How to remove laminate from a document

[poppysdad]

Not an April fools joke. After getting all my affirmation etc done in Bangkok earlier this week and documents handed over for translation and MFA approval it appears that because my Thai lady laminated her husband’s Aussie death certificate it is no longer a valid document. 
I’ve done a Google search and with some care it can be removed, so has anyone successfully done this and was it easy or otherwise. 
As it stands the document is useless and will need to be replaced so even if gets damaged in the removal process it will still have to be replaced. I think we call it “Hobsons Choice”. 

[scubascuba3]

Look on YouTube, probably just a case of cutting round the edges, I don't think it's glued beyond that

[CharlieH]

Lots of ideas etc on youtube, if the document is useless in its current state  you got nothing to lose by trying.

 

Sharp knife, heat and some luck.

 

 

[Mutt Daeng]

I was in a similar situation after Mrs MD got our wedding certificates laminated to protect them. For me it was just a case of doing what @scubascuba3 suggested above, which was carefully cutting round the edges of the certificate, as near to the edges of the certificate as possible. I was then able to safely extract the certificate from the film. I used a scalpel to separate the layers of film.

[starky]

As somoene else said most laminators only stick the plastic together outside the paper with a low range heat.

 My missus did it with our marriage certificate lol and it was soundly rejected. Quick trim with some scissors get a little air in there and it should come out no dramas

[Jimjim1]

19 hours ago, poppysdad said:

Not an April fools joke. After getting all my affirmation etc done in Bangkok earlier this week and documents handed over for translation and MFA approval it appears that because my Thai lady laminated her husband’s Aussie death certificate it is no longer a valid document. 
I’ve done a Google search and with some care it can be removed, so has anyone successfully done this and was it easy or otherwise. 
As it stands the document is useless and will need to be replaced so even if gets damaged in the removal process it will still have to be replaced. I think we call it “Hobsons Choice”. 

Print off a load of junk, laminate it, leave it to cool for a day or two and then cut around all four edges with a straight edge and try to remove it, that way you will have practised instead of going in blind on the original document.

If it works  it’s all gain but if you damage it you can work out why before operating on the original.

Good luck, and let us know what happened 

[ColeBOzbourne]

A lady where I used to work got her hair caught in a laminating machine. Removal turned out to be more difficult than expected. Good luck.

[kralledr]

My wife did the same laminated all documents, so i had to remove it, you will not belive it, but i took some hot airgun, took me 10 minutes and it was removed

[pacovl46]

No, you're not going to forget a passport! ????????????

[poppysdad]

Thanks everyone, translation agency has posted it back to us today so maybe Monday can start the operation. Pacov146, you have me completely and utterly lost.

[radiochaser]

It is good to read that documents laminated today can be removed from the lamination, undamaged.  Decades ago, I found that was not possible.   

Either the laminate adhered to the paper, or in other cases, the print of some photocopied documents lifted with the plastic laminate, or the printed picture lifted with the laminate. 

Perhaps the plastic laminate of today, is a different kind of plastic that does not require the high heat of the laminators of yesterday.