Depositing Marriage Certificates

[baisui]

I've been looking into depositing marriage certificates with the General Register Office - I've heard from a friend whose wife is in Britain on a spouse visa that this is important...they didn't make the deposit and have found that embassies for some Schengen countries won't issue visas on the basis of the original (Chinese) marriage certificates.

The problem is I've heard that once the deposit is made the original certificates cannot be retrieved, and this could be a problem later if we need to do things (even if it's very far in the future) in my wife's country.

Does anyone have any experience of this or any advice to give me?

I've checked the FCO website and it says on one page that the original certificates only are acceptable, and on another that certified copies may be submitted to the relevant British mission. (The pages below - first says only originals are acceptable, second says that certified copies are OK).

http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pag ... 1449625205

http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pag ... 1450123281

Can anyone clarify this?

Thanks

[Directive/2004/38/EC]

I have never previously heard of "depositing marriage certificates" at the GRO. The link to their web site is http://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/marri ... -wales.asp

It may be useful to have an certified official English language translation of the marriage certificate done, which is then "legalized" by the appropriate (chinese?) embassy.