All VA offices can certify documents on VA Form 21-4184 (Certification of Contents of Document(s) or Record(s)). VARO in the Philippines may certify evidence on the SSA-4385 (Certification of Contents of Court Records) and SSA-553 (Special Determination).

We accept:

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  original evidence;

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  photocopy of the original evidence prepared by the VA;

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  VA certifications if they are made from the original records or from certifications by custodians of original records; and

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  computerized extracts of the veteran's discharge information certified by the VA.

NOTE: For evaluating proofs received from VA, see RS 01702.450.

For a list of other government agencies authorized to certify documents, see GN 00301.090A.3.

An authorized employee of the agency or office may certify copies of records created by and maintained in their files.

The field office (FO) may request evidence from a government agency if:

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  a government agency is the only possible source and will disclose the evidence to us but not to the claimant; or

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  instructions elsewhere in the Program Operations Manual System (POMS) require that we obtain evidence from State or Federal agencies either because of the complex nature of the evidence desired, or as verification. For example, we obtain evidence concerning disability and military service directly from the appropriate government agency. For more information on obtaining evidence of military service, see RS 01702.000.

If specific instructions are in POMS, obtain evidence directly from a record source. For instructions on obtaining evidence of age for separated or deceased Federal Government civilian employees from the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC), see GN 00302.590. For instruction on obtaining evidence from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), see GN 00302.950.

Request the necessary evidence from the appropriate State or Federal agency upon receipt of a Form SSA-562-U3 (Request for Assistance/Certification of Documents or Records) or an administrative message from the resident FO.

Request evidence in totalization claims directly from the liaison agencies of another country. For more details on totalization benefits, see appropriate subchapter in GN 01700.000.