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toteach
Joined: 29 Dec 2008
Posts: 273
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 Posted: Fri May 30, 2014 4:50 am Post subject: Authentication of Vital Records |
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I've just been asked to send my marriage license and the birth certificates of my children to be authenticated. I did the first step today--sending them to my Secretary of State, and when they return next week I'll send them to the Chinese Embassy.
I'm happy to jump through the necessary red tape, but I don't have a clue why "authentication" of these select vital records has been deemed necessary... They don't need to be authenticated in order to obtain a visa--just our passports and the documents from the school will suffice there.
Does anyone have the reason? Am I really expected to show these documents to someone once we reach China?! Can any family folks in China shed some light on this for me? |
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Shroob
Joined: 02 Aug 2010
Posts: 1339
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| Posted: Fri May 30, 2014 5:49 am Post subject: Re: Authentication of Vital Records |
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| toteach wrote: |
I've just been asked to send my marriage license and the birth certificates of my children to be authenticated. I did the first step today--sending them to my Secretary of State, and when they return next week I'll send them to the Chinese Embassy.
I'm happy to jump through the necessary red tape, but I don't have a clue why "authentication" of these select vital records has been deemed necessary... They don't need to be authenticated in order to obtain a visa--just our passports and the documents from the school will suffice there.
Does anyone have the reason? Am I really expected to show these documents to someone once we reach China?! Can any family folks in China shed some light on this for me? |
That's really strange. However, I could understand it if you have dependents coming on your visa. That's the only way I could see the information needed. So, forgive me for asking about your personal affairs, but do you have dependents coming on your visa? |
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NoBillyNO
Joined: 11 Jun 2012
Posts: 1762
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| Posted: Fri May 30, 2014 9:10 am Post subject: |
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| I'm happy to jump through the necessary red tape, but I don't have a clue why "authentication" of these select vital records has been deemed necessary... They don't need to be authenticated in order to obtain a visa--just our passports and the documents from the school will suffice there. |
I had to do this 14 years ago with my health certificate form .... it is because it out is of China.... |
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Toast
Joined: 08 Jun 2013
Posts: 428
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| Posted: Fri May 30, 2014 9:27 am Post subject: Re: Authentication of Vital Records |
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| toteach wrote: |
| Am I really expected to show these documents to someone once we reach China?! Can any family folks in China shed some light on this for me? |
Yeah - you'll need to provide them to the PSB when changing your Z visas for your family over to Residence Permits when arriving in China. If you don't have the documents certified / authenticated they'll likely cancel the Z visa for your family members and convert them back over to an L (tourist) visa. That was the experience I had with my wife back in 2012 anyway. |
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NoBillyNO
Joined: 11 Jun 2012
Posts: 1762
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| Posted: Fri May 30, 2014 9:35 am Post subject: |
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| eah - you'll need to provide them to the PSB when changing your Z visas for your family over to Residence Permits when arriving in China. If you don't have the documents certified / authenticated they'll likely cancel the Z visa for your family members and convert them back over to an L (tourist) visa. That was the experience I had with my wife back in 2012 anyway. |
Harsh toke! |
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Bud Powell
Joined: 11 Jul 2013
Posts: 1736
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| Posted: Fri May 30, 2014 5:04 pm Post subject: |
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The Hague agreement did away with authentication of legal documents. That's why degrees don't require authentication by your home government or the Chinese government.
How will they authenticate a bill of health? |
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toteach
Joined: 29 Dec 2008
Posts: 273
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| Posted: Tue Jun 10, 2014 6:50 am Post subject: Re: Authentication of Vital Records |
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| Toast wrote: |
| toteach wrote: |
| Am I really expected to show these documents to someone once we reach China?! Can any family folks in China shed some light on this for me? |
Yeah - you'll need to provide them to the PSB when changing your Z visas for your family over to Residence Permits when arriving in China. If you don't have the documents certified / authenticated they'll likely cancel the Z visa for your family members and convert them back over to an L (tourist) visa. That was the experience I had with my wife back in 2012 anyway. |
Thanks for explaining... (I tried numerous times to get an explanation from the school, but each query has been ignored). How did your wife manage with a tourist visa?
I just got the documents back from the Secretary of State and this week I'll send them to the Chinese Embassy in Washington D.C. for another round of "authentication." Once it's all said and done, each document will have cost just under $100 for the service... |
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toteach
Joined: 29 Dec 2008
Posts: 273
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| Posted: Tue Jun 10, 2014 6:51 am Post subject: Re: Authentication of Vital Records |
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| Shroob wrote: |
| toteach wrote: |
I've just been asked to send my marriage license and the birth certificates of my children to be authenticated. I did the first step today--sending them to my Secretary of State, and when they return next week I'll send them to the Chinese Embassy.
I'm happy to jump through the necessary red tape, but I don't have a clue why "authentication" of these select vital records has been deemed necessary... They don't need to be authenticated in order to obtain a visa--just our passports and the documents from the school will suffice there.
Does anyone have the reason? Am I really expected to show these documents to someone once we reach China?! Can any family folks in China shed some light on this for me? |
That's really strange. However, I could understand it if you have dependents coming on your visa. That's the only way I could see the information needed. So, forgive me for asking about your personal affairs, but do you have dependents coming on your visa? |
Yes, a husband and two kiddos... |
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jimpellow
Joined: 12 Oct 2007
Posts: 913
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| Posted: Tue Jun 10, 2014 10:26 am Post subject: |
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Once again this is part of the fun of the new visa regulations. There are some pertinent articles about it on www.lawandborder.com. Got a good amount of press as it was affecting the business expats quite a bit - and still is.
As for reason? Hmm...my opinion is it their mentality. When they decided to update the visa process they decided to basically copy the South Korean model which is fairly stringent but fairly efficient in interpretation and processing (unlike the PRC). Then, being Chinese, they decided to add to it as they felt it would make it better. When it first came out they were quite shocked about the negative reaction by the business community and groups like the EU. Of course almost a year later nothing has really changed so they are reaping the fruit of their mentality from the transfer of multinational offices outside of the PRC to reduced tourism etc.
Last edited by jimpellow on Tue Jun 10, 2014 10:41 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Bud Powell
Joined: 11 Jul 2013
Posts: 1736
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| Posted: Tue Jun 10, 2014 10:28 am Post subject: |
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Hang onto those authenticated documents. Take photos of them attached to the original document, then scan them and send the scans to the Powerz that Bee. Hold onto the originals. You will be asked for them again, no doubt. They're a good bargaining chip when you want to go to another school and need to convince people that you are really qualified.
You'll laugh when you see the Chinese authentication. It's barely more than a statement on rice paper with the name of a westerner named Paul and a big red chop in the middle. He's really just authenticating the authentication. |
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toteach
Joined: 29 Dec 2008
Posts: 273
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| Posted: Tue Jun 10, 2014 4:10 pm Post subject: |
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| Bud Powell wrote: |
Hang onto those authenticated documents. Take photos of them attached to the original document, then scan them and send the scans to the Powerz that Bee. Hold onto the originals. You will be asked for them again, no doubt. They're a good bargaining chip when you want to go to another school and need to convince people that you are really qualified.
You'll laugh when you see the Chinese authentication. It's barely more than a statement on rice paper with the name of a westerner named Paul and a big red chop in the middle. He's really just authenticating the authentication. |
I was hoping they'll only want to look at the authenticated documents rather than keep them... I'd hate to hand them over after all the hoops I'm jumping through |
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