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Certified or Notarised Translation – Which Do You Require?
A document often has to undergo translation if being used for any official purpose in an overseas country. If you were married abroad and didn't have an English version produced at the time, or are travelling to a country and require your English certificate for identification purposes, it can get confusing very quickly. Here we look at the two main types of translations, and the different situations in which your documents may require them.
Legalisation And Aggravation – Inside Information From Our Runner
At Vital Consular we offer an urgent legalisation service, ensuring that anyone using their UK documents overseas can have them processed as quickly as possible if they're short on time. Wherever you are in the world, you don't have to go further than the post office to enjoy this speedy service. Our London office has a dedicated team of runners who go out daily submitting and collecting documents for you. Here's a look into a typical day for them, and how their expertise and knowledge allows us to offer you the most convenient and cost-effective urgent service possible.
Travel to Europe Post-Brexit – How much of a headache will it be?
With the political landscape currently in a state of deep uncertainty, one of the biggest worries for Brits is how this will affect their ability to travel within Europe post-Brexit. So far, speculation has been rife and until Brexit passes one way or another, it's hard to know for sure how travel after Brexit will play out. With so many British expats all over Europe, as well as tourists who flock to the mainland at least once a year, we look at how this could potentially be handled in the future.
Schengen Visa Application from UK – Part 2 Essential Information
The document requirements for Schengen Visa applications from the UK can be confusing, especially as each destination has their own unique guidelines as to what must be provided. Following on from last month's Introduction to Schengen Visas, we demystify this complex subject, giving you a simple and to-the-point explanation of what paperwork you must submit in order to be issued one of these travel visas.
Residence Visas for the Middle East – Signs the Freeze Has Begun to Thaw
Last month, we published an article in response to many news stories which had began to circulate regarding the changes in residence visas, and how this could potentially affect expats in the Middle East.
The Pitfalls of Overseas Document Legalisation – Complex Problems We’ve Solved
It's becoming more and more common for people to move abroad to work, study or for a change of lifestyle in a new country. However, this can lead to a lot of complexity when it comes to their paperwork. Since we have colleagues situated in dedicated legalisation offices across the globe, we love a challenge when it comes to customers struggling to have their overseas documents legalised. Here's a look at some of the more unusual combinations we've handled for our customers in the past!
Schengen Visa Guide Part 1 – What is it and who needs one?
What is a Schengen visa? The topic is both vast and complex. With this in mind, we have decided to create a series of blog posts on this topic to ensure we can answer as many questions and concerns for you as possible.
How Can Legalisation For Qatar Go Wrong?
In this first part in our Legalisation Fixers series, we are looking at the most common issue we receive queries about. As Qatar require supporting documentation to legalise education certificates, this can cause confusion and delays. This is due to the very specific guidelines which these documents must meet in order to be stamped at the Qatari Embassy. Here is a recent case study of one such order we processed, where the customer had attempted to process the documentation themselves only to have the letter rejected.
What Can Go Wrong With Chinese Legalisation?
In this final part in our Legalisation Fixers series, we are focusing on the complex process of Chinese document legalisation. As a destination with one of the most exacting list of requirements, it's not surprising that we offer a lot of support to customers travelling to China. Each case is different and depends on various factors as to how the documents are handled. Here we look at a recent case which is very similar to a lot of people's experience during this process.
Get Documents Legalised – Why it’s never too late to ask for help
Moving overseas for a new job, or dealing with bureaucracy in a foreign country is usually a time-consuming and difficult task. You'll be bombarded by a number of new terms, such as "legalisation", "notarisation", "attestation" and "authentication", and it can be quite confusing to navigate your way through the maze to simply get documents legalised. What do you do if you've started the process yourself but come up against issues, delays and further complications?
The Middle Eastern Visa Freeze – How will this affect Expats?
Over the past few years, momentum has grown towards the nationalisation of job markets across the GCC and other parts of the Middle and Far East. This is intended to cut unemployment levels for nationals as well as improve prospects in higher paid positions. Which countries are attempting to reduce expat worker numbers, and how will this affect those wishing to work overseas in these nations?
Neom – Saudi’s Expat Capital of the Future?
In the first quarter of 2019, Saudi Arabia's new mega-city named Neom, or "The Red Sea Project", commenced construction. The vision of Saudi's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, this new centre of commerce and high-end tourism covers over 10, 000 square miles. With the aim to establish Neom as a hotspot for business, expats and tourists from across the globe, what will this mean for those wishing to travel there?
Want to retain your EU Citizenship post-Brexit?
With the prospective Brexit date of March 29th creeping ever closer, many British citizens are gearing up to try and claim citizenship in one of the remaining EU member states. Recent data shows that the number of British citizens successfully acquiring citizenship for another European Union country has more than doubled since 2016, the very year the Brexit referendum took place. If ensuring you retain your status as a citizen of an EU state is part of your plan, what do you need to begin the process?
Business Visas – When Are They Required?
If you're travelling for business, you'd think it's a given that you'd require a business visa for the country you're visiting. In reality, that depends on what you'll be doing on behalf of your company in the destination country, as well as which country you will be visiting. What's classified as a "business trip"? Here we look at some classification examples for popular economic centres.
Police Clearance Certificates – What Are The Different Types?
Some form of police clearance check is now mandatory for employment in most sectors, and for the majority of countries when working overseas. This is especially true for all applications for China and Qatar, and in positions such as teaching and banking across the globe. But which types of checks are available, and how do they differ?
Easing Travel Visa Restrictions – Which Countries Are Leading The Way?
Countries across the world are exploring how to open their doors more widely to tourism and international business. Making visa processes simpler and less expensive can be an important factor in attracting more visitors, which in turn can give a welcome boost to the economy. Which countries are in the process of making changes in hopes of benefiting from more foreign footfall?
Philippines Enters The Hague Apostille Convention
On 14th May 2019, the Philippines will become an effective member state of the Apostille Agreement, part of the Hague Convention. This will mean that for many people wishing to legalise documents for use in the Philippines, the current process of seals and red ribbons applied by the Embassies worldwide will be a thing of the past. How will this affect those wishing to relocate or conduct business within the country?
Certified or Notarised – What’s the Difference?
When it comes to legalisation, unfamiliar terminology can often cause confusion to those who are not well versed in the processes involved. Some terms, such as "legalisation" and "attestation" can be used interchangeably, but essentially mean the same thing.
Others, such as "certified copy" and "notarised copy", require a clear distinction and can be the difference between a document being accepted or rejected when presented in your destination country. Here we will present the differences in a clear and understandable way!
UK-Issued Islamic Marriage Certificates – Where Are They Recognised?
At present, Islamic marriages are not recognised as legally binding by UK law. This is out of step with many other religious ceremonies which are recognised such as Jewish and Quaker marriages. Unless the married couple go on to seek a civil ceremony, their marriage is not considered legal and will miss out on rights enjoyed by other married couples. Does this apply to other countries and can they be legalised for use overseas?
Chinese Travel Visa – Do you really need one?
China is a popular transit hub with excellent transport links across the globe. This can be a great opportunity to take in some of China's sights, if you're able to make use of their excellent transit visa system. It can be complicated however, as each airport and region has it's own rules on length of stay and which nationalities can apply. If you're unsure, read on to find out if you really need to apply for that full visa before you leave.