Job Discussion Forums

[scots_teacher11]

Hi,

Has anyone had a similar experiennce to mine.

I'm applying for my employment visa and need to get my degrees attested. My Bachelor degree is not a problem but I'm finishing my Msc in TESOL now and my degree won't be awarded until November.

Do you think the SACM will accept a transcript and an official stamped and signed letter from my university?

The university where I am going to work has emailed them for clarification.

[nomad soul]

There's nothing to attest at this point. You'll have to wait until your marks come out in order for your grad degree to qualify you for the position. Perhaps by then you'll have a response from the SACM.

[cultofpersonality]

Don't the SACM just need a degree certificate to attest?

Your employer made the Masters' degree a pre-requisite, not the SACM. I know they usually require you to have a degree of some kind to grant you a visa. All this Masters' formality should be between you and your employer.

I could be wrong, but from my understanding as long as you have a certificate to attest, you should be fine getting around the SACM.

[nomad soul]

Yes, a physical diploma (along with a letter from the registrar and official transcripts) is required; a photocopy of the original diploma gets stamped by the SACM to indicate authenticity in addition to the name of the employer. That's the process of Americans---I assume it's the same for Brits.

Anyway, I'm surprised PSU made an offer even though the OP hasn't yet finished his/her grad degree. Perhaps they weren't aware the actual diploma won't get sent to the OP until later this year. But that's why the OP is having this issue.

[plumpy nut]

[sicklyman]

[cultofpersonality]

Yeh they still issue transcripts sicklyman...you can ask your university to issue one to you!

I'm sure I didn't have to submit my transcript to the SACM.

[nwtefl]

To add to the attestation thing, do I need to get certs authorised by a solicitor before sending them to the FCO ? Can't I just send them to the FCO straight ?

[Chiselpoint]

Does SACM do the actual attesting?? For all of it?

Is there anything I must attest myself?

[currentaffairs]

The certificates/degrees need to be notarised by a solicitor before being sent to the FCO in Milton Keynes.

Yes, any UK university will issue transcripts of your degree (with modules listed and grades). It can be expensive, I think I paid about 20 pounds per transcript..

PS I graduated with my BA in 1999 and my MA in 2004.

[plumpy nut]

[nomad soul]

[pooroldedgar]

When it asks for a 'copy' of the passport and degree and contract does that mean a photocopy from Xerox machine? Or the actual thing?

I know that may seem like a silly question, but I'm not sure which way it's silly. I could see the answer being either one.

[nomad soul]

Yep, "copy" means just that --- a photocopy of your documents. Send quality color copies rather than black/white.

You might ask these questions over on your other thread so that you don't get confused as to which process to follow (i.e., the SACM in the US authenticates degrees rather than attests them).

[scot47]

When I moved from Jeddah to Dhahran - from one employer to another - I recollect that I spent hours getting my documents translated and apostilled and all the rest. Then at KFUPM no one asked to see them !

The Cultural Attaché/SACM was helpful, but I was dealing with their office in Ankara.