Site Search:
 
Get TEFL Certified & Start Your Adventure Today!
Teach English Abroad and Get Paid to see the World!
Job Discussion Forums Forum Index Job Discussion Forums
"The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Students and Teachers from Around the World!"
 
 FAQFAQ   SearchSearch   MemberlistMemberlist   UsergroupsUsergroups   RegisterRegister 
 ProfileProfile   Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages   Log inLog in 

Details on Notarizing Diploma and TEFL Certification

 
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Job Discussion Forums Forum Index -> Vietnam
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
TheRedDeluge



Joined: 09 Mar 2012
Posts: 6

PostPosted: Sat Dec 08, 2012 5:33 pm    Post subject: Details on Notarizing Diploma and TEFL Certification Reply with quote

I did a search and did not see a detailed answer to my questions about notarizing my university diploma and TEFL certification. Please feel to chime in because I think that maybe I am making this more complicated than it is.


1. What if my university does not notarize degrees? Do I just take a photocopy of my diploma and sealed transcripts to a notary, or is it more complicated than that?


2. I need to do the same thing for my TEFL Certification. However, my school does not offer transcripts. Instead, I got the director of my program to give me a formal document stating my completion of the program in a sealed envelope. I am going to bring that and a copy of my certificate to a notary as well. Does this sound like this would be sufficient?


My concern is whether this is enough for the notary to certify everything. Thanks for your help everyone.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
BenE



Joined: 11 Oct 2008
Posts: 321

PostPosted: Sun Dec 09, 2012 2:43 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

What you've mentioned depends on which country you are from. If you are a US citizen then things are quite complicated I think. If you are a UK national you can send your documents to an office in Milton Keynes (check the FCO website)
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
VietCanada



Joined: 30 Nov 2010
Posts: 590

PostPosted: Wed Dec 19, 2012 12:05 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Canadians can get their degree notarized at an embassy for about $50. I don't know about TEFL certs. Probably the same thing. You sign an affidavit and pay $50.

AFAIK Americans need to send the physical document to their state department. Americans I know had to have a relative back home to help them. Maybe because the docs have to be mailed to and from a US address.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Tigerstyleone



Joined: 26 Mar 2010
Posts: 181

PostPosted: Wed Dec 19, 2012 2:26 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

VietCanada wrote:
Canadians can get their degree notarized at an embassy for about $50. I don't know about TEFL certs. Probably the same thing. You sign an affidavit and pay $50.

AFAIK Americans need to send the physical document to their state department. Americans I know had to have a relative back home to help them. Maybe because the docs have to be mailed to and from a US address.



This is false information. Americans shouldn't take advice about legal documents from a Canadian.
Apositlle stamps do come from the State Department with Hillary Clinton's signature, but that is not needed for Vietnam because they are not part of the Hague Convention.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
TRH



Joined: 27 Oct 2011
Posts: 340
Location: Hawaii

PostPosted: Wed Dec 19, 2012 8:38 am    Post subject: Apostilles and Notarizations Reply with quote

Tigerstyleone wrote:
VietCanada wrote:
Canadians can get their degree notarized at an embassy for about $50. I don't know about TEFL certs. Probably the same thing. You sign an affidavit and pay $50.

AFAIK Americans need to send the physical document to their state department. Americans I know had to have a relative back home to help them. Maybe because the docs have to be mailed to and from a US address.


This is false information. Americans shouldn't take advice about legal documents from a Canadian.
Apositlle stamps do come from the State Department with Hillary Clinton's signature, but that is not needed for Vietnam because they are not part of the Hague Convention.

I think AFAIK means "as far as I know," so I for one appreciate VietCanada's comment.

Also Tigerstyleone, I think you have the Apostille thing mixed up and maybe completely backwards. The Hague Convention allows its signatory countries to recognize authentications, called Apostilles, by competent authorities at lower than national levels. So in the US it would allow authentication of notary signatures by the Secretary of State of the respective states. It is because Vietnam is not a party to the convention that US citizens must send documents to the Department of State for Hillary's signature. In fact at your state level, you need to be clear that you need certification to go forward to the U.S. State Dept. so they do not give you an Apostille. Because the State Dept requires a prepaid mail return envelope be included with each request for documentation it would be difficult to do unless one had an enabling partner in the US to help handle the mailings. If the OP is from the US, he will find this link to CT Thomas' blog really covers it all well. http://saigonalive.blogspot.com/2010/09/step-3-documentation-before-you-leave.html Thomas does suggest you could get it done from here by FEDEX but it will cost.

I am presently awaiting a document that needs to be notarized (but not for use in Vietnam) so I looked up the US Dept. of State website on notary services. They are kind of pricey at $50 per document but I know the party that I have to send back to will accept their notarization. Here is the page: http://travel.state.gov/law/judicial/judicial_2086.html Their Q&A says "DO U.S. EMBASSIES AND CONSULATES PROVIDE NOTARIAL AND AUTHENTICATION SERVICES FOR NON-U.S. CITIZENS? Yes. 22 C.F.R. 92.4(b) provides that these services may be performed for any person regardless of nationality so long as the document in connection with which the notarial/authentication service is required is for use within the jurisdiction of the United States." As far as whether this would include notarizing educational documents, I think maybe they would not fall under "use within" the US but maybe they do. Best bet is just go in one morning and ask them directly. Again, you would need to check with them but I think if you did get notarization from the consulate, you could skip your state and go straight to D.C. for the "Hillary" level. A place like this forum is always a good starting point but never beats "straight from the horse's mouth."
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Never Learn



Joined: 02 Dec 2012
Posts: 2

PostPosted: Wed Dec 19, 2012 7:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Americans can get their original university degree notarized at the US Embassy.

It's fairly quick and easy.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Tigerstyleone



Joined: 26 Mar 2010
Posts: 181

PostPosted: Thu Dec 20, 2012 3:09 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Never Learn wrote:
Americans can get their original university degree notarized at the US Embassy.

It's fairly quick and easy.


This is true. I went to the US Embassy and got my CELTA, DELTA, MASTER'S, CBC and an affidavit declaring my legal name notarized for $50 per document. It's paradise, paradise.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
TRH



Joined: 27 Oct 2011
Posts: 340
Location: Hawaii

PostPosted: Thu Dec 20, 2012 3:05 pm    Post subject: Follow-up question Reply with quote

Tigerstyleone wrote:
I went to the US Embassy and got my CELTA, DELTA, MASTER'S, CBC and an affidavit declaring my legal name notarized for $50 per document. It's paradise, paradise.

I hope you can follow up with us on what you do next with these notarized documents. Will you try to see if the local government bureaucrats will accept them as is, maybe with some kind of certified translation? Will you still be forced to go through the slightly absurd routine of sending them to D.C to be certified by the US State Department and the Vietnamese Embassy?

"Enquiring minds want to know."
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Tigerstyleone



Joined: 26 Mar 2010
Posts: 181

PostPosted: Fri Dec 21, 2012 1:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I gave them to HR and that's it. A couple weeks later they gave me a 3 year work permit.

Maybe you need a Thai 32 or something like that to be treated like a god here in Paradise, Paradise.

The only time I sent my documents to the Secretary of State in DC was when I legally worked in South Korea.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
TRH



Joined: 27 Oct 2011
Posts: 340
Location: Hawaii

PostPosted: Fri Dec 21, 2012 3:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Tigerstyleone wrote:
I gave them to HR and that's it. A couple weeks later they gave me a 3 year work permit.

Maybe you need a Thai 32 or something like that to be treated like a god here in Paradise, Paradise.

The only time I sent my documents to the Secretary of State in DC was when I legally worked in South Korea.


You are probably more fortunate than most of us to be working for a place that was willing to push these documents through for you. At the very least they must have gotten officially approved translations on your behalf before they submitted the paperwork. I don't have enough experience to know first hand but I read here that most schools make teachers do the legwork and most people say that it has to be done through Washington or wherever your home is. Perhaps your school has the connections to make it happen.

This also bring back the issue of where the onus lies. The way I read it on a few HCMC legal websites, it lies with the employer not the worker. On the other hand the largest benefit accrues to the employee as he/she can get a long term visa. Apparently, many schools don't seem to care as long their workforce seems to find their own way to remain in the country. Your experience reenforces my suspicion that any reasonably reputable school can get work permits for its employees if it wants to.

Sorry for being so dense but I just don't get the pregnancy reference.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Job Discussion Forums Forum Index -> Vietnam All times are GMT
Page 1 of 1

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum


This page is maintained by the one and only Dave Sperling.
Contact Dave's ESL Cafe
Copyright © 2018 Dave Sperling. All Rights Reserved.

Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2002 phpBB Group

Teaching Jobs in China
Teaching Jobs in China