Not everyone is organised enough to have a specific filing cabinet for various family documents and important information, and that’s okay. However, there are a few important documents that you should try to have or obtain and keep indefinitely.

When thinking about emigrating or travelling in general, these documents are important, but for day-to-day living, you should try to have these documents anyway and it is advisable to keep a few uncertified photocopies of them, allowing you to certify them as necessary, as a certified copy is only valid for 6 months.

  • Birth certificate (unabridged version – abridged version only lists one parent, however, recently Home Affairs have automatically been issuing unabridged versions)
  • Adoption certificate
  • Marriage certificate
  • Passports
  • ID book or card
  • Divorce decree
  • Death certificates

It is vital to keep these documents safe and have copies of them as some of them, like a divorce decree, can be incredibly difficult to obtain again if the original is lost.

In some instances, you may just need a copy of a document, but it is always a good idea to make sure you have these documents on hand.

If you’re interested in immigrating to the UK in 2020, contact email info@rcvinternational.com today.