APPLICATION FOR RETURN OF ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS: Please state your name, official position, and contact details
It is only for a good cause that you will have your original documents out of your reach. You possibly have submitted it to the authorities in applying for a Visa, submitted it at the bank, have it at school, or any other good cause deemed fit enough by you. This article provides you with a step-by-step approach of formally applying to get back your original documents if you gave them out.
In applying for the return of original documents, be kind and formal as possible. It is only proper for you to request for your document(s) once the slated time to get it back elapses if there was an initial agreement to give it back. You being asked to submit your original documents can verify your identity and sign a contract at work that you won’t leave till the end of your contract. Requesting for your documents can be: after quitting a job, from school or college, from the court, from the bank, from the embassy, home department, government office, to rent a property…
How do you write to apply for the return of documents?
- Please state your name, official position, and contact details: This is where you get to introduce yourself properly to make it easier for who you’re writing to, to know where to start looking from. Are you a parent to one of the students in that school? Are you a student? Are you a former employee? If you’re a student, give me your number. Make it easy for your documents to be located to avoid unnecessary mix-ups or a case of mistaken identity. Do not also forget to provide a means by which you can be contacted. This is for the recipient to know where to mail your documents and ask you further questions that might assist you in getting the desired documents.
- State the organization’s name: Acknowledge who you are writing to here; school, work, court.
- Specify the documents and date submitted: List out the exact documents (birth certificate, mark sheets, passport), and you can include the date you submitted those documents for clarity’s sake and to show that you know what you’re doing/talking about.
- Explain your need for the document: Remember to be polite and kind in your words. Yes, the documents are yours but do not be rude in your approach. State why you are asking for the documents and if you’ll be returning them or not. If it is something urgent, you would want to state that in your letter to speed up the process of getting the stated documents.
- Give details of the expected return date: This is the send-by time. Indicate the likely day you want to get the documents.
- Be formal and straight to the point: Do not ramble or give unnecessary details. Be as direct and brief as possible while still stating the reason for which you are writing.
- Allow the recipient some time to respond to you: Do not expect your letter’s recipient to respond as soon as they get your letter. You should send your request well ahead of time to give enough time for you to get a response.
- Authentic signature: This is just as important as all of the above tips. You want to be as real and clear as possible to avoid the recipient doubting you and your claims.
There are different ways to write to request for your documents depending on the organization but the format is still closely the same.
Sample Application For Return Of Original Documents
This is just a template peradventure you are writing to a school:
“From,
(Writer’s Name)
(Writer’s Address)
(Date)
To,
The Principal/Director.
(Name of the School)
(Address of the School)
(Location)
Re: Request for Original Documents
Dear ………………
I am writing to request my original documents (name them). I graduated from ……………… department on ……………. Due to some reasons, I couldn’t get my original documents. I handed them in during my application on …………
Based on the school’s esteem and the school’s values, I landed a good job, which is a good avenue for me to help represent the school well. On this premise, I kindly request my documents as a means of validation for my current employer. Without these documents, I fear that totally securing the job will be impossible.
I would appreciate the effort to treat this with all urgency. The documents can be mailed to ………………… I can be contacted at ……………… if you wish to discuss this matter further.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours Sincerely,
(Full name)
(Signature)”
Questions Frequently Asked
- How do I present my case to the authorities? Your approach should be kind and formal. State your cause constructively and simple enough to understand. Also, provide them with all necessary details, which include your contact details, so they can contact you with ease if they would need any additional information and so that you can get your documents with ease.
- Who do I address the letter to? Depending on the organization you are writing to, you should address the application to the proper channel. If it is a school, it should be addressed to the principal; if it’s an office, address it to the resource manager; if it’s a bank, to the bank manager; if it’s the court, to the court’s location (for example, Atlantic County Civil Courts).
- How long do I wait to get a response? At the point of submission of the documents, there would have been a stipulated time for collection. Once the slated time elapses and you are yet to get your documents, you go ahead to write them to get what is rightfully yours. You’ll be contacted as you’ve appropriately provided a means by which they can contact you in your application to them. If it is a matter of urgency, you want to send in your request early enough and state it in your letter.
Also read To Whom It May Concern: A Complete Guide to Using [With Examples]
