Job Discussion Forums

fieldsofbarley · Joined: 12 Nov 2010 Posts: 47 Location: Mexico City

Personally, I had no idea about the apostille requirement. The thing is that initially, I wasn�t planning on working in Mexico, so I didnt even have my original certificates with me. And when I found out about this I wasn�t in the mood to fly back to the UK to do all the paperwork.

IH only asked me for printouts of scanned copies of my degree & CELTA, and that�s what they took to Immigration in order to get me the FM3.

So I guess it just varies from school to school.

Isla Guapa · Posted: Sat Jan 08, 2011 10:02 pm Post subject:

No doubt IH has a special arrangement with INM that lets them circumvent some of the more stringent rules for getting an FM3. How fortunate for you!

tjteachin · Joined: 22 Jan 2011 Posts: 32

I suppose I'll throw in my two cents worth.

I started teaching in L.A. in 1995. In Tijuana I started teaching in 1999 and lived and worked there until last year. (I'll eventually return. It's my home.) The advantage of living on the border is that one can teach in Tijuana and work across the border in San Diego at much higher wages. Earning U.S. wages while paying Mexican rents, one can live like a king. (Despite what they say in the news, it's safe there.) Personally, I taught classes at mostly technical schools, plus a prepa, plus a language school briefly until it suddenly closed its doors. Very rewarding experiences! In San Diego, I worked off-and-on as a night security guard, my main source of income when I wasn't only teaching in Tijuana.

Since last April, I've been teaching at a university in the state system of Oaxaca. It's an excellent work and cultural experience. It pays about at least 11,000 pesos a month net with a bachelor's degree, plus you have all the prestaciones de ley. It's full-time, 40 hours a week, and even though wages and cost of living are higher up north, I never was paid at any Tijuana school as much as I'm paid here (and about 3/4 of what I was making in the much less satisfying work in secrity). If you're offered an opportunity at one of these universities, I suggest you jump on it! They mainly advertise at www.esljobs.com .

About apostilles, it can't hurt to get them. I never needed them in Tijuana, but here in Oaxaca, being a public university, I needed to get my degree apostilled. I have the good fortune of having Mexican nationality because my dad is originally from Jalisco, so visas like the FM3 aren't an issue for me, but my understanding is that my (foreign) colleagues have had to get all their documents (the degree and birth certificate) apostilled, and then they translate them here.

rayzero · Joined: 18 Feb 2011 Posts: 14 Location: Tennessee

I would like to toss in a question too...
What docs should I bring with me when I move to Oaxaca, what type of additional seals, how to go about getting apostilled and should I have everything translated into Spanish before I leave the US-

TeresaLopez · Joined: 18 Apr 2010 Posts: 601 Location: Mexico City

TeresaLopez · Joined: 18 Apr 2010 Posts: 601 Location: Mexico City

rayzero · Joined: 18 Feb 2011 Posts: 14 Location: Tennessee

I actually live about 20 min from where I graduated w/ my BA and even the school where I received my AA is about an hr away- so I will check out your sticky and get busy on that- just in case- I also have a couple of original birth and marriage certs from my husbands immigration waiver.

Thanks sooooooo munch for everything

MotherF · Posted: Mon Mar 07, 2011 11:09 pm Post subject:

Your husband will want an Apostilled copy of your marriage certificate too (that is assuming you got married in the US) technically he has to take this to the Civil Registry office here in Mexico and register himself as married. I think a lot of Mexicans don't do this, but it can save you hassels later, by doing it soon after you arrive.

rayzero · Joined: 18 Feb 2011 Posts: 14 Location: Tennessee

wow... I never knew that and I am certain he does not either- thanks- I located the info on where to go to get the docs apostilled:) and will be taking all degrees, honor society certs, birth and marriage to get apostilled since they all took place in TN

I guess I had better get myself apostilled too- maybe botox

jpvanderwerf2001 · Joined: 02 Oct 2003 Posts: 1117 Location: New York

Just a slight correction: You do not need to get an apostille in the same state as the document is from. I got my diploma and transcripts apostille'd and notarized in Seattle although I went to college in Minnesota.

TeresaLopez · Joined: 18 Apr 2010 Posts: 601 Location: Mexico City

Isla Guapa · Posted: Thu Mar 24, 2011 3:40 am Post subject:

When I was still in the States living in Pennsylvania, I got both of my university diplomas apostilled by mail. One was sent to my undergraduate school in Pennsylvania and the other went all the way to Wisconsin where I got my M.A. It took a little time and a bit of money, but in the end they were returned to me in the mail, safe, sound, and apostilled.

jaimem-g · Joined: 21 May 2010 Posts: 85 Location: The Desert, CA

The rules may vary a little state to state, so make sure what your Secretary of State office requires. But doing it by mail is possible if one is patient.

In California, one office in LA requires that certain documents be notarized in the county in which they were originally issued, but this is not necessary if you do it through the Sacramento office. Confused

MotherF · Posted: Thu Mar 24, 2011 3:10 pm Post subject:

The confusion comes about because there is more than one type of apostille.
(this is all in the Apostille sticky)

The Secretary of State of each state has the authority to issue an apostille.

They can issue an apostille on an official state document from their state, such as a birth or marriage certificate, or a degree from an state institution.

They an also issue an apostille on the signature of a notary public from their state.

If you are not in the state where you attended university--or you attended a private (non-state) univeristy--you can still get the second type of apostille in that degree by having a notary make a copy and sign that it is a true copy of an original document. Then having the Secretary of State issue an apostille stating that this is the signature of a true notary public in that state as per the records they have on file. You may notice that this in no way authenticates the education of the person holding the apostille on a notarized degree--but IMN doesn't seem to notice that.

rayzero · Joined: 18 Feb 2011 Posts: 14 Location: Tennessee

oh my! Guess I had better go back and reread the Apostille sticky... I must have overlooked the information given differentiating the 2 types.

I do not want to simply get an apostille from the Secretary of State on the signature of a notary public, as if I am going to have to drive over an hour away, I want the actual document/degree apostilled.

Thank you for clearing this up and I am sorry for re-posting info had you already explained