Similar story about dealing with gov't here in Nuevo Yorka
Went with my wife to Town of Hempstead to get our marriage license. She provided a certified translation of her birth certificate as required. The clerk said this translation was unacceptable?
I mentioned that this same certified translation
was already accepted by The Department of Homeland Security as part of the immigration papers we submitted..
Clerk says "so what it is not acceptable for the marriage license", and in the next breath said we should go to Queens Borough Hall, because they would accept it!!!
Why she knows this, and why Hempstead town will not accept this are still mysteries..
I did lose my cool a bit leaving the Town of Hempstead Clerks office, as there were a number of lcd monitors on the floor and overturned office chairs present that were visible on my way out of the office
BTW We got our marriage license in Queens, were married in Queens, and had the dinner in Queens... So TOH lost on the revenue from out application, lost on various taxes revenues because we chose to celbrate our nuptials elsewhere