Job Discussion Forums

kattate · Joined: 23 Mar 2008 Posts: 25 Location: Sydney, Australia

Hi all,

I've searched the threads but cannot find an answer to this pesky question: somewhere in a dusty room in my parents' house in Australia (I no longer live in Aus) is my framed degree.

My understanding is, to get a work permit in Vietnam, I need to present both the ORIGINAL degree PLUS the original academic transcript. While my uni will happily post a transcript out to me, they say it's illegal to have two official original degrees. But I really don't want to send my parents searching for the framed degree and bash it out of the frame and risk losing it on my travels.

So, would a notarised academic transcript be enough to satisfy employers/the govt? If I need the degree too, can it be a photocopy? Or could I get rejected for not having the original degree?

Thanks so much.

ExpatLuke · Joined: 11 Feb 2012 Posts: 744

What? It's illegal to have 2 degrees? In what country? In America you're issued replacement degrees all the time. You just have to pay a fee for each one. When I graduated I was issued 2 official diplomas simply for the reason that my degree often finds work over seas.

kattate · Joined: 23 Mar 2008 Posts: 25 Location: Sydney, Australia

I know, weird right?? This is in Australia, University of Notre Dame in Fremantle.

If I want another sent, I have to pay $100 and state that the original was lost or stolen. Not exactly the response I was expecting from them!

ExpatLuke · Joined: 11 Feb 2012 Posts: 744

I do think you need the original degree. There might be a work around using transcripts, but since this is Vietnam it will likely be impossible due to the desk workers not knowing the proper procedure. I would suggest asking your employer if transcripts will suffice. They likely know the process and what works and what doesn't.

You will probably need your parents to fed ex you the original. Actually, I don't think you need to provide transcripts at all for the work permit unless you have an education degree which doesn't clearly state your field of study on the diploma.

VietCanada · Joined: 30 Nov 2010 Posts: 590

You don't need transcripts to work legally in VN.

You need your Bachelors and a teaching cert.. Both must be aspostized or notarized (for Canadians). You need a CBC and a health cert from a designated VN hospital.

You do not need transcripts.

TRH · Joined: 27 Oct 2011 Posts: 340 Location: Hawaii

A disadvantage of a transcript compared to a diploma is translation cost. I don't know what that would be, but transcripts can run several pages and their format is difficult. When I got my permit, the lawyer recommended against using my transcript.

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

kattate · Joined: 23 Mar 2008 Posts: 25 Location: Sydney, Australia

Thanks all for taking the time to reply! Good to know transcripts aren't needed, so I shall have a hunt for the original degree or become a criminal and declare it stolen. Razz

ord2world · Posted: Sun Jan 10, 2016 5:56 pm Post subject:

Hello,

Is it possible for a U.S. citizen to get their degree and teaching certification notarized in Vietnam? I'm living in Spain and the U.S. Embassy won't notarize these things. I'm really hoping I don't have to go back to the U.S. to get these things done. Ugh...

Thanks!

TRH · Joined: 27 Oct 2011 Posts: 340 Location: Hawaii

Your concern is covered in many threads here but this is a recent one:

http://forums.eslcafe.com/job/viewtopic.php?t=106094

In your case it would seem that simply bringing your documents to Vietnam would be preferable. In Vietnam the consulate/embassy will not notarize the document either but will allow you to notarize as statement that you make that the diploma is a true and correct. Another thing is that for the Vietnamese Embassy in Madrid to translate your English documents into Vietnamese they would need to have tri-lingual staff.

Your problem could be the police check. If you come from a state that requires fingerprinting, you might as well buy your ticket home first.

http://forums.eslcafe.com/job/viewtopic.php?t=112871

Another thing that has been repeated here again and again, apostilles are worthless in Vietnam as the country is not a party to the Hague Convention. Banish the word from your vocabulary.

ord2world · Posted: Sun Jan 10, 2016 8:42 pm Post subject:

Thank you for adding the links! I ended up scanning most of the recent posts right after I sent submitted my response.

This is really quite confusing because I keep finding conflicting information. One school wants me to come and then they'll see what they can do. I'm not getting on a plane until I've got the process sorted correctly.

I can get the fingerprints done through the police, but it must be requested by my embassy. I just sent an e-mail to the FBI regarding requesting a background check from overseas. Let's see what they say.

TRH · Joined: 27 Oct 2011 Posts: 340 Location: Hawaii