Yes, but these things get submitted several times over the years and its just better to have original certified copies then trying to go back and get them when someone demands to see the "long-form" cert.... no, I dont really wish that torture upon them but you never know.... At one time I pondered my sons being the first Mexican-born POTUS at the same time the other was the first US-born President of Mexico. But got disabused of that when I learned Mexico's laws are different; it does not allow all natural-born citizens to be eligible for elective office, only those born actually on Mexican soil (and extremely limited other locations). Eh, YMMV.