Hi Abby, its only a pleasure!!...re: birth certificate, you don't need to have it sealed with red ribbon, for as long it is on a security paper from the NSO (meaning authenticated copy)....
Hi imagine, it so happened that I had my hubby's passport...so what I did was just made photocopies and have them attested/certified here in the Philippines!..
Mind you, you can't have the photocopies certified without its original!! so if only photocopies to be sent off from the UK, make sure to have them certified before sending them on post
I have experienced these issues myself in the past....hope this helps
