the required information as stated above, a sworn affidavit executed by both parents (mother and father) may be submitted. For a sample affidavit by both parents, click [here].

Alternatively, if either or both parents are not living, then the missing affidavit(s) can be signed by any other close relative older than the applicant, who is not party to the application and who has direct knowledge of the birth event and circumstances. Two affidavits are required. Here is a sample of the affidavit – word doc or pdf

The affidavit must specify the relationship between the signer and the applicant, how well the signer knows the applicant, date and place of the applicant’s birth, the names of both parents, and any other related facts. The affidavit must be signed and notarized. Here is a sample affidavit by a close relative- word doc or pdf. The affidavit can be modified accordingly.

Certificate of Non-Availability

When a birth certificate does not exist, a “Certificate of Non-availability” issued by a competent governmental authority confirming that the birth certificate does not exist should accompany an affidavit of birth. There is no set format for certificates of non-availability, but the document must indicate the reason the record does not exist, and indicate whether similar records for the time and place are available.

Translations
Any document containing foreign language submitted to the INS must be accompanied by the full English translation, which the translator has certified as complete and accurate, and the translator must certify that s/he is competent to translate from the foreign language into English. The translation must be done by a third party (non-family member).

Certification of Translation
I, ________________________, certify that I am familiar with the English and _______________________languages, and certify that the above is a correct and accurate translation of the following documents attached hereto.

Date: ______________________ ______________________________ Name of Signer