This is NOT Your Ordinary Piece of Cake: Part 1

[How to] Process DFA Authenticated Documents

RED RIBBON: A Brand of Cake or Authenticated Documents? 

Are you planning to go abroad, especially on Middle East? Do you have any idea on how to process your papers to be authenticated by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA)? The one they called “RED RIBBON”, a brand of cakes we know here in the Philippines. But this RED RIBBON is not a brand of cakes and confectioneries you usually eat during birthday celebrations and alike, it is known as the authenticated documents of the DFA because of the literally red ribbon attached to a documents with a dry seal.

DFA authenticates different kind of documents depending on the needs of the country you are applying or for the positions you applying to. We (nurses), are required to process our papers before leaving the country, this authenticated documents serves as our copy of our documents abroad. Generally, those agencies are asking for the following documents to be authenticated by the DFA, such as; PRC License, Board Rating and Board Passing, Board Certificate, School Papers (Diploma, Transcript of Records and Related Learning Experience) and your Certificate of Employment if you are previously employed.

This DFA authentication process requires you an extra effort to do all those documents. It takes a day or two, or even a month depending on the process of each agency. But it doesn’t mean that you have a photocopy of your original documents tends you to approved your papers to be authenticated?

Let’s all find out how!

School Credentials

School credentials or academic records needing to be authenticated are the following: College Diploma, Transcript of Records and Related Learning Experience). These are the documents usually needed in applying abroad.

1. Photocopy all your documents, make sure that it is clear and all details are visible.
2. Proceed to your colleges/universities together with your documents to be authenticated by the registrar.
3. Fill up the application form provided by your school/university, pay the necessary amount.
4. Wait for the releasing date of your documents (depending on the date given by your schools).

Based on CHED Memorandum Order #: 14 Series of 2007 “Authentication of School Documents per Executive Order Number 582 and Expanding the Coverage of Higher Education Graduates Database as Basis for Preliminary Authentication of School Documents” states that:

CHED Certification attached to your DFA authenticated documents

Higher Education Institution (HEIs)  to CHED:

• If hand carried by student/graduate, the HEIs registrar shall properly secure the transmittal of the diploma/TOR/other pertinent school documents by affixing security sticker provided by CHED on the container/envelop.
• If hand carried by the HEIs Liaison Officer, the HEIs registrar shall properly secure the container/envelop of the same documents by affixing HEI sticker countersigned by the registrar.

CHED to DFA:

• The CHED Regional Office shall issue claim stub/receipt in favor of the applicant but will not release document to the applicant. 
• The applicant should be advised to pick up the document authenticated by DFA after two (2) working days.
• The CHEDRO shall transmit all applicants received through DFAs official Courier for DFA authentication, the schedule of pickup of applications by DFA official courier form CHED Regional Office.

For State Universities:

Go to your respective school to get your CAV and follow the steps. In contrast, for those private universities, the registrar office will be the one forwarding your academic documents to CHED, and then CHED will send the documents directly to the DFA. 

You need to go back to your Alma matter to get your DFA claim stub. The next thing you do is to proceed to DFA on the date of release and pay necessary amount.

For more details please check the CHED Memorandum Order # 14 Series of 2007.

(To be continued......)