Travelling with ACCA

EFFORD

Just a very quick note for those of you wishing to travel outside of the EU on your ACCA qualifications -

Most jurisdictions require all documentation that will be used in a visa application to be authenticated by your government and then attested by their embassy in your state.

Irish government will not authenticate documents created outside the state for bodies based outside of the state.
This causes a problem for ACCA students, members and affiliates wishing to use their ACCA exams as part of their visa application.
I rang ACCA Dublin, asking for them to put a stamp showing the ACCA Dublin address on my documents - I was told this is not possible, that perhaps the college I studied at could stamp the document. The college would not.

THe Dept of For Affairs advised my only option was to travel to the UK to have it authenticated there - which involves visits to govt departments and solicitors etc - very costly.

I contacted the head of the ACCA in Ireland, she agreed to stamp the document for me.

Be aware - you will need the document stamped by ACCA in Dublin before it can be authenticated here, and before it can be given to the embassy of the country you are travelling to.

I firmly believe this to be a major flaw in the ACCA mantra that you can travel anywhere with ACCA. Perhaps if you are based in the UK this is true.
In my opinion, all documentation issued by the ACCA should be issued within the state in which the exam is taken. They have offices in Dublin, I fail to see how this can be too much of administrative issue for them to implement.

Anyway, just a heads up - contact Katherine Moore of ACCA Ireland if you find yourself in this situation. She will stamp and return the documents to you, and you can then get them authenticated without the need for expensive trips to the UK.

smcgiff

Let me get this straight. ACCA were able to do what was required. What's the issue again?