New Documents or Duplicates
Reasons why you may need new documents or duplicates:
- The document is outdated and has no legal validity (for example, new document samples have been adopted or certain samples have been declared invalid by government decision)
- The document is worn out (rendered unfit): the stamp, signature, and records in the relevant sections are not visible (for example, unreadable surname and name of the official).
- Lack of stamp from the relevant authority or signature of the corresponding official.
- The stamp is illegible (worn or partially stamped, stains on the stamp).
- The signature is illegible (worn or peeling ink or ink).
- The document contains errors (does not comply with the rules or .
- There are obvious corrections in the document.
- The document is improperly formatted (signed by an official of a different rank or authority),
- The document is issued in a territory not recognized by all countries (in the case of presentation in a country that does not recognize this territory as a separate state or authorized body).
- The document is fragmented, damaged (parts or part are missing).
- The document was not properly stored (worn, stained, wrinkled, or dirty).
- The document is laminated (such documents are difficult to verify and are often not accepted).
- A simple copy of the document (an imitation or a copy made on a copier).
- The document has lost its validity (for example, a person has died, their birth certificate becomes invalid, only an extract of birth or marriage can be submitted, as well as, for example, a certificate of non-conviction, which has a validity period).
- Lack of sufficient or complete data (empty, unfilled sections).
- Obvious erroneous data in the documents (sections are mixed up, gender, date of birth, and so on).
If you have lost your documents or they have expired, you can use our document recovery services.
Document Recovery and Retrieval
Recovery of Documents from Civil Registry Offices, Ministries, National Archives
Document recovery involves obtaining a new copy of the document. However, it is important to remember that you will receive a document of a new format approved by the government at the time.
You will not be able to receive a copy of the old format, i.e., in the same format as your old document was issued (if its form and/or content have changed). For example, the “Nationality” field has disappeared. Or the fields for the parents’ date and place of birth have disappeared in the child’s birth certificate. Or the certificate has completely changed its form, template, and is issued with new security features and design.
A very clear example is when clients ask us to obtain a birth certificate of the old Soviet model. Firstly, old forms have not been issued for a long time, secondly, if new forms are approved – old forms are not valid, thirdly, no one abroad will accept documents from you that do not comply with new standards. They will also not be legalized or apostilled in the country of issuance/origin.
Passport Recovery
In some countries, passports cannot be recovered; only new ones can be obtained. In other countries, it is possible to obtain new passports by proxy. But only if the person has previously received a passport, and the validity period of their lost or damaged passport has not expired.
There are countries where it is impossible to obtain a new passport or recover a passport by proxy. In such cases, only the consulate of your country can help you if you are abroad.
At the same time, you must provide a birth certificate, marriage certificate (if any), divorce certificate (if any).
Driver’s License Recovery
Losing a driver’s license catches many people off guard. We can restore driver’s licenses remotely based on power of attorney and necessary certificates.
Just like with a passport, you can only recover your license if your license was valid at the time of application for recovery.
If the lost license has already expired, a more complex procedure may be required.
Retrieval or Obtaining Documents from Civil Registry Offices
You can request and receive your civil status documents through our agency by proxy to our representative.
Keep in mind that when requesting replacements for lost or outdated documents from the civil registry offices, you receive only duplicates of documents. Not originals. They are stamped or printed with the text “Duplicate.” A duplicate has the same legal force as the original. However, the original is issued only once – the first time it is obtained.
We can also, by proxy from you, obtain a divorce certificate – original (for the first time – based on a court decision or if you were divorced by the civil registry office), if you have not yet received it, but the divorce process has already taken place.
Archives. Document Requests
If you are requesting documents of your grandparents, great-grandparents, great-grandmothers, great-grandfathers, often information about their birth, marriages, divorces will not be available in civil registry offices or similar government agencies.
With your power of attorney, we can obtain data from the national archive and use this data to restore such documents.
However, please note that the waiting time for such requests can be up to three months. Usually, it is one month.
Ordering a Certificate of No Conviction or Certificate of Non-Conviction
A certificate of no conviction can be obtained in a relatively short time. In some countries, this can take 3-4 hours.
You will need a power of attorney for our representative to obtain such a certificate. However, in some countries, it is entirely legal to obtain one without a power of attorney.
Feel free to contact us, and we will assist you in obtaining such certificates. Keep in mind that different countries have different formats of certificates of no conviction and may be called differently. There may also be several forms of such certificates.
If You Are Acting as an Individual, You May Need:
- Birth certificate (birth certificate or metric),
- Marriage certificate (marriage certificate),
- Extract from the marriage archive (in case of death),
- High school diploma (in case of loss),
- Death certificate (death certificate),
- Medical card, medical records extract (medical history) or health status certificate (medical certificate),
- Certificate of no criminal record (police clearance certificate),
- Certificate of served sentence for a crime,
- Certificate of no income in the country of your citizenship or residence,
- Certificate of no debts to the budget,
- Certificate of citizenship or lack of citizenship of a particular country,
- Certificate of residence or registration at the place of residence.