Hi, This may also be useful for non-Jewish genealogists. Sometimes you will have to write a letter to request a birth, marriage or death certificate from a foreign country. I have included a standard letter to request a birth, marriage or death certificate in English, Dutch, German, Hungarian, Spanish and Portuguese in the Dutch Jewish Genealogy Homepage at http://www.inter.nl.net/users/DJGH/. If you speak any other language, I would appreciate it if you sent me a translation to that language for inclusion in this page. The text is: _________________________________ Dear Sir / Madam, As a descendant of [name], born / married / deceased on [date] in [place], at the time living in [street], I would like to obtain a copy of his / her birth / marriage / death certificate. Enclosed please find a check / money order for [amount]. Thank you, _________________________________ TIA, Stefan Pinkus Dutch Jewish Genealogy Homepage http://www.inter.nl.net/users/DJGH/