Job Discussion Forums

Juna Gu · Posted: Wed Dec 10, 2008 1:57 am Post subject: More questions on Apostille

Dear all,
I'm in the process of applying for teaching jobs in Mexico and I've run into all this stuff on getting documents verified etc.
I'm a UK national and have been travelling about a year now, through South East Asia and now am in the USA. Going back to the UK just to get some documents verified seems pretty ludicrous. What can I do?
Is there any way I can get round this or any possibility that my documents will be accepted without this?
Thanks for any help

MO39 · Posted: Wed Dec 10, 2008 11:00 pm Post subject:

It depends on what sort of job you'll be looking for when you get here and what sort of visa you'll be applying for once you find something. For sure, you'll to have your university diplomas (not transcripts) apostilled to apply for an FM3.

I'm a US citizen and did this while still back in the States, and it was no picnic even then because I had to deal with government bureaucracies in three different states: I have degrees from universities in Pennsylvania, New York and Wisconsin. I also had my birth certificate apostilled though so far I haven't needed to use it.

Since you're a UK citizen, the procedures may be different for you. Here's hoping that one of our regular posters who hails from your part of the world will be able to help answer your questions.

�Buena Suerte!

jillford64 · Joined: 15 Feb 2006 Posts: 397 Location: Sin City

Doubtful that you can get away with not having the apostille. This seems to be the one thing that is consistently required from one immigration office to the next. For US citizens, what ever document you are going to present to prove that you are qualified to teach English is the one that you'll need to have apostilled. MO39 already mentioned your university diplomas, but it could also be a TESL certificate for someone without a university degree or if the degrees are not related to teaching english. If apostilles are required for a UK citizen, perhaps you could have someone in the UK do take care of this for you and send it by DHL.

Mrs L · Joined: 20 Mar 2008 Posts: 72 Location: Rainy England

I got my mum to send my documents to be apostilled while I was over in Mexico. It all has to done via the foreign and commonwealth office legalisation section

Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Norfolk House
437 Silbury Boulevard
Milton Keynes
MK9 2AH

You can phone them on 01908 295111 for more info but as I recall I had to pay a small fee and they were returned by recorded delivery within a week (to my parents address in the UK).

If you have the documents with you in the states it might be more complicated but try and get a family member to do it for you. It has to be done though, none of your documentation is really valid in Mexico without being legalised first.

TheLongWayHome · Joined: 07 Jun 2006 Posts: 1016 Location: San Luis Piojosi

MO39 · Posted: Fri Dec 12, 2008 12:18 am Post subject:

[quote="TheLongWayHome.. You'll also need a translation of your birth certificate, but that can be done here for about a tenner.[/quote]

What did you need a translation of your birth certficate for? I brought mine with me and had it apostilled beforehand, but no one here has ever asked to see it.

Mrs L · Joined: 20 Mar 2008 Posts: 72 Location: Rainy England

I needed my birth certificate apostilled and translated to get married in Mexico. Not something I was planning on doing when I first came over to teach Very Happy

TheLongWayHome · Joined: 07 Jun 2006 Posts: 1016 Location: San Luis Piojosi

MO39 · Posted: Fri Dec 12, 2008 11:48 pm Post subject:

girlcabbie · Joined: 26 Nov 2008 Posts: 25

How soon after finding a job do you have to present your documents?
I am an American with a degree from South Africa, so I have to send my diploma back to SA to get it apostilled. I was planning on looking for work the first two weeks of January, so it wouldn't be back and then forwarded to me in Mexico until February if I send it to SA.
Do you think that an American apostille on a notarized copy along with the original would work, instead of sending it away and waiting 6 weeks for it to return?