# 5 mistakes that hold up your application

> Expired documents, names spelled differently, translations without certification — the mistakes we see most often and how to avoid them.

Web page: https://getdocs.md/en/blog/5-mistakes-paperwork  
Published: 2026-11-13  
Checked on 2026-11-13

Most applications don't come back because of complicated problems, but because of details you can check at home in ten minutes. Here is what we see most often.

## 1. A document has expired or is about to

Check the expiry dates on your passport, identity card and residence permit before you file any application. A document that expires during the procedure can stall it.

## 2. Your name is spelled differently across documents

One extra letter in a transliteration, a surname changed after marriage or a missing diacritic is enough for the institution to ask for clarification. Lay your documents side by side and compare your name, date and place of birth.

## 3. Foreign documents are not translated or certified

A document issued in another country usually needs a certified translation, and sometimes an apostille or consular legalisation as well. What exactly you need depends on the country that issued the document and the institution you submit it to.

## 4. You brought only copies

Institutions usually ask to see the originals alongside the copies. Bring both, even if nobody asked for them explicitly.

## 5. You left it to the last day

Appointments, translations and apostilles take time. If a permit or document is about to expire, start preparing early, not in the final week.

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