My embassy doesn't legalize degrees - what now ?

[jochen]

I recently started a new job.  As all paperwork to get a new non-B wasn't ready yet, I had to go abroad to get a tourist visa.  As soon as I came back to whole process to change the tourist visa into a non-B  was started.  

All paperwork has been checked and approved by Chachoengsao Immigration, except that they now also demand a legalized copy of my master's degree, but the Belgian Embassy says they cannot do this.  The only solution would be to go back to Belgium and get it legalized there, which seems a bit far and expensive to serve as a solution.

 

Does anyone have any similar experiences with their embassy, as the Belgian Embassy probably isn't the only one refusing to do this.

 

Even to get my teacher's license from Krusapa, this wasn't needed.  They were satisfied with a certified copy of the degree. I asked and showed immigration this, but they didn't accept it without looking at it or actually listening to me.

Things seem very strict here at Chachoengsao, in a way that it's nearly impossible.

 

 

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thx.

[allane]

IN my experience, going back to 1996, embassies have never authenticated degrees.

[ChiangMaiLightning2143]

What now?

Go back to your country, and get your documents sorted. Amazing some people here think they can get by without following the rules, leads to all sorts of issues and problems for the rest of us.


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[stubuzz]

Going back home and legalizing  is a lot of hassle for a low salary.

[anthobkk]

My experience with French embassy.

They certified my Master's degree even though it was a photocopy of it (they were not really happy about it but Photocopy look genuine and I had a letter of the dean with his private number in case they wanted to call him).

 

Not sure if I can still do it now but I guess many embassies does it.

 

Also, be careful if you go back to Belgium to certify it as immigration might refuse it saying " it has to be certified by your embassy in Bangkok"

[dabhand]

The British Embassy discontinued that same service earlier this year. This thread may have some relevant info, even though your case is obviously related to Belgium.

 

https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/1048649-getting-your-uk-degree-certified/

 

 

[jochen]

16 minutes ago, dabhand said:

The British Embassy discontinued that same service earlier this year. This thread may have some relevant info, even though your case is obviously related to Belgium.

 

https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/1048649-getting-your-uk-degree-certified/

 

 

Yes, it is indeed the same problem.

 

I thought I had already given them everything they asked for when applying for my Krusapa teacher's license, but no, now immigration asks for another thing again.

 

And yes, I can do it... again.  But it is a lot of hassle, time-consuming and expensive.  And I don't have enough time to do it as fast as they require now. And they won't ever read it anyway, they just want to see that stamp from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the degree.  Apparently some nationalities can just swear it is their degree in their embassy, get all the necessary stamps, but it doesn't really mean anything, the degree hasn't been checked at all.  But it is accepted.....

[smotherb]

Do your countries' universities not issue sealed official transcripts of your education? In the US, it is common practice for schools and some employers to request proof of degrees. Usually, a call to your university and the purchase of a transcript will send a sealed and stamped official copy of your courses, grades and degrees granted directly to whatever entity wants to know.

 

Here there may be some issue about translation of the transcripts; but it would appear logical--oh, there I go again--to simply charge the applicant a translation fee. 

 

A problem is, some of the degree mills, for an additional fee, will also send transcripts for the fake degrees they sell. So, there may be an issue.

 

In the US, if there is any doubt, the employer/school simply checks the regional accrediting agencies to verify the legitimacy of the school issuing the transcripts and may even call the school for verification.

 

That all may be too complicated for use here.

 

 

[thesetat2013]

Did not know degrees needed to he legalized in Thailand now... Must he a new regulation or they are being hardcore with you... No Embassies can legalize this inside Thailand.. You can however search companies that do this for you in your country...  It may take having the school issue a new copy and then the company takes it to get legalized and then mails it to you when it's all finished.. 

I had to do this to get my education documents legalized for work in China.. 

If you do end up having to get the school to send a new copy... Make sure it has the requirements asked for by the education ministry.. check online for that. 

I believe Thailand accepts an apostle for the degree.. They are still members of the Hague agreement I think

[NoshowJones]

5 hours ago, ChiangMaiLightning2143 said:

What now?

Go back to your country, and get your documents sorted. Amazing some people here think they can get by without following the rules, leads to all sorts of issues and problems for the rest of us.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 How can anyone follow any rules when all the Immigration offices have their own, some just made up by officers as they go along?

[Henricus]

In Holland we need to go to the C.D.C. Center to get it legalized and then go to the Thai embassy in Holland to get the legalized document legalized by the Thai embassy 

[worrab]

11 minutes ago, possum1931 said:

 How can anyone follow any rules when all the Immigration offices have their own, some just made up by officers as they go along?

This is nothing to do with Immigration offices and made up rules. The ruling actually comes from the MFA I think you will find. All documents like these that originate outside Thailand now have to be legalised/notarised in the country of origin. I have just gone through this process with a Death Certificate. This had to be sent to the FCO in Milton Keynes for notarising then couriered to The Royal Thai Embassy in London for legalising before having it sent back here. Took about 2 and a half weeks to get this all done. Worst part is you need family or friends in the UK to help with the last part of paying the Thai Embassy and arranging the courier service back to Thailand. Luckily I had family to help. 

[allane]

Worrab, can you cite a source for this Ministry of Foreign Affairs requirement ?

[NoshowJones]

30 minutes ago, worrab said:

This is nothing to do with Immigration offices and made up rules. The ruling actually comes from the MFA I think you will find. All documents like these that originate outside Thailand now have to be legalised/notarised in the country of origin. I have just gone through this process with a Death Certificate. This had to be sent to the FCO in Milton Keynes for notarising then couriered to The Royal Thai Embassy in London for legalising before having it sent back here. Took about 2 and a half weeks to get this all done. Worst part is you need family or friends in the UK to help with the last part of paying the Thai Embassy and arranging the courier service back to Thailand. Luckily I had family to help. 

I don't know what happens outside of Thailand, but I do Know that all the IOs have different rules from each other. Anyone who lives in Thailand long enough soon finds that out.

[PerkinsCuthbert]

Go to Savannakhet. As of last month they only required photocopies of degree and teaching certificate, along with the other documents, to get a non-B - at least for a UK passport holder.

[digger70]

6 hours ago, stubuzz said:

Going back home and legalizing  is a lot of hassle for a low salary.

Well stay home for a decent job and decent pay.

[sdi101]

8 hours ago, jochen said:

I recently started a new job.  As all paperwork to get a new non-B wasn't ready yet, I had to go abroad to get a tourist visa.  As soon as I came back to whole process to change the tourist visa into a non-B  was started.  

All paperwork has been checked and approved by Chachoengsao Immigration, except that they now also demand a legalized copy of my master's degree, but the Belgian Embassy says they cannot do this.  The only solution would be to go back to Belgium and get it legalized there, which seems a bit far and expensive to serve as a solution.

 

Does anyone have any similar experiences with their embassy, as the Belgian Embassy probably isn't the only one refusing to do this.

 

Even to get my teacher's license from Krusapa, this wasn't needed.  They were satisfied with a certified copy of the degree. I asked and showed immigration this, but they didn't accept it without looking at it or actually listening to me.

Things seem very strict here at Chachoengsao, in a way that it's nearly impossible.

 

 

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thx.

Have you tried contacting NARIC in Belgium? They issue official letters from the (Flemish) Ministry of Education stating that your degree is recognized and was issued by a recognized institution in Belgium.

 

More info here: https://www.naricvlaanderen.be/nl/erkenningen/attest-erkenning-vlaams-diploma-in-het-buitenland

[vinegarbase]

Chachoengsao immigration is one of the most corrupt. They do these things on purpose to cause you problems. I know so many people who have dealt with them and jumped through their hoops for months only for them to run the clock out on them and then forcing them to leave the country multiple times because "now there isn't enough time to apply". They DO NOT like dealing directly with foreigners and are some of the worst of the worst of Thai immigration I have even met in this country. If I could offer a suggestion, find a new job and get out of Chachoengsao because this is not going to end and you are going to have to continue to deal with them as long as you live there. 

 

I'm telling you, time and time again I have heard this story play out. First the paperwork is ok, it's just this one thing you need to correct. You eventually get it done and then it's something else, then something else, then it's the color of the ink, then they suspect a document is forged. Chachoengsao immigration is on a whole other level of corrupt. 

Edited November 21, 2018 by vinegarbase

[jochen]

14 hours ago, PerkinsCuthbert said:

Go to Savannakhet. As of last month they only required photocopies of degree and teaching certificate, along with the other documents, to get a non-B - at least for a UK passport holder.

This is actually my plan.  Going there to get my non-B seems like the quickest solution right now.

 

BUT …. when applying for an extension at the Chachoengsao Immigration office they will probably ask for a legalized copy again.  So no way around it I think. But at least it buys me some more time to actually get it from my homecountry.

[jochen]

13 hours ago, sdi101 said:

Have you tried contacting NARIC in Belgium? They issue official letters from the (Flemish) Ministry of Education stating that your degree is recognized and was issued by a recognized institution in Belgium.

 

More info here: https://www.naricvlaanderen.be/nl/erkenningen/attest-erkenning-vlaams-diploma-in-het-buitenland

 

Yes, that will be the first step.  But then this letter needs to be legalized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Belgium, then the Thai Embassy in Brussels, and after it is sent back to Thailand by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs here in Thailand.  And honestly, they won't even read it, they will look at it for 2 seconds and see that that last stamp is there...

[jochen]

12 hours ago, vinegarbase said:

Chachoengsao immigration is one of the most corrupt. They do these things on purpose to cause you problems. I know so many people who have dealt with them and jumped through their hoops for months only for them to run the clock out on them and then forcing them to leave the country multiple times because "now there isn't enough time to apply". They DO NOT like dealing directly with foreigners and are some of the worst of the worst of Thai immigration I have even met in this country. If I could offer a suggestion, find a new job and get out of Chachoengsao because this is not going to end and you are going to have to continue to deal with them as long as you live there. 

 

I'm telling you, time and time again I have heard this story play out. First the paperwork is ok, it's just this one thing you need to correct. You eventually get it done and then it's something else, then something else, then it's the color of the ink, then they suspect a document is forged. Chachoengsao immigration is on a whole other level of corrupt. 

Yes this is actually how I experience it.

[PerkinsCuthbert]

1 hour ago, jochen said:

 

Yes, that will be the first step.  But then this letter needs to be legalized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Belgium, then the Thai Embassy in Brussels, and after it is sent back to Thailand by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs here in Thailand.  And honestly, they won't even read it, they will look at it for 2 seconds and see that that last stamp is there...

Yes, that's the same as in the UK, coupled with which my original degree certificate, issued decades ago, was long ago lost, and my university wanted £40 for a replacement, so I opted to go to Lao for a non-B instead. Otherwise the whole procedure would have taken about three months.

[jochen]

5 minutes ago, PerkinsCuthbert said:

Yes, that's the same as in the UK, coupled with which my original degree certificate, issued decades ago, was long ago lost, and my university wanted £40 for a replacement, so I opted to go to Lao for a non-B instead. Otherwise the whole procedure would have taken about three months.

That's what I plan to do now actually.  But I'm afraid they will ask for it then when I do my 1-year extension at the IO.

[PerkinsCuthbert]

11 minutes ago, jochen said:

That's what I plan to do now actually.  But I'm afraid they will ask for it then when I do my 1-year extension at the IO.

I'll face that with Chieng Wattana, when my extension is due in January. Does anyone have a definitive answer as to whether CW requires original certs to do the extension? (I know they require originals for the non-B itself).

[worrab]

On 11/21/2018 at 5:37 PM, allane said:

Worrab, can you cite a source for this Ministry of Foreign Affairs requirement ?

This requirement came out in May 2018. I will attempt to find the source when I get home over the weekend. Away in Hua Hin doing my yearly extension of stay.

[worrab]

On 11/21/2018 at 5:45 PM, possum1931 said:

I don't know what happens outside of Thailand, but I do Know that all the IOs have different rules from each other. Anyone who lives in Thailand long enough soon finds that out.

I have already said that this has nothing to do with an IO. We know things an be different with extension of stay etc because they interpret the rules how they see. But this one is very straightforward and comes from MFA. Degrees, decree nisi, death certificates etc must be legalised in the country of origin.

[allane]

14 hours ago, worrab said:

This requirement came out in May 2018. I will attempt to find the source when I get home over the weekend. Away in Hua Hin doing my yearly extension of stay.

Thank you.

[melvinmelvin]

 

You could consider the Ombudsman.

 

(or Big Joke)

 

The immi. office wouldn't like it though.

 

[BurgerGung]

On 11/21/2018 at 10:54 AM, allane said:

IN my experience, going back to 1996, embassies have never authenticated degrees.

Mmm, how about using the U.S. embassy to make a sworn affidavit regarding the authenticity of the degree? (Penalty of perjury etc. - getting a nice looking seal for those $ 50).

 

I mean, it's a crime to work based on some fake degree.

 

What bothers me is that there is no freaking STANDARD to these things in Thailand.

 

- degree verification

- Police checks. (I just returned with a T-VISA, because the police wouldn't do it, saying "this is not necessary here". Turns out, the Thai consulate had different views and voila, yours truly just wasted 5,000 THB. ** Got the Police check sorted. 

 

- Photographs: showing the chest and the belt? Unusually large sizes, it's madness. WTH can't they accept standard passport photos of  f a c e s?!??? Who makes up these 'local rules'?!?

[Rhys]

I hope you have figured this all out...