Let the games begin!

I'm sure that in order to move to another country, most people have the same hoops to jump through- such as packing, sorting, garage sale-ing, etc.  But because I am going to teach in another country, I have to have my documents attested.

What does this mean?  It means redundant redundancy.  It means getting 3 different agencies to authenticate the same important documents.  Seekteachers told me they have an agent that can do it.  Sweet!  How much does it cost?  994 pounds.  Putting that into the flux capacitor and carrying the 5, that comes out to $1,527.78.

Uh. Maybe I can just do it myself.  So, I began researching the process.

Step 1:  Get 2 of the 5 documents notarized. But I have to create an affidavit first.  Thank God that I worked in the legal field for 8 years. Then get them notarized.

Step 2:  Send all 5 original documents plus notarized affidavits, a $15 fee per document, a form for each document, and prepaid certified self addressed envelope to the Secretary of State of the State of Texas, Document Authentication Division.  Be advised that there is a 10 day processing window.

($1,527.78 might be doable....)

Step 3: Send all 5 original documents plus notarized affidavits, certificates of authentication from the Secretary of State of the State of Texas, an $8 fee per document, a form for each document, and a prepaid certified self addressed envelope to the Secretary of State of the United States, Document Authentication Division.  Be advised there is an 8 day processing window.

(I mean, 994 pounds isn't real money......)

Step 4:  Send all 5 original documents plus notarized affidavits, certificates of authentication from the Secretary of State of the State of Texas, certificates of authentication from the Secretary of State of the United States, a $30 fee per document, a form for each document, and a prepaid certified self addressed envelope to the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates in Washington DC.  Be advised there is a indeterminate processing window.

Ugh. GEEZ. I'm sure your brain is as fried by that thought as mine is. That $1,527.78 isn't looking too bad.  But alas, I can't bring myself to pay that much money for something that I can do myself.  By my calculation, it will be about $300, depending on how I ship the documents.

So, for the next few months, I will be waiting by the mailbox.  I hope I don't die like George Costanza's fiance from licking the glue on too many envelopes.

Masaa alkhair wa ma:a salaamah

Rachel