Fiancé Visa- Degree notarisation/NARIC confusion- best method?

WJ88 wrote: ↑

Sat Nov 07, 2020 10:28 am

Hi all,

My fiancée and I are currently working our way through the fiancé visa application process and are not sure about how we should approach her degrees and transcripts. She is a Russian national and completed 2 degrees at UK universities, undergraduate and postgraduate. Additionally, she is a qualified TEFL teacher and has an OFQUAL/US Dept of Education regulated certificate (if this is any help as an extra supporting doc).

We are not sure about how to approach having these documents notarised/verified. I checked with my local post office who seemed vague/unable to give a clear answer as to whether or not they would do it. I understand that some independent notarising services can offer "verified" or "unverified" notary services. The latter of which skips the element of actually contacting the universities and rather just assesses the likeness of the copies to be certified against the original.

We are sending our supporting docs physically to the UKVI sorting centre rather than uploading/submitting at her biometrics. We do not want to have to send her original degrees.

Would any members happen to know definitively which method of certification/verification/notarisation is needed? Is it acceptable to provide basic notarised copies affirming true likeness to the original, and allow the home office to contact the universities/use the HEDD service if they need to verify the serial number? I ask of course because of the considerable cost and time difference between a quick certification of true likeness and a more involved process.

Many thanks!

WJ88 wrote: ↑

Sat Nov 07, 2020 10:28 am

Hi all,

My fiancée and I are currently working our way through the fiancé visa application process and are not sure about how we should approach her degrees and transcripts. She is a Russian national and completed 2 degrees at UK universities, undergraduate and postgraduate. Additionally, she is a qualified TEFL teacher and has an OFQUAL/US Dept of Education regulated certificate (if this is any help as an extra supporting doc).

We are not sure about how to approach having these documents notarised/verified. I checked with my local post office who seemed vague/unable to give a clear answer as to whether or not they would do it. I understand that some independent notarising services can offer "verified" or "unverified" notary services. The latter of which skips the element of actually contacting the universities and rather just assesses the likeness of the copies to be certified against the original.

We are sending our supporting docs physically to the UKVI sorting centre rather than uploading/submitting at her biometrics. We do not want to have to send her original degrees.

Would any members happen to know definitively which method of certification/verification/notarisation is needed? Is it acceptable to provide basic notarised copies affirming true likeness to the original, and allow the home office to contact the universities/use the HEDD service if they need to verify the serial number? I ask of course because of the considerable cost and time difference between a quick certification of true likeness and a more involved process.

Many thanks!