I have been offered a job at a university in ChiangRai. I have my university diploma from America in hand and transcripts. However, the employer here says that my diploma has to be "certified" by the US embassy. However, when I checked several US embassy websites they each said that they do not provide that service.

Has anyone else run into this issue? how was it resolved?

Has anyone obtained the non-imm B visa and not been asked to provide that certification?

Also, I have heard mixed info about criminal background checks from the home country. I know an American guy that was told by the Thai embassy in the US that he had to have it...but yet I can't find that requirement on the documents that my new employer has given me.

What a mess.....

mrdc

A criminal background check is unfortunately not required, unless the employer wants it.

One option you have is do a self certification of your diploma by doing an affidavit at the US consulate in Chiang Mai . You just state that your diploma is valid, true, correct and etc. Cost is $50.

Consulate website: http://chiangmai.usconsulate.gov/service.html

Check with American Services located in the US Embassy compound.

For a small fee they can "notarize" almost anything for you.

Probably no difference between notarized and certified to your potential Thai employer.

An embossed stamp on any document seems to impress them.

thanks for the input so far. other than the embassy in ChiangMai, every other US embassy site says they will not notarize or certify academic records any longer.

And unfortunately some of your input is no longer correct.....check out this link for the Thai consulate in Laos.....for a non-immigrant B visa at a university a criminal background check is required (number 7 below).

I am still hoping that someone can recommend an agency to handle this ....there are so many around but no way to tell which ones are reliable and which are not....thanks again!!!

For applicant who wishes to work for an academic institute; as full or part-time teacher, tutor or teaching assistant, documents required are;

1. Official letter from the Ministry of Education of Thailand, or other sub-authorities concerned, approving the
employment of foreign academic personnel
2. Recommendation letter from the institution addressed to the Embassy (stating about the employment and visa
application) and be accompanied with the certified copy of the ID of the endorser
3. Employment contract
4. Form of the Employment Certification
5. Copy of registration certificate of the concerned academic institute
6. Copy of applicant’s academic certificate/record
7. Copy of the recent police clearance or certificate of no criminal conviction.
8. Copy of the previous/current work permit (if any)

They do not ask for the police certificate in Vientiane nor at any of the nearby embassies or consulates. There have been reports that confirm this.

I work with a colleague who just today converted her tourist visa to a non b. What she had were photocopies of her degree and transcripts and when she went to immigration the first time they refused and stated they wanted the originals which she says she does not have. She went to the American Embassy in Bangkok and signed a sworn affidavit stating her credentials were true and went back to immigration with those document's and recieved her non b.

I'm currently in this situation. I'm Singaporean with a US degree. So would a sworn affidavit suffice? It would seem quite a hassle to send the transcript to US State Dept just to get such a certification. Any new information since Sep 2014

Thanks in Advance.

I'm currently in this situation. I'm Singaporean with a US degree. So would a sworn affidavit suffice? It would seem quite a hassle to send the transcript to US State Dept just to get such a certification. Any new information since Sep 2014

Thanks in Advance.

You should check with the Singapore embassy to see you can do self a self certification by way of a affidavit or statement. Immigration and other government entities will accept a self certification.