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jmvkjmvk
Joined: 25 Mar 2014
Posts: 41
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 Posted: Sun May 22, 2016 10:11 am Post subject: Getting a degree 'attested' |
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Hi all,
The info must already be out there somewhere but I searched and can not find any relevant thread.
What does one need to do to get a university degree 'attested' for work in the
UAE or Saudi? This is the first time I have to do it and have no idea where to start.
Is it better to go through an agency to do it on one's own?
Does one need to be in their home country to do this?
Thank in advance! |
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currentaffairs
Joined: 22 Aug 2012
Posts: 828
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| Posted: Sun May 22, 2016 10:33 am Post subject: |
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For the UK, I had to get my degrees notarised by a solicitor, and then legalised by the FCO in Milton Keynes.
I also had to contact my university and ask them to send a confirmation of study letter to the Saudi Consulate in London. |
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jmvkjmvk
Joined: 25 Mar 2014
Posts: 41
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| Posted: Sun May 22, 2016 10:40 am Post subject: |
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Thanks.
I am American, currently in Asia. |
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On2TheNext1
Joined: 23 Dec 2015
Posts: 6
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| Posted: Sun May 22, 2016 11:08 am Post subject: |
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To get my degree attested in the US, I had to get it notarized and then send it to the Department of State in my state.
I think I just Googled "attest degree" + my state to get started, and I think my process was a little different than a friend's who lived in Florida.
I did everything myself since it was just filling in and mailing forms... My guess is that you'd have hiccups if you're not near a notary public. |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Sun May 22, 2016 1:23 pm Post subject: |
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| jmvkjmvk wrote: |
| What does one need to do to get a university degree 'attested' for work in the UAE or Saudi? This is the first time I have to do it and have no idea where to start. |
Hi again, jmvkjmvk. Specifically for which one of those countries? The process and requirements greatly differ. By the way, it's authentication since neither the UAE nor KSA is a signatory of the Hauge Convention.
Anyway, for KSA:
The Saudi Arabian Cultural Mission (SACM) in the US authenticates academic qualifications for Americans heading to KSA on an employment visa. Go to the SACM's website and click on "Forms" in the left menu for instructions and the forms you'll need. You'll have to find out from your prospective employer if you're required to return to the US for the employment visa process.
For the UAE:
See the US State Dept, Authentication of American Academic Credentials for Use Abroad, for the requirements/process. But basically, you'll start by contacting the registrar's office at the university you graduated from and informing them that you need your degree authenticated specifically for the UAE. The process and costs may even be listed on your uni's website. This is a routine function of their office.
Similarly, the Secretary of State (not the feds) in the state your uni is located in will have instructions for authenticating your diploma. However, your registrar's office may handle that part of the process for you as well. Mine did when I was contemplating a job in the UAE a couple of years ago. My registrar included his written and signed affidavit on the back of a photocopy of my diploma and his signature was notarized by a uni notary. Their office then took the document to the state's SoS, where the state notary subsequently attached a signed certificate of authentication to the doc. My university then returned the diploma back to me. At that point, I would have sent it off to the federal Authentications Office, but I'd chosen not to pursue the position by that time.
Last edited by nomad soul on Sun May 22, 2016 1:28 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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veiledsentiments
Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA
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| Posted: Sun May 22, 2016 1:28 pm Post subject: |
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It varies by country... and is an ever changing process. First get a job and then look at the current requirements for attestation for the country and the employer.
It can be very expensive and cumbersome if you are outside the country. It is pretty fast and easy if you just happen to be in Washington DC.
It isn't something that you can do ahead of time, except to make sure that you have all your official certificates, letters of reference, and for the Middle East you need "letters of employment" which are considered proof that you worked at each employer. A reference letter is not a letter of employment.
VS |
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plumpy nut
Joined: 12 Mar 2011
Posts: 1652
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| Posted: Sun May 22, 2016 5:38 pm Post subject: |
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You have to be in your home country to get the medical tests and the doctor's visit done and to get a police check. Also it will be very difficult to send to, and get back, the documents to and from the embassy and SACM, or agent. If you go back to Asia after having the medical, it might invalidate the Medical in the eyes of the Embassy. In short you have to be in your home country when the visa process starts.
One important thing that can be done that has not been mentioned, very important, before you come back from Asia. Make sure your University Registrar(s) can produce a signed document listing your classes and stating for each class, that it was not online, this document in a sealed envelope. The idiot SACM haughtily requires this, something that no other countries except for the Gulf States require. There is a good chance that your Registrar has never heard of this, so I would get this done first before making any changes in your location and employment in Asia. |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Sun May 22, 2016 10:58 pm Post subject: |
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| plumpy nut wrote: |
| Make sure your University Registrar(s) can produce a signed document listing your classes and stating for each class, that it was not online, this document in a sealed envelope. The idiot SACM haughtily requires this, something that no other countries except for the Gulf States require. |
The OP is an experienced, US-licensed teacher with an on-campus M.Ed, so the above about the "haughty, idiot" SACM isn't an issue for her. Besides, she's known about KSA's policy for some time. |
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jmvkjmvk
Joined: 25 Mar 2014
Posts: 41
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| Posted: Mon May 23, 2016 2:23 am Post subject: |
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| plumpy nut wrote: |
| You have to be in your home country to get the medical tests and the doctor's visit done and to get a police check. Also it will be very difficult to send to, and get back, the documents to and from the embassy and SACM, or agent. If you go back to Asia after having the medical, it might invalidate the Medical in the eyes of the Embassy. In short you have to be in your home country when the visa process starts. |
Are you sure about this? This could be a deal breaker |
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jmvkjmvk
Joined: 25 Mar 2014
Posts: 41
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| Posted: Mon May 23, 2016 2:23 am Post subject: |
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| nomad soul wrote: |
| jmvkjmvk wrote: |
| What does one need to do to get a university degree 'attested' for work in the UAE or Saudi? This is the first time I have to do it and have no idea where to start. |
Hi again, jmvkjmvk. Specifically for which one of those countries? The process and requirements greatly differ. By the way, it's authentication since neither the UAE nor KSA is a signatory of the Hauge Convention.
Anyway, for KSA:
The Saudi Arabian Cultural Mission (SACM) in the US authenticates academic qualifications for Americans heading to KSA on an employment visa. Go to the SACM's website and click on "Forms" in the left menu for instructions and the forms you'll need. You'll have to find out from your prospective employer if you're required to return to the US for the employment visa process.
For the UAE:
See the US State Dept, Authentication of American Academic Credentials for Use Abroad, for the requirements/process. But basically, you'll start by contacting the registrar's office at the university you graduated from and informing them that you need your degree authenticated specifically for the UAE. The process and costs may even be listed on your uni's website. This is a routine function of their office.
Similarly, the Secretary of State (not the feds) in the state your uni is located in will have instructions for authenticating your diploma. However, your registrar's office may handle that part of the process for you as well. Mine did when I was contemplating a job in the UAE a couple of years ago. My registrar included his written and signed affidavit on the back of a photocopy of my diploma and his signature was notarized by a uni notary. Their office then took the document to the state's SoS, where the state notary subsequently attached a signed certificate of authentication to the doc. My university then returned the diploma back to me. At that point, I would have sent it off to the federal Authentications Office, but I'd chosen not to pursue the position by that time. |
Solid helpful info. Thank you ! The job offer is from UAE, pending successful document submission and such. |
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veiledsentiments
Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA
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| Posted: Mon May 23, 2016 2:03 pm Post subject: |
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| jmvkjmvk wrote: |
Solid helpful info. Thank you ! The job offer is from UAE, pending successful document submission and such. |
This may be accurate now for non-government employers, but if your offer is from the UAE government (HCT,ZU,UAEU,ADEC,ADVETI), there has been a major adjustment in their requirements. You would need to confirm with your employer what needs to be done.
VS |
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jmvkjmvk
Joined: 25 Mar 2014
Posts: 41
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| Posted: Tue May 24, 2016 3:31 am Post subject: |
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| veiledsentiments wrote: |
| jmvkjmvk wrote: |
Solid helpful info. Thank you ! The job offer is from UAE, pending successful document submission and such. |
This may be accurate now for non-government employers, but if your offer is from the UAE government (HCT,ZU,UAEU,ADEC,ADVETI), there has been a major adjustment in their requirements. You would need to confirm with your employer what needs to be done.
VS |
Thanks for helping |
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arslonga
Joined: 21 Apr 2011
Posts: 19
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| Posted: Mon May 30, 2016 1:20 pm Post subject: |
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| I am also interested in this topic. Does anyone know if, as is the case in Oman, there are other countries where one can simply lend the original diploma to an employer and have the employer deal with the authentication process in-country? Thank you for your attention. |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Mon May 30, 2016 1:56 pm Post subject: |
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| arslonga wrote: |
| Does anyone know if, as is the case in Oman, there are other countries where one can simply lend the original diploma to an employer and have the employer deal with the authentication process in-country? |
Degree authentication is generally the job candidate's responsibility and not the prospective employer's. Plus, each government ministry has its own criteria for verifying academic credentials (for example, Qatar, Bahrain, KSA, and Kuwait, which reject degrees/certs with online coursework).
By the way, never hand over your original diploma to HR for whatever processing or safekeeping. |
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plumpy nut
Joined: 12 Mar 2011
Posts: 1652
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| Posted: Mon May 30, 2016 3:14 pm Post subject: |
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| You might get your degree attested by the idiot SACM before spending any money on a visa for Saudi Arabia. The SACM will be your first experience with the beautiful culture of the Saudis. |
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