graduate study - apostille of undergraduate diploma

[tinto]

I am planning to apply for a Master's in Education at one of the schools in Buenos Aires (I'm still researching the options and talking with schools). If I can get everything together, I will start in Feb/Mar/Apr - depending on when the program I choose begins.

In preparation for the Student Visa, I've gotten my background check from the FBI and a certified copy of my birth certificate with an apostille from the Secretary of State.

Since I graduated from Stanford University, a private institution, I cannot get the apostille of my diploma from the Secretary of State's regional office (like I did for the birth certificate). Has anyone been through this with their diploma/certification of degree from a private institution? I cannot find precise information on Google!

The Argentine consulate in Los Angeles does not answer the phone; they simply send me straight to voice mail.

Thanks!

 

[Attorney in BA]

You will probably have to get the signature on your diploma certified by the Secretary of Education (or any other government office that supervises the university you attended) and then that signature certified with an apostille.

 

[lwfh]

This is what the FCO in the UK says about legalising degree certificates etc.

http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/about-us/w...eliver/legal-services/legalisation/legalising

 

[tinto]

You will probably have to get the signature on your diploma certified by the Secretary of Education (or any other government office that supervises the university you attended) and then that signature certified with an apostille.

It doesn't appear that the U.S. Department of Education does this. If it were a public university, then the governor's signature would be on it, and then it could be apostilled by the Secretary of State.

 

[igor]

tinto,

It looks like you need to get an official copy of diploma from the university and a notarized letter from university registar that states that it is valid. Then apostille notarized letter with the copy of your diploma attached.

http://travel.state.gov/law/info/info_606.html

 

[Scelesta]

Hi Igor-

I actually have a question- could you shed some light on the FBI background check for me? There is no way I can get letters from police stations where I have lived for the last five years (I have moved 5 times- and for one year I was in Jordan...) So I think I need to just go with the bigger organization- can you tell me how you went about getting this?

Thanks!
Anya

 

[steveinbsas]

Hi Igor-

I actually have a question- could you shed some light on the FBI background check for me? There is no way I can get letters from police stations where I have lived for the last five years (I have moved 5 times- and for one year I was in Jordan...) So I think I need to just go with the bigger organization- can you tell me how you went about getting this?

Thanks!
Anya

Apparently Argentine migraciones no longer accepts letters from local police departments. You can get more info about the FBI report here:

http://www.fbi.gov/hq/cjisd/fprequest.htm

 

[oxente!]

tinto -- I did this whole process last year (I started in late March for my grad program) and I am studying at private school (San Andrés)...

I also graduated from a private school in the US and my diploma was in Latin which I thought could present additional problems....what I ended up doing was getting a large color official looking photocopy made and then having a local lawyer in the US certify it and put a seal on it (I did this when I went back to US for holidays last year). The lawyer basicly just said that it was a true and legal copy and that he had examined it for authenticity.

I would ask the school that you plan to enroll in what is their procedure regarding an acceptable diploma. They all handle it differently. Also FYI you do not need to have this all sorted out in order to enroll although the faster you have it all together the better for applying for student visa, etc. Generally the school will let you apply without the "official copy" and give you extra time to sort out the details -- it´s Argentina afterall haha.

If you are comfortable bringing your original diploma to Argentina bring it along and they will certify it here.

Oh, regarding the police background check, my university did not require this but in order to get the student visa (ie, residency) you must present the FBI certificate of good conduct which is the fingerprint card (which you could start the process in US to speed it up) as well as a local good conduct form that you get here that is a very quick and easy form as well as the Apostilled copy of your birth certificate (get that done in US). When in Argentina you will get everything translated by an official and take it all to get legalized.

Hope that helps! PM me with questions if this was unclear!

 

[tinto]

Thanks, oxente! If I understand correctly, you did not get the copy of your diploma notarized nor apostilled, but rather simply had a lawyer "certify it". A notary is not a lawyer. Hmmm.

Igor, my university does not notarize diplomas before sending you them by mail (in my case it is a 'degree certification' document since you cannot order copies of your diploma). It appears that I will have to have it notarized locally and then have it apostilled after that. I called a notary and he said he can certify that a copy is a true copy, but can't certify that the diploma is real. ??? So I might just take my diploma in and have a copy made (like oxente! did) and have that notarized, and then later apostilled. What a pain.

Anya - search for FBI background check and you'll find a recent post in which we discuss how to do this.

I'd still love to hear from others who have been in the same boat...

 

[emilyr]

Thanks for all the posts, they have helped me, too. Late response for you tinto, but the benefit of others who troll the archives for help like me...

My experience getting the diploma copy from my university (a state institution) was different. Our Registrar WILL notarize my diploma FREE before they send it off. In fact, my Registrar's office suggested to me that I mail them a copy of my diploma and they will put a university seal on it and a notary. My mom is doing just that, just copying my diploma to regular sized paper at a Kinko's. No lawyer, no fees, except for the $5 Apostille and postage-and I am doing it all from abroad. ¡Aguante la educación pública! In my state, you must have this notary certified by the County Clerk BEFORE sending it off for notarizing. My nice university registrar is taking it to the Country Clerk FOR ME and then mailing it to the Secretary of State office in Kentucky. There are many perks like this to being from the South, people! The Kentucky Secretary of State will mail it directly here.

MORAL? Check with your university and explain your situation because every university is different.