visa question regarding name on degree certificate

[joosiej85]

Hi, I am 33 and from the UK.

I have been offered a place on a teaching internship but have run into a potential problem. The first name on my degree certificate is different to the name on my passport (an abbreviation, rather than an entirely different name) and my recruiter believes this may be an issue when applying for my non-Immigrant B visa. Can anybody shed any light on that please? I have never run into difficulties with this in other careers / countries so hadn't considered it to be an issue until now. But from what I've read I'm getting the impression that Thailand is super strict on this sort of thing? If it would be an issue is there any way to get around it?

NB I have contacted my old university and they do not issue certificates with name changes aside from in the case of gender reassignment.

TIA.

[joosiej85]

nobody? 

[heretostay]

IMHO there won't be a problem. 

 

If you really want 100% insurance, maybe ask the university to sign a statement saying that the initial/abbreviation on your diploma is, indeed, the short form of your full name as indicated in your passport.  The university should be willing to do that.

 

(If it were me, I'd just go ahead and apply for the non-B visa with your current documentation.)

 

Good luck and welcome to Land of Smiles.

[problemfarang]

I would say no for sure like few years back. 

 

Now this is the technical thing: you get your work permit from the name and info based on your passport. What i mean is your passport is the proof of who you are. So imagine you are going there with 2 different names... so how they can know its you? BUT what can help you is.. You need to go to your embassy for diploma certificate.. your embassy need to stamp your degree telling that its real. So here you can mention them to help you

[Tanoshi]

The normal procedure is to have the degree 'certified' by the FCO in Milton Keynes, then 'legalised' by the Thai Embassy in London. On entry to Thailand, the degree would need to be translated to Thai, then certified by the MFA in Bangkok.

You don't mention if you followed that procedure.

 

The problem is the translation of your abbreviated name into Thai, will not match your ID.

[joosiej85]

Thanks for the replies.

 

heretostay - I have done exactly that on the advice of my recruiter and the university are going to issue such a letter. Unfortunately my recruiter has now, today, informed me that despite the letter I still need the university to give me a new certificate with the changed name - which the university have already told me they will not do. 

 

Tanoshi - I have not had to have my degree legalised as this is not required by the region where I'm doing my internship. 

 

Have to say at the moment it's not looking good! To be honest I have not been impressed with my recruiter and the whole process, but that is another matter!

 

[allane]

Can you go to your Embassy in Bangkok and complete a Statutory Declaration that you are the person named on the degree ?  "I solemnly swear that....  ......I am aware that completing a false declaration is a criminal offence.....

  - you sign it in front of an official from the Embassy

  - he signs and seals it, to indicate that it was executed in front of him, and henceforth is a legally     enforceable dcument.

[joosiej85]

allane - thank you for the suggestion. 

[Tanoshi]

1 hour ago, joosiej85 said:

Tanoshi - I have not had to have my degree legalised as this is not required by the region where I'm doing my internship. 

 

Any School or University with any credibility, would require a legalised foreign decree.

It sounds as though this 'agency' is setting you up for employment limited to a government school, where the working conditions and salary are far from what you may be expecting.

Do they find you a job and take a commission?

 

LOS = Land of Scams.

Trust your instincts.

[Tanoshi]

41 minutes ago, allane said:

Can you go to your Embassy in Bangkok and complete a Statutory Declaration that you are the person named on the degree ? 

The British Embassy only do affirmations of Thai address, or marital status.

[joosiej85]

1 hour ago, Tanoshi said:

Any School or University with any credibility, would require a legalised foreign decree.

It sounds as though this 'agency' is setting you up for employment limited to a government school, where the working conditions and salary are far from what you may be expecting.

Do they find you a job and take a commission?

 

LOS = Land of Scams.

Trust your instincts.

The job has been offered to me directly by a Thai company who run their English language curriculum at over 100 rural schools. They do not take commission, I do not have to pay them anything, simply cover the cost of my work visa. Yes, it is a government school. I have seen the contract and am happy with the conditions and salary etc. It is a one-semester contract and I am doing it purely to get some teaching experience so I am not expecting to make loads of money!

[overherebc]

19 minutes ago, joosiej85 said:

The job has been offered to me directly by a Thai company who run their English language curriculum at over 100 rural schools. They do not take commission, I do not have to pay them anything, simply cover the cost of my work visa. Yes, it is a government school. I have seen the contract and am happy with the conditions and salary etc. It is a one-semester contract and I am doing it purely to get some teaching experience so I am not expecting to make loads of money!

First thing is that there is no such thing in Thailand as a 'work visa'.

You will need a load of paperwork from your recruiter/school to apply for a B single entry visa ( lasts 90 days ) and then apply in Thailand for a work permit.

The B visa, you have to apply for outside of Thailand in a country close by, Malaysia, Vietnam etc. When you get that you can apply, or your school can apply for your work permit. You can't start work until you get the work permit.

[joosiej85]

Work visa, work permit, whatever... sorry I got the terminology wrong but I'm sure it was fairly clear what I meant ???? I know all this already, it's exactly why I am currently sorting out all my documents and the recruiter is helping with the whole process, but thank you for your reply. 

Edited April 10, 2019 by joosiej85
addition

[Crossy]

18 minutes ago, joosiej85 said:

Work visa, work permit, whatever... sorry I got the terminology wrong but I'm sure it was fairly clear what I meant

 

Terminology is important.

Your "work visa" in reality a non-immigrant B (business visa) you obtain from the Thai embassy in London.

Your "Work Permit" (which is what actually allows you to work) you obtain from the labour department in Thailand.

 

They are two different animals and you need both to be legal.

 

[joosiej85]

Thanks for explaining the difference. As a lay person I like to keep things simple and for me the words "visa" and "permit" are more or less interchangeable but I can see why you thought I didn't understand there were two parts to the process - but I do, and as I said my recruiters are helping me with all of it. They go through it twice a year with 70+ new interns so I am happy they know what they're doing. 

 

With regards to my query about my degree certificate, I have now received an answer and found a solution. Thank you for all the comments. 

[Bruno1982]

On 4/12/2019 at 6:11 AM, joosiej85 said:

Thanks for explaining the difference. As a lay person I like to keep things simple and for me the words "visa" and "permit" are more or less interchangeable but I can see why you thought I didn't understand there were two parts to the process - but I do, and as I said my recruiters are helping me with all of it. They go through it twice a year with 70+ new interns so I am happy they know what they're doing. 

 

With regards to my query about my degree certificate, I have now received an answer and found a solution. Thank you for all the comments. 

Hi joosiej85, I am in a similar situation. I have a degree but my certificate doesn't have my middle name on it. I was in Thailand on a METV and was offered a teaching position. My recruitment agent has just told me that I need to get verification of my degree and has no more advice for me. The uni won't do that (i.e. confirm that I am the same person on my degree as on my passport.

Can you help me and confirm what worked in the end for you please?