Credential Evaluations
If your degree is from an institution based outside the U.S. (including Canada), the U.S. Immigration and Citizenship Services (USCIS) requires an official credential evaluation of your highest degree. The “evaluation” is not a simple English translation, but it has to demonstrate its U.S. degree equivalency in a certain discipline. This USCIS requirement is applicable even with degrees from world-class institutions where the instruction and degree are in English.
If you have more than one degree, you generally need to have one degree evaluated, the degree related to your Yale appointment. If you have multiple advanced degrees, you may wish to speak to your OISS adviser to determine which degree is most related to your Yale appointment.
In the United States, there is no governmental body that accredits or approves credential evaluation agencies. Companies that offer credential assessment services are self-regulated, private entities. Some companies are members of nationally recognized associations, namely the Association of International Credential Evaluators (AICE) and the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES), who have their internal standards and codes of conduct. Providers are not required to join associations and may operate independently.
OISS does not endorse or recommend any particular service, but these are some services that we observe many immigration petition seekers at Yale choose to obtain evaluations:
- Academic Credential Evaluation Institute
- Education Credential Evaluators
- The Evaluation Company (formerly known as Morningside Evaluations)
- Trustforte
- World Education Services
Please be sure that the evaluation indicates the US degree equivalent with field of study, and that the evaluator provides a description of their professional credentials.
The individual employee is responsible for obtaining an evaluation, and any resulting evaluation is considered the employee's property. Please work with the evaluation agency of your choice and follow their instructions when completing your request for their services. Pricing varies based on the type of evaluation and processing time.
NOTE: For clinical-care appointments requiring M.D. and licensure, you may be able to use the ECFMG certificate as your credential evaluation for the H-1B purpose. However, you cannot use FCVS or ECFMG to meet your evaluation requirement for green card processing.
Translations
All documents submitted in any immigration application (including the visas mentioned above) must be in English or accompanied by an English translation. You do not need to hire an official translator or have the documents “notarized.” The translation can be completed by a language department or by any colleague who is fluent in both English and the language of the document. The translation should include, at the end, a statement similar to the one below.
Certification of Accuracy:
I, (Name), residing in the State of Connecticut, being duly sworn, attest that I am fluent in both English and { fill-in language }. I have made a translation to English of the attached { name the document e.g. Birth Certificate } which was written in { fill-in language }. I hereby certify that this is a true and complete translation to the best of my knowledge, ability, and belief.
Signed:
Dated:
