June 2020 - S2NRI

5 Biggest Challenges That Indians Face for Studying Abroad

June 26, 2020 Manoj Sodhani Comments 0 Comment

Like other ones, Indian aspirants have dreams to fly high in their career. In that pursuit of education, they turn to the USA, the UK, Canada, Australia and many other countries where they can learn and mold themselves to face off with the struggles of making career.

This is not easy. Apart from being a scholar or having lots of degrees in your hand, there are many daunting challenges interrupt your way.

Let’s catch up with the most prominent ones:

Confusion over legalities

It’s hardly possible that you are aware of legalities that are meant for prospective NRIs who want to study abroad. The reason is certainly the revisions, the add ons and tenets, which frequently change. So, it is really tough to tap on almost every update regarding studying abroad.

For instance, there would be just a few ones who know about provisional student visa and its validity. Those who are willing to temporarily shift to foreign, they have to get it. It is generally valid of six months. Besides, such students should have the proof of admission to the foreign university to a full time regular academic course in a recognized educational institution.

Discrepancies in documents

This is certainly something that can pick on your nerves. There are some mismatches or typo errors that we don’t bother about before applying for visa or passport. These can be related to names, address or date of birth or anything vitally mentioned in your document.

So, the students should always check their documents of birth, address and education to see if there is any mismatch. If all of your documents have identical information, you can go ahead with the immigration procedure without any hassles. But if there is any, you have to make it up look identical in all certificates beforehand. This can be a few months long procedure. So, you should always be attentive to these discrepancies and correct them from the Municipal corporation if it is connected to date of birth and SDM office for aadhar updates.

Delays in attestation

As above gone, any discrepancy can defer your admission in the foreign university. Likewise, you should know about the attestation procedure and the competent authorities. On state level, the human resource department of the state puts the stamp of the education certificates, transcript and personal documents, which are later counter-attested by the MEA or Ministry of External Affairs in India.

However, the MEA has also provided the right to procure documents for attestation to only four agencies whose details you can draw from the official government website.

It can be more than a month long procedure to get documents or certificated attested. So, you should go for it three months before applying for visa.

Lacking professional advice

More than half of the issues arise for students for being a naïve to actual knowledge about the visa, immigration documentation or attestation procedures. The dubious agents take advantage of this situation and make money by trapping you with the fake information.

So, it’s always important to have a trustworthy source of advice. You can research and visit a legal advisor to consult about the immigration process and the contextual information.

Funds discrimination

The tax rules are dissimilar for a native and an NRI. So, the students who are in the part time jobs for making some dollars should always be concerned about it. However, there are some privileges that are reserved for students only. You can get benefits of them, but only when you know about them.

So, acknowledge about them before you catch a flight for learning a course abroad. Thankfully, there is the internet that can help you to know about everything that you don’t know.

Easy Ways for NRIs To Get Transcript

June 9, 2020 Manoj Sodhani Comments 0 Comment

The transcript is a consolidated marksheet validated by the registrar of the varsity. However, every student is provided with marksheet at the end of every academic session. But still, you need to have its consolidated copy, which means the combined copy of all academic sessions’ scorecard. It is also called a transcript certificate.

Purpose to Get It

The aspiring candidates require it to achieve their big goal of higher studies in the foreign or anywhere in the country. In short, it is one of the significant documents for immigration if you are emigrating for employment or studying.

The deemed and worldwide recognized universities and organizations mandate to show it up for getting admission in their courses. They need an evidence of your previous scores. Likewise, multinational firms ask their employees to submit this academic proof before joining. So, it is a proof that you have formally procured degrees.

Language of Transcript

This academic document should essentially be in the regional or internationally accepted English language. The candidates should look into the requirements for its language beforehand. Then only, one should submit a request to get it in the requisite language.

Identification of Official Transcript

This represents a chronology of the applicant’s academic scores. Every deemed or affiliated university puts some kind of stamps or marks to prove it is authentic. One can identify it with kind of paper, its format, the stamp of a particular college or its seal.

It also reads the name of the candidate, enclosing all proofs like marriage certificate, court orders, identity proof or driving licence.

Most of the times, the registrar delivers it in a completely sealed envelope that you must not open before delivery to the employer or university. Otherwise, the competent authority can return it to you without accepting.

Procedure to Apply for

Physically Visit

Certainly, it is good to physically visit the place and apply directly for getting the transcript for NRIs, if you are. But, this is a long process. You may have to come down with the supporting documents and original versions of the aforementioned proofs. Besides, you should have a bank challan to pay as a service charge. This is generally not possible for non-residents.

Digital tweak

In today’s scenario, many small and big academic institutes, schools and universities are digitizing their backend services, like documentation and administration. This is a golden opportunity for the emigrants with Indian passport to download the application form for this transcript.

Later, it can be saved and filled up to transit it to the formal online address of the academy via an email. You may need to pay online and upload the requisite documents’ digital versions in a said format. Subsequently, the registrar will do the needful upon verifying the authenticity of the documents.

Causes of its Rejection

Broken seal of the envelope
Not providing the authentic proofs
Discrepancies in the supporting documents
Place the request early if you have filled up for re-evaluation and the result is awaited

Processing Time

This is a long verification process, wherein the authenticity of all documents is cross examined. So, it may take more than a month or two.

How NRIs Can Get Certificate of No Marriage Quickly?

June 1, 2020 Manoj Sodhani Comments 0 Comment

Also called CENOMAR or Certificate of No Impediment, the Certificate of No Marriage is essential to have for tying a knot abroad with a foreign native. This is to manipulate the wrong practice of polygamy or bigamy.

Besides, there are some people who intend to change the status for getting the green card of the foreign nation. It is a legislation that the person who solemnizes marriage with the native of a particular country would become a native of that foreign land by default. So, people often attempt wedding to get it easily.

Why do you need this certificate?

Apart from marriage, there are many other reasons that push you to get this bachelorhood certificate from India. These are to get these visas-Employment/ business visa, student visa, change of status document and visa for dependents from family.

Raise a request with DM/SDM

India has an organized segregation of districts and cities, besides villages. Each district has a competent authority called District Magistrate or Sub-Divisional Magistrate. The NRIs can check the list of their DM or SDM to apply for it online, if this facility is available there.

Else, they can ask their parents or someone from their blood relationship to get to the office in person and apply for it on your behalf. Unfortunately, there is no competent authority as Philippines Statistics Authority (PSA) here, except for Punjab. So, you need to get to the civil court or SDM office for requesting for the single status certificate.

When can you apply for

Since most of the countries ask to submit this unmarried certificate prior marriage, so it is ideal to apply for it one or two months ago. You will have enough time to sail across challenges to get the CENOMAR.

In the meantime, you should have the checklist of the documents that you need to show up in the support of the single status affidavit. Here is the list:

Passport with photocopy
Divorce Paper, if there is any
Death Certificate of the former Spouse, if there is any
Photograph of the applicant & 2 witnesses
Affidavit/ Application for the Unmarried Certificate
Original/ Photocopy of Aadhaar Card/ Driving Licence/ PAN Card

Counter-attestation & days it takes

Magistrate or Sub-Divisional Magistrate/Notary: This is the very first phase, wherein you apply for the bachelorhood certificate. The notary public notarises it if it is an affidavit, which takes just a day. So, you can reach at 9 in the morning to get it.
Home Department: This is valid for the people of those states where there is home department. Some states like UP that do not have it. So, it’s an optional attestation.
MEA: This is essential to get a stamp from the ministry of the external affairs. You cannot approach there directly. But, you can access the outsourcing agencies, which are four at present. One of these communicates on your behalf. But, it may take a week or more.
Embassy: This is the last level, wherein you need to inform both embassies, i.e. where you permanently live and where you emigrated to. You can book an appointment and get it done.

Service charges

This service passes through different levels for attestation of the certificate. So, the amount that you need to pay varies at each level. Here is an estimate of the fee that you need to pay for this service:

Notary/SDM: INR 100 plus
Home Department: Nil
MEA: INR 50 for agency plus INR 90 for service charge and INR 3 for scanning per page
Embassy: Variable

If you still face off any challenge, you can directly raise an issue with these:

Attestation Section/Apostille Cell
Ministry of External Affairs
Jawahar Lal Nehru Bhawan, Janapath Marg,
New Delhi-110011.
Telephone : 011-49018403011-49018403 (Attestation)
49018404 (Apostille)
CPV Division
Ministry of External Affairs
Patiala House Annexe,
Tilak Marg
New Delhi -110001
Tel No. 011-23387104011-23387104

FAQs

What is the Certificate of No Marriage?

Single Status Certificate is also called CENOMAR or “Certificate of No Marriage Record” or Bachelorhood Certificate, “Certificate of No Impediment” or “Nulla Osta” in different countries. In India, it is issued as an affidavit-a legal document, mentioning that the bearer is single and has no dependent from previous marriage (if it has been solemnized). It subtly says that the bearer is not in a marriage contract. He or she may be a divorcee or widowed, which also depicts singleness.

When is it required?

It is mandatory to submit it in many foreign countries, especially in Europe, Philippines, Australia, the USA, the UK and many other ones if you are willing to get marriage with the foreigner. The immigration authority and external affairs department seek it for preventing their countrymen from being cheated.

Also, the employer or academic institute in the foreign may also ask NRIs to submit it during and after immigration if your purpose of emigration is employment or study.

Where can NRIs apply for it in India or abroad?

If you need it from India, Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) or District Magistrate is the competent authority to address this request. There is no other authority in India that issues it. You ought to notarize the affidavit while verifying supporting documents with notary public.

Then, legalization (i.e. attestation/authorization/apostille) from the State Home Department and then, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) takes place. This attestation takes place at the back of the stage. Being an NRI, you have the embassy of India as an option to apply with. It fulfills all requirements of attestation or apostille services on its own.

What is legalization of Certificate of No Marriage?

Legalisation means verifying details mentioned in the affidavit while cross-checking if all supporting documents are genuine. These documents check authenticity of the bearer’s identity, address, birth, citizenship and guardians’ proofs. The competent authorities in India, such as SDM and then, MEA, attest and counter-attest respectively this affidavit upon verifying all details of the candidate who applies for it. Subsequently, all foreign countries accept it as an authentic proof of being a bachelor.

Is it necessary to get it attested? How can you get it attested in India?

Yes, it is necessary. You can visit e-sanad website, which is an online service by the government. Unfortunately, it is yet to be available across India. Only a few states and districts have this facility.

Those who are fortunate, they can enclose all supporting documents together with the certificate of no marriage, which is an affidavit. Upload documents and pay the requisite fee online. Upon being attested by the MEA, you get a sticker on your affidavit, denoting that it’s been apostilled.

However, the MEA does not accept direct applications for its attestation. You have to contact the outsourcing agency near you to get it done.

Besides, there are two addresses to contact with in case you face off challenges:

Attestation Section/Apostille Cell
Ministry of External Affairs
Jawahar Lal Nehru Bhawan, Janapath Marg,
New Delhi-110011.
Telephone : 011-49018403011-49018403 (Attestation)
49018404 (Apostille)

CPV Division
Ministry of External Affairs
Patiala House Annexe,
Tilak Marg
New Delhi -110001
Tel No. 011-23387104011-23387104

For NRIs, the consulate does it all by itself. The applicant can fill an online form for this document on the Indian embassy website for the particular country. Then, he needs to select a slot for the interview or physical verification. After that, mark the presence in the consulate and get it immediately.

Is apostille stamp acceptable in all countries?

No, it is not valid for all countries. Only 63 countries are members of the Hague Convention, which needs apostille services for all documents.

If you need it for the country that is apart from those 63 nations, you have to visit or contact the outsourcing agency in India, or, embassy if you’re in abroad.

Which countries need the apostille/ attestation of this certificate?

Afghanistan, Jamaica, Sudan, Algeria, Jordan, Syria, Angola, Kenya, Taiwan, Bangladesh, Kuwait, Tanzania, Benin, Laos, Togo, Burkina Faso, Lebanon, Thailand, Burma (Myanmar), Libya, Turkmenistan, Cambodia, Macedonia, UAE (United Arab Emirates), Cameroon, Madagascar, Uganda, Canada, Malaysia, Vietnam, Chile, Mali, Yemen, China, Mauritania, Zambia, Congo Republic, Nepal, Zimbabwe, Congo Democratic, Niger, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Cuba, Pakistan, Egypt, Palestine, Eritrea, Philippines, Ethiopia, Qatar, Ghana, Rwanda, Guinea, Saudi Arabia, Haiti, Senegal, Indonesia, Sierra Leone, Iran, Singapore, Iraq and Sri Lanka

Which supporting documents are needed to enclose with it?

Photographs
Original Passport & its photocopy
Decree Absolute, if divorced
Affidavit (of spouses, parents and witnesses)
Death certificate (of deceased spouse, if widowed)
Original and photocopy of Aadhaar Card/ Voter ID Card/Driving licence

How much does its attestation cost?

The cost may vary, as the competent authority has a right to update it at any point of time. You need to check with the official website of the government or the outsourcing services provider for NRIs.

Notary/Affidavit: INR 20 to INR 100 (variable)
Home Department: Nil
Apostille: INR 50 (may be revised)
Embassy: Variable (in thousands of Rupees)
MEA: INR 50 (agency charges) + INR 90/- (Service Fee)+ INR 3 per page (Scanning Fee)

How many days does it take to deliver the document?

The postal orders service has been discontinued for normal attestation. So, its delivery can take more than a month.

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Month: June 2020