# Do I need originals? Does immigration return documents?



## tashla

Hi,
I will be submitting a Temporary Work Visa application soon to the London branch and was wondering:
1. Do I need to submit originals; and 
2. Does immigration returns my documents to me?
We are asked to submit our passport with the application, so obviously this will be returned, but I'm wondering about other documents such as the police check, employment offers/contract, references etc.

It is to my understanding that these documents need to be submitted as originals. Is this correct? I know the police check must be the original, but does the employment offer/contract and references need to be the original (with signature in pen-ink)? And what about the Employer Supplementary Form? I'm just wondering if I have to wait for my employer to post these originals to me (postal system is very slow where I am) or if they could just scan me copy and then I can submit my application much sooner.

If I do need to submit originals I would like to have them back for my records in case I need them for something else, so can I request for them to be returned as well when they send back my passport.

Also, I will be needing my police check again for another matter, so I'm wondering if immigration need to keep it and I should just get two now, or if the one I submit can be returned and then I can reuse it later.

Thanks in advance!


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## Guest

We sent original documents by Recorded Delivery.

They were all sent back to us safe and sound. I recall sending some Photostats
as this was deemed okay but then later on they wanted to see the original. Doh!

It's a constant paperchase, best of luck.


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## tashla

Awesome, thanks Higgy. Your info is much appreciated.

Good to hear that my documents will be returned. I guess I'll just have to wait until the employment contract and employer supplementary form arrive in the mail so I can send these as originals. Hurry up Postman!!


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## topcat83

As I am paranoid about letting originals of certain documents (e.g. birth certificates) out of my immediate vicinity, we got authenticated copies made by a local solicitor. These were accepted too.


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## Chrisstobart

I have the same question, we are about to apply for my wife's spouse visa and I wanted to ask:

Do I need to send mine and my kid's UK passports and birth certificates, or are notarized copies accepted?

Thanks in advance,


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## jsharbuck

Send your originals, it eliminates a lot of hassles. We sent our originals to both the NZ Embassy in Wash D.C before we left and to the Immigration office here in New Zealand with no difficulty getting everything back.


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## Liam(at)Large

Originals. You do not get the police checks back (at least we didn't), but everything else was returned. In fact, they returned my passport only to ask for it back 24 hours later for stamps!?


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