My friend was denied his green card application because he used a baptismal card instead of a birth certificate or declaration of age. He didn't know that INS no longer accepts baptismal cards as proof of date of birth. He has been informed that he can get a birth certificate from the Nigeria Population Commission. He is planning to appeal the decision to an Immigration judge. Anyone with advice for my guy is highly appreciated.

Yeah i think he needs to go the Nigerian Embassy and see what they can do for him. I do not think that they can get him a Birth certificate, but i am sure they can help.

Was this DV lottery app? Family/employment based greencard , what? You can always appeal a decision by the INS there is a formal appeal process that can be filed it is fairly straight foward tell him not to fret, go to INS.gov for more info or better get an attorney. If all his documentation is legit he shouldnt have a problem its a simple case of incomplete documentation.

@phoneman
Thanks. That's the same advice I gave him. To get a lawyer, since it seems like a case of incomplete documentation. It's a family based petition. In most cases I know, they would've told him to go and produce the document. But because they claim that they wrote him a letter to send in a birth certificate and he still came to the interview with a baptismal card, his application is denied. It's unfortunate, but I'm sure a lawyer can appeal within 30 days to enable him submit a birth certificate. Hopefully he can get his green card, since the birth certificate was the only reason given on his denial letter

All the best to your friend, cuz i saw a DV lottery packet, and it's clearly stated that they should have their birth certificates, as other forms of whtever are no longer accepted, if they ever were. If he can't find his birth certificate he should get him mum to write that she gave birth to him, date and all of that, and have a notary signatured on it. I guess the lawyer's the other option for appeal, i don't know how that's going to work sha! but all the best with that.