Background Check For The Work Permit

[huanga]

I have a friend who signed up for a combination TEFL course/five months paid work here in Thailand.

He's trying to figure out how to get a criminal background check done for the work permit requirements. Does anyone happen to have any experience or advice on such things? The recommended method seems to be through the FBI, but that takes a set of fingerprints and probably 15 weeks!

Thanks so much!

[SEETEFL]

If he's already in Thailand:

Thai Police Clearance Instructions:

Police Clearance Service Center (Sub-Division 2, General Staff

Division, Special Branch Bureau)

Monday to Friday (Except Public Holidays), from 08.30 am . – 04.30 pm.

without lunch break.

Location

The Police Clearance Service Center is located at Building 24, Royal

Thai Police Headquarters, Rama I, Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330

Phone number: 0-2205-2168-9

Directions

The best way to get to the Royal Thai Police Headquarters is by taking

BTS to Siam Square station. The entrance is located on Rama I Rd,

halfway between Henry Dunant and Ratchadamri Rds.

Documents required (foreign applicant)

1) Passport with two photocopies of first page and two of the current visa page

2) Document(s) certify that the applicant is working, used to work, or

is residing in Thailand (Non-Imm B or job offer should be enough)

Notes

No charge for the police certificate itself. They will fingerprint you

and take your picture while there. If you want the certificate mailed

to you, you’ll have to pay a fee for postage. Otherwise, you can pick

up the certificate in about 2 weeks.

John

SEE TEFL

Forum Sponsor

http://seetefl.com

Edited March 1, 2010 by SEETEFL

[lovelomsak]

If he's already in Thailand:

Thai Police Clearance Instructions:

Police Clearance Service Center (Sub-Division 2, General Staff

Division, Special Branch Bureau)

Monday to Friday (Except Public Holidays), from 08.30 am . – 04.30 pm.

without lunch break.

Location

The Police Clearance Service Center is located at Building 24, Royal

Thai Police Headquarters, Rama I, Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330

Phone number: 0-2205-2168-9

Directions

The best way to get to the Royal Thai Police Headquarters is by taking

BTS to Siam Square station. The entrance is located on Rama I Rd,

halfway between Henry Dunant and Ratchadamri Rds.

Documents required (foreign applicant)

1) Passport with two photocopies of first page and two of the current visa page

2) Document(s) certify that the applicant is working, used to work, or

is residing in Thailand (Non-Imm B or job offer should be enough)

Notes

No charge for the police certificate itself. They will fingerprint you

and take your picture while there. If you want the certificate mailed

to you, you’ll have to pay a fee for postage. Otherwise, you can pick

up the certificate in about 2 weeks.

John

SEE TEFL

Forum Sponsor

http://seetefl.com

Afew years ago when I did this the center fingerprinted and completed everything in one day. But I then had to send the fingerprints and attached documents back to my home countries national police force to get me checked out then they sent info direct to employer. So what is the certificate exactly. I was told Thailand doesnot do the actual check that must be done in home country and you must initiate the request. The finerprints and picture are proof that you are the requesting this info for employment.

[BlackArtemis]

Easier than that! In PA we can just go on the web and with a CC spend $10 for an immediate check that can be printed out right away. I am sure most states offer this, tell him to check his state police website or trying something like [state name] online police background check.

American's seem to have it the easiest to get background checks.

[sutyot]

If he's already in Thailand:

Thai Police Clearance Instructions:

Police Clearance Service Center (Sub-Division 2, General Staff

Division, Special Branch Bureau)

Monday to Friday (Except Public Holidays), from 08.30 am . – 04.30 pm.

without lunch break.

Location

The Police Clearance Service Center is located at Building 24, Royal

Thai Police Headquarters, Rama I, Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330

Phone number: 0-2205-2168-9

Directions

The best way to get to the Royal Thai Police Headquarters is by taking

BTS to Siam Square station. The entrance is located on Rama I Rd,

halfway between Henry Dunant and Ratchadamri Rds.

Documents required (foreign applicant)

1) Passport with two photocopies of first page and two of the current visa page

2) Document(s) certify that the applicant is working, used to work, or

is residing in Thailand (Non-Imm B or job offer should be enough)

Notes

No charge for the police certificate itself. They will fingerprint you

and take your picture while there. If you want the certificate mailed

to you, you’ll have to pay a fee for postage. Otherwise, you can pick

up the certificate in about 2 weeks.

John

SEE TEFL

Forum Sponsor

http://seetefl.com

Hello John,

Very helpful information.

Will an additional check need to be done in the home country?

Sutyot

[Scott]

I believe that the police do check with your home country. At any rate, once they give you the clearance, you should be OK.

[TerryLH]

"...criminal background check done for the work permit requirements."

I must be missing something.

Is this new? I've had WP's in 3 provinces and never required one.

[Loaded]

"...criminal background check done for the work permit requirements."

I must be missing something.

Is this new? I've had WP's in 3 provinces and never required one.

Province to province the requirements are different (TIT). In Chiang Mai I have never heard of a police check being a requirement. Which 3 provinces didn't require the check Terry? I'm sure this will be useful information.

[BlackArtemis]

"...criminal background check done for the work permit requirements."

I must be missing something.

Is this new? I've had WP's in 3 provinces and never required one.

Province to province the requirements are different (TIT). In Chiang Mai I have never heard of a police check being a requirement. Which 3 provinces didn't require the check Terry? I'm sure this will be useful information.

Friend needed one for a school in CM, this was about 2007-2008. I didn't need one because it was a newer requirement.

[Phatcharanan]

I believe that the police do check with your home country. At any rate, once they give you the clearance, you should be OK.

The Special Branch of the Royal Thai Police do NOT do a home country background check for WP applications or for Visa applications to enter other countries.

The only checks are against their own in-country database, Terrorism Watch List and International Arrest Warrants.

[TerryLH]

"Which 3 provinces didn't require the check..."

Petchabun, Suphanburi and Khon Kaen.

[BlackArtemis]

Look, as I stated above, if you're American. It takes 3 minutes, instant results and costs you $10 or so.

For example, this is Pennsylvania's https://epatch.state.pa.us/Home.jsp

I have to do background checks, FBI, Child Services, and TB tests yearly. The background check is the fastest and easiest out of all of them.

[BruceMangosteen]

No background checks or TEFL Certificate required. Bangkok Imm. is doing so sort of degree certification but not a worry at the Work Permit offices. I think one of the "letters" the schools write says they did it, when of course they didn't.

[Daren]

@BruceMangosteen

Just out of pure curiosity, what kind of checking is BKK Imm. doing on degrees? Checking for fakes or diploma mills or both? Obviously they will have seen countless University of KSR degrees, and they should be easy to spot and reject. But checking on "proper" fakes by contacting schools directly would be far more time consuming.

@BlackArtimis

Are those checks required my your school or is it the WP and/or the Immgration people that want that stuff? What province are you in?

Cheers!

[Scott]

I have to check on each degree. Generally, immigration will authorize the non-immigrant B visa based on verification that the letter has been sent to the University requesting verification. Prior to issuing the Work Permit, we have to have the actual verification.

We don't need to check on people who already have a Teacher's License and coming to our school from another school. But we do need to check for new teachers.

Teacher's from the US are easy to verify as there is a National Clearinghouse and it is quick--sometimes the same day. For Filipinos, those that have passed the Philippines Licensure exam, there is a web site where the name can be found. This is what we submit.

[Daren]

Scott, is that in BKK? I'm just surprised because I haven't heard of schools being so thorough, esp. at Gov't schools, Rajabhats or language schools.

Actually, this whole thread is a bit surprising to me because I personally have not heard of people being required to get background checks or university degrees verified before. Am I totally out of touch, out here in the sticks?

Edited March 7, 2010 by Daren

[Scott]

It is in a neighboring province of Bangkok--part of the metro Bangkok area.

Please remember that there may be some variation in offices and with officers within an office.

In our area there were some people sprung for fake degrees and that's when the Immigration office started asking for verification. The police checks started after the John Mark Carr fiasco. They have continued since then.

[BlackArtemis]

The police background check was required at the government school I worked at in Chiang Mai.

The rest of what I was talking about is required for me to teach int he US.

[sutyot]

No background checks or TEFL Certificate required. Bangkok Imm. is doing so sort of degree certification but not a worry at the Work Permit offices. I think one of the "letters" the schools write says they did it, when of course they didn't.

Hello BruceMangosteen, So you say that there is no need for background check or to show a TEFL certificate, correct? So what kind of process to check the degree certification? I would assume an original document, also sign a document that it is real, right?

Sutyot

[sutyot]

It is in a neighboring province of Bangkok--part of the metro Bangkok area.

Please remember that there may be some variation in offices and with officers within an office.

In our area there were some people sprung for fake degrees and that's when the Immigration office started asking for verification. The police checks started after the John Mark Carr fiasco. They have continued since then.

Scott,

I remember that Immigration started checking degrees and required the background check after the Mark Carr fiasco. The guy is in the US now and was recently arrested for domestic issues. What a mess the guy caused.

What is the process to verify a degree? I think the uniniversity can issue a letter of conferred degree to the holder, but I thought because of the Information Act that the details could not be disclosed to third parties.

Are unaccredited degrees accepted? If the degree is a fake made for an existing university without actually have getting a degree is one thing, but if you have a degree from an online diploma mill that will verify your degree is acceptable? Life Experience degrees for example would be acceptable to Immigration?

Just thinking out loud.

Sutyot

[Scott]

The police checks were started after John Mark Carr. We were verifying degrees prior to that, at the request of the MOE. The Immigration tightened up on everything after Mr. Carr.

Degrees are public information. Often the list of graduates is printed in the paper. A check of year books can tell you who graduated (or came really, really close). Your transcript and your grades are private information and they aren't released.

Depending on country, I write a letter (or send an email) to the school. The USA is very easy, they have a national clearinghouse that does it. The UK is sometimes more difficult. They throw out the Information Act. I told one University that there are a lot of people that will be pleased to know that a fake degree from their university would never get sprung. They then verified--or in two cases--verified the persons did not ever attend their school. In a 3rd case they verified the person attended, but didn't graduate!

[sutyot]

The police checks were started after John Mark Carr. We were verifying degrees prior to that, at the request of the MOE. The Immigration tightened up on everything after Mr. Carr.

Degrees are public information. Often the list of graduates is printed in the paper. A check of year books can tell you who graduated (or came really, really close). Your transcript and your grades are private information and they aren't released.

Depending on country, I write a letter (or send an email) to the school. The USA is very easy, they have a national clearinghouse that does it. The UK is sometimes more difficult. They throw out the Information Act. I told one University that there are a lot of people that will be pleased to know that a fake degree from their university would never get sprung. They then verified--or in two cases--verified the persons did not ever attend their school. In a 3rd case they verified the person attended, but didn't graduate!

Scott,

Very interesting information.

So the a graduate is Public Domain and the transcripts are protected by the Information Act?

Is the MOE doing the checks or Immigration?

Will an online degree work? These can be verified from what I understand.

Sutyot

Edited March 15, 2010 by sutyot

[Scott]

The school is supposed to do the check. Of course an on-line degree is fine as long as it is from an accredited school. I don't think there is any difference between an on-line degree and a 'regular' degree.

[BruceMangosteen]

The school is supposed to do the check. Of course an on-line degree is fine as long as it is from an accredited school. I don't think there is any difference between an on-line degree and a 'regular' degree.

I hope your context is teaching in Thailand. Most real employers would never accept an "online degree" as a college degree. The "college experience" does have meaning and value to a lot of employers. This will never be substituted for online stuff.

[sutyot]

The school is supposed to do the check. Of course an on-line degree is fine as long as it is from an accredited school. I don't think there is any difference between an on-line degree and a 'regular' degree.

I hope your context is teaching in Thailand. Most real employers would never accept an "online degree" as a college degree. The "college experience" does have meaning and value to a lot of employers. This will never be substituted for online stuff.

I see that an online degree is also valuable. Just a new concept that has not been accepted by some.

Online Degree vs. Traditional Degree

Is an online degree as well accepted as a traditional degree? This is the question almost everyone asks about distance degree programs, and the answer isn't simple.

The acceptance of online degrees varies depending on many factors: the company, the industry, the level and type of degree, the degree-granting institution, and, of course, the individual reviewer. Let's look at some of the factors that can affect how well received the distance degree will be:

Degree-granting entity. Employers may worry about the legitimacy of a degree from a school they aren't familiar with. They are right to be cautious, as many "degree mills" exist - they have names that sound like legitimate universities, but grant degrees based on "life experience" for little more than a fee. Your best bet is a degree from the distance learning arm of a well-recogized traditional university, or at least of a well-established and accredited distance learning school.

Level of Degree. The online bachelors degree seems to have the most skeptics. In a 2001 survey of human resources professionals by Vault.com, 26% of respondents found an online degree as credible as a traditional one. 61% considered the online degree acceptable but less credible, while 13% found the online-earned degree unacceptable. Online graduate degrees were found to be as credible as traditional ones by 37% of the respondents.

Field of Study. Legitimate online degrees seem to be better accepted for majors that tend to be knowledge-based, such as information technology areas, accounting, etc.

Industry. Some industries are more accepting of online degrees than others. Predictably, the best numbers from the Vault study were logged in Internet/New Media (70% projected acceptance), Technology (46%), High Tech (44%), and Marketing/Media(29%). Areas like Medicine and Law were described as the least likely to accept online credentials.

Individual Hiring Manager. As with every hiring situation, a lot comes down to the personal preferences of the hiring manager (and those of key influencers). Some individuals emphasize work experience far more than academics, while others weight academic history and accomplishments more heavily. Naturally, individuals just beginning their career will see more emphasis on academics.

Other Qualities of the Degree Holder. The rest of the candidate's resume may well influence the credibility of the degree - if she has been employed in a related field with excellent accomplishments, and chose an online degree to allow full-time work, the degree may be viewed as a mark of a self-motivated learner. The same degree without the work experience or without an apparent reason to choose distance learning may be less credible.

Online Degree vs. Traditional - Summary. Online degrees from quality institutions are reasonably well accepted in some areas, though less so in others. They are most likely to be accepted in technology or other knowledge-based fields. Relevant work experience may augment the credibility of the online degree.

See also: Pros & Cons of an Online Degree

Sutyot

Edited March 15, 2010 by sutyot

[Scott]

Thanks for the information, but let's try stay on topic for background checks.

There will always be employers that decide when, where and how you got your degree is important. In general, if it is an accredited school, then it's OK. Thus far, the MOE has been the same way.

I know a person who is getting an on-line degree. All tests are administered at the Embassy of the country where he is getting the degree. They are well monitored. It's pretty heavy going for him and one has included phone calls to his professor.

[BruceMangosteen]

Thanks for the information, but let's try stay on topic for background checks.

I assume the topic you wish to expand on is criminal background checks? If so, can you or anyone ever recall a prospective teacher for a job in Thailand being rejected based on a "bad" criminal background check result?(for this question, assume the school has decided to hire the teacher and going thru the check list to get him a VISA ext. and WP. (not that such a check list actually exisit at most schools)) Thanks.

[BruceMangosteen]

In general, if it is an accredited school, then it's OK. Thus far, the MOE has been the same way.

Are you saying the M.of Ed. is checking out and appoving the degrees and Universities etc. of the teachers the schools hire? Previously I recall you said you did it? Just curious how the system actually works.

[Scott]

Yes, I do it. The MOE has never said anything about any degree--thus I assume they agree. And yes, I have known of an applicant who was hired, but unable to get a work permit due to a criminal record. In that case it was a felony conviction as well. I also know of a person who had a DUI and was approved (not at my school, but at another school).

[BruceMangosteen]

Yes, I do it. The MOE has never said anything about any degree--thus I assume they agree.

My assumption would be they don't care, don't check, don't verify what the schools tell them, and frankly "don't give a dam_n" about the farang teachers having degrees or not. As I personally know a few who I have worked with who don't, I can make this assumption logically. Thanks for the info on the criminal record part. These two items, if ever enforced, would in my opinion be good for the Thai students.