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RowanPike1
Joined: 25 Aug 2013
Posts: 22
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 Posted: Tue Jun 03, 2014 2:04 am Post subject: |
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| How was it more rewarding not to use a visa agent? |
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Helpmefindausername
Joined: 20 May 2014
Posts: 28
Location: UK
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| Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2014 2:32 pm Post subject: |
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I am a U.S. citizen residing legally in the UK on a resident visa. I need to get my degrees attested in the States, then I will complete the rest of the visa process in London.
I am a bit confused about the process. I contacted Harley in London and they told me I can give them my attested documents and they can do the rest.
Should I send my documents directly to SACM in the States? I looked at having an agency do it and they quoted me $475 to attest them. This is extortionate! How much does SACM charge. I have no online coursework and have the sealed transcripts and official letters.
Thanks for any and all advice! |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2014 5:33 pm Post subject: |
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| Helpmefindausername wrote: |
| Should I send my documents directly to SACM in the States? I looked at having an agency do it and they quoted me $475 to attest them. This is extortionate! How much does SACM charge. |
If you were told your degree has to be authenticated by the SACM in the US, then send your documents directly to them yourself. No need to use a visa agent or document service company. The fee for degree authentication is small---check the embassy's website for the current amount.*
*Edited for correction.
Last edited by nomad soul on Fri Jul 11, 2014 10:42 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Helpmefindausername
Joined: 20 May 2014
Posts: 28
Location: UK
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| Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2014 5:41 pm Post subject: |
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| Thank you, Nomad Soul. This will save a lot of money. Unbelievable the way these agents fleece people. |
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ttxor1
Joined: 04 Jan 2014
Posts: 119
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| Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2014 10:24 am Post subject: |
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| what a hassle! i made one mistake that worsened it: i included the wrong doc from nat'l student clearinghouse .. this delayed everything, and in the meantime my HIV and police report expired... yea, i had a bit of trouble with the sizing of the photo, but just go into your settings and tinker with the sizing until it uploads... also, the two enjaz charges finally were accepted by my credit card companies and was able to print/PDF and email the receipt ...another annoying thing ... i don't know if this happened to anyone else.. the SACM didn't use the prepaid return envelope i included, and so for a while it was a bit stressful wondering what the heck happened to my docs... RowanPike1, others can correct me on this, but i think it is less of a hassle using a contractor/recruiter, but this is because they bring you over on a business visa, not a proper iqama... so you don't have to jump through all the hoops, but this is because they're not really following the rules.... to all who enter this long dark tunnel: may the force be with you and best of luck! |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2014 1:59 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| i made one mistake that worsened it: i included the wrong doc from nat'l student clearinghouse .. this delayed everything, and in the meantime my HIV and police report expired... |
Timing is key. To prepare and collect everything for the visa application, the first thing to request is the criminal background report since it's good for 6 months but can take some time to obtain. In fact, I suggest requesting the CBR as soon as you've accepted the job offer unless your expected departure date to KSA is more than 6 months away. Requesting the documents and documentation from your university for your degree attestation/authentication should be next and generally, shouldn't take more than two or three weeks to obtain from the registrar. Fortunately, there's no expiration date on a diploma that's been attested/authenticated. The lab tests and med exam should be completed last because the test results and medical report expire after 90 days. |
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plumpy nut
Joined: 12 Mar 2011
Posts: 1652
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| Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2014 4:45 pm Post subject: |
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| ttxor1 wrote: |
| this delayed everything, and in the meantime my HIV and police report expired... |
Like I mentioned before you can get a local police report from the city that you have resided in for most of your life and the embassy will accept it, at least they accepted mine. Run ins with the police in other cities and states will usually show up on other city police reports, because if it's notable it gets reported to the FBI. The only problem is if the local report shows an accident you will have to have the local office print out the details, because they will want to see that. If you don't want to do it by way of a local report, a state police "Certificate of Good Standing", or whatever your state uses, will more than suffice. You don't have to have an FBI check which takes months. |
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fridgemagnet
Joined: 26 Jun 2014
Posts: 31
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| Posted: Sun Jul 13, 2014 3:44 am Post subject: |
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| Where exactly are you supposed to send your documents for attestation and verification? |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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cultofpersonality
Joined: 12 Jan 2012
Posts: 94
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| Posted: Sun Jul 13, 2014 1:51 pm Post subject: |
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Fridgemagnet...now you can send your university documents for attestation online.
http://www.uksacb.org/
Click on the document attestation link |
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MuscatGary
Joined: 03 Jun 2013
Posts: 1364
Location: Flying around the ME...
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| Posted: Sun Jul 13, 2014 1:55 pm Post subject: |
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| fridgemagnet wrote: |
| Where exactly are you supposed to send your documents for attestation and verification? |
Depends on:
Where are you from?
Where are you now?
Where did you get the university qualifications? (Not everybody studies in their home country!)
Where are you hoping to go that needs this doing? |
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Helpmefindausername
Joined: 20 May 2014
Posts: 28
Location: UK
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| Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2014 11:00 am Post subject: SACM Question |
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| I just received a good offer. However, I have read online that the uni only provides the contracts once in Bahrain where I will land. The SACM application specifically states you need a copy of the contract. Does anyone have any experience with this? It is hard to reach anyone at the SACM office. Will they authenticate the diplomas with just the offer? All help is appreciated! |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2014 11:40 am Post subject: Re: SACM Question |
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| Helpmefindausername wrote: |
| I have read online that the uni only provides the contracts once in Bahrain where I will land. |
Yes, you need the contract, even it bears just your signature. You'll sign the "real" employment contract once you land in KSA. However, some questions for clarification:
1) Where did you see online that the employer only provides contracts to new employees once they're in Bahrain? What did it state exactly?
2) Why are you heading to Bahrain and not directly to KSA? What's supposed to happen there?
3) Given this Bahrain connection, were you hired directly by a university or is the employer a contracting company? |
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Helpmefindausername
Joined: 20 May 2014
Posts: 28
Location: UK
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| Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2014 11:52 am Post subject: |
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Thanks, nomad soul. I no more than posted the question when I received an update about the offer. I found the information on a hire ed website. Obviously it was wrong. There seems to be a lot of misinformation posted online.
The uni told me they would send a contract via courier, -so that answers my question sbout SACM. |
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ardith
Joined: 27 Mar 2013
Posts: 5
Location: Chicago
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| Posted: Sat Oct 25, 2014 2:59 pm Post subject: how far in advance to apply for a work visa? |
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| RowanPike1 wrote: |
This was an excellent post. I have one question, though: How far in advance should one begin the process of applying? I graduate in May and I am tempted to begin the process.
Also, would a letter of matriculation suffice? I won't get my actual diploma till August or so and hope I don't have to wait till then to even start applying. |
Another U.S. citizen, here. I agree: excellent posts by all. I recognize every single difficulty and stress point mentioned across these posts -- experienced them all and some besides. I'm a direct hire. My one additional contribution to this thread is to note that the process, even if one keeps *at* it every day, week, month, can take months and months. In my case, start to finish: 13 months! Another person I've met: 6 months. But, throughout, I had supportive contacts at the SACM and no official ever intimated that I should *not* expect to get the visa, just the opposite, so I kept at it. I have believed that my bad luck was to have begun the process just as they made a couple significant changes to it, but before the guidance on various websites was updated to reflect those changes. |
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