Job Discussion Forums

[tin man]

Hi I am in the USA and working in business. I also have teaching experience and considered returning to Asia to do some travel and teach but the new rules regarding the degree seem quite cumbersome, especially since I don't reside in the state where it was issued.

From what I understand, the degree needs to be notarized, then sent to the secretary of state where it was issued, then sent to the FBI then the Chinese embassy but some of what I read is not clear.

I have more pressing priorities and decided to delay my decision. What is the general consensus out there? Will there be a shortage of teachers who feel likewise?

[OhBudPowellWhereArtThou]

The FBI? Where did you learn this? Maybe you just need a criminal background check.

[jimpellow]

I think the FBI part is valid, or at least an expeditor for them, but that relates to the criminal background check, rather than being signed off as part of the cumbersome degree authentication process now required in more and more jurisdictions.

You are not alone. The outlay of time, effort and expense to obtain the visa is deterring an increasingly large number of teachers from coming to or staying in China. Perhaps if the rewards were greater (like in the cases of SK or a Gulf country) more would endure it, but conditions seem the same or worse.

[jaybet3]

Search the internet and for about $300 you can find an agency who will get your diploma authenticated complete with the stamp from the Chinese embassy.

For example: My diploma is from a University in Connecticut. Attached to the original diploma is a notary document from the District of Columbia, an authentication document from the Department of State which has a stamp/seal from the Chinese embassy on the back. The agent took care of all this in about two weeks.

For a criminal background check, there are similar services.

Yeah, it's a pain but once it's done you'll never have to do it again. (RE: The diploma).

And if you think the $300 is prohibitive, wait till you have to pay for your health check.

[OhBudPowellWhereArtThou]

I was questioning the FBI having to authenticate the degree.

[tin man]

This is what I got from a recruiter. There is similar verbiage on the Chinese embassy site. It does indeed sound like services will be able to handle. I am on the fence with the entire thing as i am fairly busy right now in the US

the following procedure for degree authentication:
1. Take your degree to a local public notary. This could be a post office, bank, or even the university you got the degree from (university  is suggested because they will knoe a lot about this process).
2. They will make a COPY of your degree, and notarize (appostille) your degree.  Then, the Secretary of State in your state must notarize the degree. Sometimes, your university can send the degree to them directly and they know the proper channels. 
3. After the local and state notarization, send the copy to the Chinese embassy THAT HAS JURISDICTION OVER YOUR STATE. Do not make the mistake of sending your degree copy to the Embassy in New York if you are from Oregon, for example. They will reject it.
4. After the Chinese embassy notarizes the copy, then send BOTH the copy and the degree to your employer in China.

The process can be done using a relative, and you can hire courier services online. They will send and manage your degree. This courier is optional but recommended.

[tin man]

I think if you are in China, you are good. But if you take a leave from teaching, you probably will have to go through this process

[jimpellow]

[OhBudPowellWhereArtThou]

4. After the Chinese embassy notarizes the copy, then send BOTH the copy and the degree to your employer in China.

Wait. When your degree reaches this point, this is when you apply for the visa, or the visa is issued (depending upon how the consulate handles the paperwork). Why in h*ll would the employer need BOTH the authenticated original AND a notarized copy? The employer can't distinguish a phony degree from a real one. That's why the degree authentication process was revived. Employers didn't care whether degrees were real or not, nor could they distinguish a real degree from a bogus one.

Recruiters (and consulate flunkies) are often clueless about procedure. A service that specializes in this business will give you more accurate information regarding protocol. A popular service will handle a couple dozen such processes per week.

[bmetter]

My visa agent said a "relative" can handle the diploma authentification for me in the USA (I am in China).

But.... when my mother tried to handle this for me the consulate would not accept it. Before they rejected it they asked my mother for proof she is a relative (she's remarried, so has different last name) and requested my birth certificate, her passport copy, and her marriage certificate and even though she sent those things, they still rejected it. So now I have to do it in person in the USA.

Anyway, bottom line is that it's not easy getting a relative to handle it.

Luckily my employer is willing to let me do in when I am in the USA this summer, but this whole process is a huge hassle.

[rogerwilco]

I was told that if I stay at my current school that I would not need to deal with the new requirements.
But, if I change schools within China, I will need to have my diploma notarized and a CBC.

Of course, as is typical, there is a lot of confusion and misunderstanding.

[tin man]

There is some info on the Chinese Embassy website. I am also being advised that agencies can handle the process from start to finish. If I decide to roll, then I would fork out the cash to let an agency handle it assuming that this is in fact the case. So this is some new info that I gained from the good folks on this forum.

[OhBudPowellWhereArtThou]

[Tazz]

One way to avoid the 'authentication' crap is to go with a Uni/ College/ School in a province that isn't enforcing this rule yet-I had 2 offers of roughly the same pay/benefits....when I found out the job in province 1 required authentication I went with job in province 2. I'm too old and jaded to deal with more bureaucracy than I have to....

[Mixal]

And these two province are...?