Articles

If you have worked your whole life to be a respected and qualified member of your line of work, then it can be really exasperating to find that no one will accept you once you move to the United States. Taking advantage of what America can offer is very wearisome when there are those that won't even give you a chance and judge you before they know you.

Many new immigrants to the United States face this problem. Industries in the United States are simply not familiar with how credentials are earned in other countries, and therefore do not know how to correctly evaluate your resume. This is especially true when it comes to foreign degree academic evaluation.

If you have a degree from a school outside of the U.S. and want to prove to potential employers that you are qualified for a position, or show American universities that you have the credentials needed to pursue an advanced degree, you need the help of a foreign credential evaluation agency.

The purpose of a foreign credential evaluation agency is to determine what quality of education you have received, and what criteria you have met or exceeded. Agency personnel will work with you to provide information about the institution where your studies were completed, and whether the courses you completed and grades you received meet the relevant U.S. standards.

Several documents need to be supplied in order for the foreign credential evaluation agency to determine your foreign education equivalency. You will need to produce both the original and photocopies of all transcripts, diplomas and certificates. These will also need to be accompanied by the English translations of the documents if applicable.

You will also be expected to pay a certain amount, which will depend on how complicated your situation is and how much paperwork you need filled out by the agency. It is sometimes acceptable to ask for expedited service, although that is likely to prove rather costly. The usual turnaround time can run from one work week to a full month, depending upon the particular agency. So-called "rush service" might be completed in anywhere from 12 hours to a full work week.

Once you pay the fee, the agency will first confirm that they have all required information, and will contact you by mail or phone if they need any additional documents or data. You should never try to use altered or forged documents. It is very easy for a foreign credential evaluation agency to spot fakes. Not only will you lose the money you paid in fees, the agency may contact U.S. authorities.