"Certified to be true" for college transcripts and birth certificates.

[Eric.M1]

I went to legal at my command today and asked for them to certify my college transcripts as "to be true" as well as make a certified copy of my birth certificate (I brought the original with me to them). The chief there told me that they aren't allowed to do that because even if they witness me open the envelope containing the college transcripts, they weren't the ones who created them so they can't prove it was my school who created, thus they cant notarize it. Yet it has my school seals on the envelope and it says on the back of the envelope "not official if broken." But during my time of getting my package together and sitting down with officers who were OSC officers, I know for a fact that they had theirs certified to be true by their command. One officer had his done at a Navy College office. The chief then proceeded to tell me that all the other officers I had mentioned were wrong and what was done for them was illegal. Is she wrong or she just being a stickler? My legal won't notarize them. Does anyone know who in Hampton Roads, Virginia can notarize them for me as well as make a certified copy of my birth certificate?

 

[FormerRecruitingGuru]

I went to legal at my command today and asked for them to certify my college transcripts as "to be true" as well as make a certified copy of my birth certificate (I brought the original with me to them). The chief there told me that they aren't allowed to do that because even if they witness me open the envelope containing the college transcripts, they weren't the ones who created them so they can't prove it was my school who created, thus they cant notarize it. Yet it has my school seals on the envelope and it says on the back of the envelope "not official if broken." But during my time of getting my package together and sitting down with officers who were OSC officers, I know for a fact that they had theirs certified to be true by their command. One officer had his done at a Navy College office. The chief then proceeded to tell me that all the other officers I had mentioned were wrong and what was done for them was illegal. Is she wrong or she just being a stickler? My legal won't notarize them. Does anyone know who in Hampton Roads, Virginia can notarize them for me as well as make a certified copy of my birth certificate?

Before you do that did you email the navy ocs email question for clarity?

 

[exNavyOffRec]

they weren't the ones who created them so they can't prove it was my school who created, thus they cant notarize it.

by this theory pretty much nothing could be certified to be a true copy.

I may get flack for saying this, but most of the LN's I have known were not that bright, so it doesn't surprise me that she didn't want to do anything.

I would advise you to avoid legal, 3 CVN tours and it never got better, you just get headaches dealing with LN's

See what OCS help desk says

 

[Judge Q]

they weren't the ones who created them so they can't prove it was my school who created, thus they cant notarize it

by this theory pretty much nothing could be certified to be a true copy.

Oooh, an elusive notary question.

It actually varies by state if notaries are allowed to "certify copies," in mine they aren't, which they explicitly told us multiple times in the mandatory notary class I had to take. (I'm guessing you don't really care about the technicalities of being a notary but there's a weird workaround where the person who needs the copy certified in a state where they can't be certified writes up an affirmation that it's a true copy, signs it and you notarize their signature on that which isn't "certifying a copy" but most places don't know the difference, though that is sort of a wool over the eyes notarization trick I don't really suggest you try on the Navy*).

I checked the VA notary handbook online for you and it looks like they use the same rules we do about not being allowed to certify copies so I don't think a civilian notary would be a better route than the military ones for you.

*If you do go to a civilian notary in Virginia (s)he will likely suggest some version of this just because that's the easiest way to pull it off from their perspective. Again, I respectfully discourage trying that with the Navy.

See what OCS help desk says

 

[exNavyOffRec]

Oooh, an elusive notary question.

It actually varies by state if notaries are allowed to "certify copies," in mine they aren't, which they explicitly told us multiple times in the mandatory notary class I had to take. (I'm guessing you don't really care about the technicalities of being a notary but there's a weird workaround where the person who needs the copy certified in a state where they can't be certified writes up an affirmation that it's a true copy, signs it and you notarize their signature on that which isn't "certifying a copy" but most places don't know the difference, though that is sort of a wool over the eyes notarization trick I don't really suggest you try on the Navy*).

I checked the VA notary handbook online for you and it looks like they use the same rules we do about not being allowed to certify copies so I don't think a civilian notary would be a better route than the military ones for you.

*If you do go to a civilian notary in Virginia (s)he will likely suggest some version of this just because that's the easiest way to pull it off from their perspective. Again, I respectfully discourage trying that with the Navy.

Unless they have changed the rules he doesn't need them notarized, just certified to be a true copy, he may have not said what he actually needed from them and confused the LN (which isn't difficult)

 

[Judge Q]

Unless they have changed the rules he doesn't need them notarized, just certified to be a true copy, he may have not said what he actually needed from them and confused the LN (which isn't difficult)

Ahh then my response is pointless if that's a service the LNs are supposed to provide for him, my concern was more when he asked about someone "in Hampton Roads" to do it that he'd get the Crab Shack Notary Trick version of Certifying Copies When You Can't (Legally) Certify A Copy try to send it in and cause...issues.

 

[Renegade One]

As said above, no Notary Public can certify the accuracy/truth of any document's content. All they do is certify that the person signing something is the person he/she says they are; or that a certified copy is just that...an unaltered copy of whatever was presented to them. Have you considered just asking the school for certified copies? Only they can vouch for "truth and accuracy".

 

[FormerRecruitingGuru]

Ask the OCS help desk email or reach out to some fleet folks who applied here.

 

[Jim123]

Notary Public is kind of a racket anyway. Paraphrased conversation at the Florida DMV/county tax collector's office:

This document will need to be notarized but I can do that because I'm a public notary. Even though I met you two minutes ago, raise your right hand and swear or affirm that you are who you say you are.

I swear.

Very well. That will be forty bucks.

WTF kind of banana republic third world country BS is that??

So if you can get it done for free at your command, then so much the better.

 

[Judge Q]

Notary Public is kind of a racket anyway.

Hey now, don't hate the player hate the game.

Also $40? I can only do $5. Those lucky bastards.

 

[BMUNO]

I went to legal at my command today and asked for them to certify my college transcripts as "to be true" as well as make a certified copy of my birth certificate (I brought the original with me to them). The chief there told me that they aren't allowed to do that because even if they witness me open the envelope containing the college transcripts, they weren't the ones who created them so they can't prove it was my school who created, thus they cant notarize it. Yet it has my school seals on the envelope and it says on the back of the envelope "not official if broken." But during my time of getting my package together and sitting down with officers who were OSC officers, I know for a fact that they had theirs certified to be true by their command. One officer had his done at a Navy College office. The chief then proceeded to tell me that all the other officers I had mentioned were wrong and what was done for them was illegal. Is she wrong or she just being a stickler? My legal won't notarize them. Does anyone know who in Hampton Roads, Virginia can notarize them for me as well as make a certified copy of my birth certificate?

I had my transcripts electronically sent to my chief(NCC). My school University of Houston can send transcripts electronically or via mail. I assume your school is capable of both. If that is the case get their email(Chief's email) or mailing address, and once they receive them they can be "CERTIFIED TO BE TRUE COPY"

 

[BMUNO]

I had my transcripts electronically sent to my chief(NCC). My school University of Houston can send transcripts electronically or via mail. I assume your school is capable of both. If that is the case get their email(Chief's email) or mailing address, and once they receive them they can be "CERTIFIED TO BE TRUE COPY"

I believe any E-7 and above can do that.