[bullock-Car]

Lamination of property papers:
Ten years back i had laminated the property papers and recently for housing loan i approached bank, they were refusing to accept the laminated papers as original and i was in trouble. Since delamination etc is risky more troublesome.
So please do not laminate any of the property papers or for that mantters important educational documents (US Visa consulate dont accept laminated papers for verficiation).
Only put papers in plastic pouch and preserve.

[mjothi]

I guess it should be because, it becomes difficult to identify the forged docs from the original one. I think, a efficient color xerox once laminated, will make it hard to find the originality.

[amitoj]

Originally Posted by mjothi

I guess it should be because, it becomes difficult to identify the forged docs from the original one. I think, a efficient color xerox once laminated, will make it hard to find the originality.

Tell me about it. I got my license color xeroxed and laminated long time back. Now i dont know which one is the original!!

Good advice/caution by the OP. But cant we give a legal affidavit vouching for the originality of the document?

[Samurai]

Damn! I got my MBA degree certificate laminated to keep it fresh. But haven't done the same with my BE degree certificate since it already donkey ears from years of manhandling.

Anyway, my days of showing degrees at visa interview are long over. So, I should be fine.

But I suggest scanning all the degree/marksheets and keep it as backup.

[rohan_iitr]

I can also confirm that laminated documents are likely to be rejected.

When I received my marriage certificate, the officer told me not to laminate it.

Many people get the certificates laminated and face problems later, for example while applying for passport. Then they have to get a duplicate certificate issued for the purpose.

Rohan

[dadu]

I have all my documents scanned and kept for any printouts that I might need and as backup.

I also have my marriage certificate etc laminated and used them for Passport etc without any problems.(have the passport in hand)

I faced issue (not problem) when I had to get my RC sheet Hypothecation removed which was laminated and they had to put a deletion stamp on it. The agent directed me to the nearest tea shop "chotu" who asked for Rs10 to take the document out of lamination.

The process was simple, he just burned/ put heat to split the lamination on one corner of the lamination plastic from his stove, ripped open one side and took out the document. The lamination stays intact from the extended borders stuck together on all four sides, it never gets stuck to the paper inside, so once you have one of the sides open, you can pull out the document.

[mayankjha1806]

This is right, many years back when i applied for my wife's passport the passport office did not accept some of the laminated certificates, i had to go and get the lamination removed, and then go back to the passport office for the original to be shown (not submitted).

I am not too sure why do they do it, but guessing t might be because its easier to hide fake documents by laminating them.

[sgiitk]

Originally Posted by rohan_iitr

When I received my marriage certificate, the officer told me not to laminate it.

When my son got married, the magistrate advised me get the certificate laminated immediately, which we did. The paper (possibly one grade better than newsprint) used for these documents does not leave you with much of an alternative.

[libranof1987]

I don't think any official document (Marksheets, Affadavits, Birth Certificate etc) are permitted to be laminated.

I remember the lady collecting documents at the Passport Office, Pune refusing to accept someone's 10th/12th Marksheet/Passing Certificate and Domicile Certificate because they were laminated.

[vigsom]

Lamination can mask some of the "originality" of the document .

I have scanned all my marksheets and keep the originals in plastic folders in a cool dry place

Xerox copies or inkjet prints can stick to PVC sheets when stored for long ; and when you try to pull them out,the ink stays on the vinyl sheet while the paper comes out

[shipnil]

Indeed laminating documents creates lots of issues.

When I was travelling to Switzerland on work visa and wanted to take my wife and kid as dependents, I had to furnish the marriage certificate and birth certificate for visa purpose. But here Swiss consulate only accepts the documents that are legalized. Legalization is process wherein the Ministry of External Affairs, GoI, puts its stamp on the back side of these original documents certifying its originality. Now the problem was since both the documents were laminated, these could not be accepted for legalization as the stamp could not be placed onto them. I had to get duplicate copies of these issued from respective local bodies and get these legalized. Had faced quite a lot hassles back then.

[scooby05]

Originally Posted by sgiitk

When my son got married, the magistrate advised me get the certificate laminated immediately, which we did. The paper (possibly one grade better than newsprint) used for these documents does not leave you with much of an alternative.

Very well said, I have done the same for my childrens certificates. We need to Improve the quality of the paper here. When will our Government realise this is a different issue. Though just recently, we got birth certificates made for our grandchild, and, one can get as many as 10 or 20 certificates made, all originals! by paying a nominal charge. Same goes with marriage certificates I am told. In this case a few can be kept laminated and the others used as is for submission where required.

[anilisanil]

Man! I laminated my degree certificate and might have to travel to the US in near future, should I get them "de-laminated"? Thank you OP!!

[ariesonu]

Originally Posted by dadu

I faced issue (not problem) when I had to get my RC sheet Hypothecation removed which was laminated and they had to put a deletion stamp on it. The agent directed me to the nearest tea shop "chotu" who asked for Rs10 to take the document out of lamination.

The process was simple, he just burned/ put heat to split the lamination on one corner of the lamination plastic from his stove, ripped open one side and took out the document. The lamination stays intact from the extended borders stuck together on all four sides, it never gets stuck to the paper inside, so once you have one of the sides open, you can pull out the document.

Dadu sir,

You were lucky because the lamination sheets used in your case were of non-adhesive type.
I had a horrendous experience with face sheet badly stuck to my document. At last had to make police report & get a duplicate one.

I was once told by a consulate personnel that some degrees & documents have that EMBOSSED stamp which can be felt by fingers. Lamination masks that embossing.

Waste of time-TWO weeks.
Tension-PRICELESS

Raab Rakha.

[vivekiny2k]

In addition, I keep my documents in a fire/water safe because I know it would be very tedious to get all these certificates from various authorities in India. Now the safe has a certain limit (like 400C) in case of fire. It may save the documents, but will melt the lamination. I removed all the plastic sleeves from the documents and put them in the safe. Except for my original Engg certificate which is very well laminated.

Before you say it's a far fetched possibility, in this country almost everything is disposable, replaceable and insurable. Which means a fire is just considered a hazard and as long as one is insured, it gives an incentive to treat it as just another event. Cost of insurance is much lower than fireproofing the entire house.