i944 - degree equivalency

[DexterHD 1]

Hey guys, 

 

I am filling i944 for my i458 form. In part 4 item 3 of form i944, it is asked to list my educational history which is fine. But in the instructions, it says I need to provide degree equivalency for all my foreign degrees.  I have a PhD and a Master degree from a university in the US. But I took my B.Sc. and high school degrees at my home country.  Do I still need to get degree equivalency for my high school and undergrad? Does it make sense?  

 

 

[irishoxford 38]

Dexter,

I have the same (Master's/PhD in the U.S., and an undergraduate and high school education in my home country). 

I did get the equivalency done for the high school and undergraduate education for the I-944.  I didn't feel that their language gave any wiggle-room for our particular circumstances.  They may, in the future, clarify the requirements, but better safe than sorry.  Some of the equivalency companies will allow you to send in transcripts electronically, and do provide rush services if you're in a rush.

One thing I'd clarify with any potential verification company would be if they do your high school and undergraduate verification as a package, or if you'll have to pay twice instead.  It seems that some of them seem to require high school information to do the verification for the undergraduate degree (and then provide equivalences for both educational levels on the same document).  

As I said, best to ask the particular company!

J

 

Edited April 13, 2020 by irishoxford

[juancarlos 121]

I am having a very similar doubt. 

 

Currently, I am doing my masters in the US (visa F-1). I got married recently to a US citizen and I am going through the process of AOS. So my question is the same: should I provide a credential evaluation by an authorized company that reviews my foreign degree? I assume that I'd just need to do it with my college degree, not my high school degree.

 

I contacted FIS (Foundation for International Services), a NACES member, and I was planning to do a document-by-document evaluation of my undergraduate bachelor's degree that I got in Spain. Should I do this if I am studying a master's in the USA? It is $100 which I do not mind to pay but I want to be sure I need to do it.

 

I hope you guys can provide some guidance on this. Thank you so much

[DexterHD 1]

14 hours ago, irishoxford said:

Dexter,

I have the same (Master's/PhD in the U.S., and an undergraduate and high school education in my home country). 

I did get the equivalency done for the high school and undergraduate education for the I-944.  I didn't feel that their language gave any wiggle-room for our particular circumstances.  They may, in the future, clarify the requirements, but better safe than sorry.  Some of the equivalency companies will allow you to send in transcripts electronically, and do provide rush services if you're in a rush.

One thing I'd clarify with any potential verification company would be if they do your high school and undergraduate verification as a package, or if you'll have to pay twice instead.  It seems that some of them seem to require high school information to do the verification for the undergraduate degree (and then provide equivalences for both educational levels on the same document).  

As I said, best to ask the particular company!

J

 

 Thank you irishoxford! I agree that the safest plan is to take the hassle and have all the foreign diplomas translated and evaluated. If you have any suggestions as for an evaluation company let me know. 

[DexterHD 1]

18 minutes ago, juancarlos said:

I am having a very similar doubt. 

 

Currently, I am doing my masters in the US (visa F-1). I got married recently to a US citizen and I am going through the process of AOS. So my question is the same: should I provide a credential evaluation by an authorized company that reviews my foreign degree? I assume that I'd just need to do it with my college degree, not my high school degree.

 

I contacted FIS (Foundation for International Services), a NACES member, and I was planning to do a document-by-document evaluation of my undergraduate bachelor's degree that I got in Spain. Should I do this if I am studying a master's in the USA? It is $100 which I do not mind to pay but I want to be sure I need to do it.

 

I hope you guys can provide some guidance on this. Thank you so much

That's what I am thinking to do! But I think, it is the safest to have the high-school degree evaluated as well. I guess in the future editions of i-944 they will address this issue. I am applying for NIW . Even for i-140 they didn't ask for such documents (only the highest degree is sufficient). 

[irishoxford 38]

Dexter,

I used Spantran, but they weren't particularly good with the way in which they communicated.  Also unavailable by phone generally.  They were quick though.  Depends how insecure you want to feel!

Here's what I experienced (bear with me - it's a bit confusing):

1) I did a 2-day rush equivalency evaluation of my undergraduate degree (cost was somewhere in the $260 range).  You send a scan via their online portal of your transcript.

2) The same day I did a slightly slower equivalency evaluation of my high school "diploma" (my U.K. GCSE/A-Levels) (cost was somewhere in the $235 range).

• When I mentioned the confusion in my previous email, the staff member evaluating the undergraduate degree asked or my high school "diploma" anyway, so it ended up on the document produced for the undergraduate degree equivalency too. 
• They sent that equivalency document by email and by post. 
• The initial document they send gives the full equivalency and a brief "Verification in Progress" comment (for the verification of the transcript itself).  I was able to send that initial document on to USCIS.  (Later, within a couple of weeks in my case, they send you the same document with "Verification Complete"). 
• USCIS only asks for equivalency, not for a full verification of the transcript itself, so that first document was sent to USCIS as soon as I got it.  
• As I said, a second document came out a couple of weeks later - it's exactly the same as the first document, but with "Verification Complete".  
   
• The high school equivalency order arrived separately (a couple of days after the university one).  
• So, essentially, I might have paid twice given that Spantran seems to have rolled up the high school and university equivalencies into the 2-day rush document.
• As I said before, you may want to query with the provider before you send stuff in.  I am just in more of a rush because my EAD will run out in the early Autumn, and spending out $500 was better at that point than losing my job later in the year.
  
  
  Hope that helps!
  
  J

 

[juancarlos 121]

54 minutes ago, DexterHD said:

That's what I am thinking to do! But I think, it is the safest to have the high-school degree evaluated as well. I guess in the future editions of i-944 they will address this issue. I am applying for NIW . Even for i-140 they didn't ask for such documents (only the highest degree is sufficient). 

Hi Dexter,

 

I agree with you that is safest to have the high-school degree evaluated as well, so here is what I finally did. I used FIS (Foundation for International Services) and request a document-by-document evaluation. They are actually really helpful and communicative, so they have been helping me with my questions. They do not need original copies of the documents, but if you send certificate copies or photocopies they state it in the final credential evaluation. I scanned and sent them all my high school diploma and college degree diploma from Spain, with legal translations, and for $100 they do the credential evaluation that USCIS needs (FIS is a member of NACES). If you pay more you have the evaluation done faster. Also, and this is important, if at the time of application you request it, they also evaluate the high-sschool degree, with no extra cost. So well, I believe this might be enough for the I-944, hopefully!

 

They explain it in the website: https://www.fis-web.com/credential-evaluations/

[Mih 1]

On 4/13/2020 at 1:50 PM, juancarlos said:

Hi Dexter,

 

I agree with you that is safest to have the high-school degree evaluated as well, so here is what I finally did. I used FIS (Foundation for International Services) and request a document-by-document evaluation. They are actually really helpful and communicative, so they have been helping me with my questions. They do not need original copies of the documents, but if you send certificate copies or photocopies they state it in the final credential evaluation. I scanned and sent them all my high school diploma and college degree diploma from Spain, with legal translations, and for $100 they do the credential evaluation that USCIS needs (FIS is a member of NACES). If you pay more you have the evaluation done faster. Also, and this is important, if at the time of application you request it, they also evaluate the high-sschool degree, with no extra cost. So well, I believe this might be enough for the I-944, hopefully!

 

They explain it in the website: https://www.fis-web.com/credential-evaluations/

Hi, I have a question! Im thinking to get my degrees evaluated with FIS as well. So based on what you said I dont need to send any docs by email or mail to them, right? i just need to scan my original certificates in their webosite? Please, let me know. Thanks!

[juancarlos 121]

3 hours ago, Mih said:

Hi, I have a question! Im thinking to get my degrees evaluated with FIS as well. So based on what you said I dont need to send any docs by email or mail to them, right? i just need to scan my original certificates in their webosite? Please, let me know. Thanks!

Hi! Well basically when you start the process in the website they tell you to upload the documents you have so yes, scan the originals and you can upload them there.

 

Remember that they have to be in English or else you have to scan the official translations as well.

 

I hope this helps,

[Ally&Axel 43]

On 4/12/2020 at 9:20 PM, DexterHD said:

Hey guys, 

 

I am filling i944 for my i458 form. In part 4 item 3 of form i944, it is asked to list my educational history which is fine. But in the instructions, it says I need to provide degree equivalency for all my foreign degrees.  I have a PhD and a Master degree from a university in the US. But I took my B.Sc. and high school degrees at my home country.  Do I still need to get degree equivalency for my high school and undergrad? Does it make sense?  

 

 

Hi Dexter,

 

I wish we could have more detailed information on this but since we're the first batch of people to send i944 I guess we'll have to wait and see. 

I didn't get an evaluation of my high school diploma, I didn't even mentioned it because I felt it was irrelevant at the time but now I wish I did.. 

 

I agree though it's better to be safe than sorry. This form with supporting document is so massive it doesn't even fit in one envelope. 

 

Good luck to you all.

[Mih 1]

On 4/25/2020 at 2:19 PM, juancarlos said:

Hi! Well basically when you start the process in the website they tell you to upload the documents you have so yes, scan the originals and you can upload them there.

 

Remember that they have to be in English or else you have to scan the official translations as well.

 

I hope this helps,

Sorry but i have another question. 

I will get the evaluation from high school. So it will cost me $100 (2 weeks). If I  add my Diploma and its transcript from university then the price will still be $100 for both diplomas and transcripts?

[juancarlos 121]

16 minutes ago, Mih said:

Sorry but i have another question. 

I will get the evaluation from high school. So it will cost me $100 (2 weeks). If I  add my Diploma and its transcript from university then the price will still be $100 for both diplomas and transcripts?

Yeah! I asked them that and both are $100.

[Mih 1]

Just now, juancarlos said:

Yeah! I asked them that and both are $100.

awesome! Thank you very much!

[Mih 1]

 

2 hours ago, juancarlos said:

Yeah! I asked them that and both are $100.

For the form I-944 the immigration is asking for only the evaluation of diploma or they also need the transcript? the FIS told that if I actually want my transcripts evaluated (converted grades, converted credits, GPA) that would be the Course-by-Course evaluation report. But I saw that you asked for document-by-document. Was it accepted from the USCIS only the diploma evaluation?

Edited April 28, 2020 by Mih

[juancarlos 121]

54 minutes ago, Mih said:

 

For the form I-944 the immigration is asking for only the evaluation of diploma or they also need the transcript? the FIS told that if I actually want my transcripts evaluated (converted grades, converted credits, GPA) that would be the Course-by-Course evaluation report. But I saw that you asked for document-by-document. Was it accepted from the USCIS only the diploma evaluation?

That's a good point... I sent them my transcripts but they did not mention it in the report and I was wondering why. I bought the document-by-document so it makes sense with what you said. But I would say that what I have should be enough for the I-944. You normally need a evaluation of the transcripts when you apply to a school or something.

 

Any other thoughts? I still did not send my package to USCIS so I do not know 100% if it's enough

Edited April 28, 2020 by juancarlos