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FIS, short for Foundation for International Services, Inc., is a credential evaluation and document services provider that has operated since 1978. It describes itself as a leading provider of international credential evaluations, translations, and expert opinions, and it is a charter member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES). If you hold educational credentials or documents from outside the United States and need them interpreted for a U.S. institution, employer, licensing body, or immigration purpose, FIS is one of the organizations you can use. Its services are aimed at international professionals, students, companies, and institutions.

What FIS Does

FIS focuses on three core service lines, according to its website:

• Credential Evaluations — Documents your educational level and expertise by converting foreign credentials into a form U.S. organizations can understand.
• Translations — Provides meaning and context for documents in virtually any language.
• Expert Opinions — Letters that strengthen a credential evaluation, described by FIS as a university professor's recommendation.

The organization positions these services as a way to gain a competitive edge for employment, university admission, and certifications.

Who Uses FIS Services

FIS states that its evaluations are used for:

• Immigration
• Employment
• Admission into U.S. universities
• Meeting licensing or certification requirements

That makes FIS relevant if you are an immigrant, a job seeker with foreign credentials, a student applying to a U.S. school, or a professional who needs to satisfy a licensing board. Companies and institutions also use FIS to evaluate credentials on behalf of applicants or employees.

How the Process Works

FIS describes a simple, upload-based workflow on its site:

1. Review pricing — FIS publishes a pricing page ("View Pricing") so you can see its "competitive pricing structure" before committing.
2. Upload your documents — The site advertises a "Quick & Easy Upload" step to get started.
3. Receive your evaluation or translation — FIS emphasizes "reliable delivery" and says it helps thousands of people each year.

The exact document requirements depend on your country and credential type. FIS's own news section, for example, addresses what documents it needs to evaluate Chinese credentials, which suggests requirements vary by origin country.

Why the NACES Membership Matters

FIS identifies itself as a charter member of NACES. NACES is a membership association of credential evaluation services, and membership signals that a provider meets the association's standards. For readers choosing an evaluator, this is a checkable credential: you can verify NACES membership independently rather than relying on a provider's own claims.

What Users Say

FIS publishes testimonials on its site, including comments such as "Evaluation request very smooth and professional," "It helped me to finish the evaluation of degree and transcripts, really helpful," and "FIS took care of me in a scary and long process." These are self-reported customer reviews, so treat them as marketing rather than independent verification. They do indicate the kinds of situations people bring to FIS: degree and transcript evaluation, and stressful, time-sensitive processes.

When FIS Is a Reasonable Choice

Consider FIS if:

• You need a credential evaluation for immigration, employment, university admission, or licensing.
• You need documents translated as part of that process.
• You want a provider with a long operating history and NACES membership.

Before committing, check the pricing page for current fees, confirm the specific documents your target institution or agency requires, and verify that FIS evaluations are accepted by the organization you are submitting to. Requirements differ by purpose, and acceptance is ultimately decided by the receiving body, not the evaluation service.

Document services, in the context of international credentials, are professional services that convert your foreign academic and professional records into formats U.S. institutions can understand and accept. They typically include three distinct offerings: credential evaluations, translations, and expert opinion letters. You need them when a U.S. university, employer, licensing board, or immigration authority asks you to document what a foreign degree, diploma, or transcript actually represents. Foundation for International Services (FIS), a charter member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) operating since 1978, describes its work as serving international professionals, students, companies, and institutions for immigration, employment, university admission, and licensing or certification requirements.

The three services that make up document services

These are related but not interchangeable. Knowing which one you need prevents paying for the wrong thing.

FIS presents these as its core professional services, with evaluations positioned as the primary offering and translations and expert opinions as supporting services.

Which documents usually need evaluation or translation

The documents in question are the ones that prove your academic and professional history. In practice these are:

• Degrees and diplomas — the certificate showing what you were awarded
• Transcripts — the record of courses and grades behind the degree
• Professional or licensing documents — where a certification or license is part of your case

FIS's own guidance on Chinese credentials frames the question as "what documents does Foundation for International Services need to evaluate your degree," which reflects the general pattern: the evaluation is built from your degree and the transcript that supports it, not from the degree alone.

How the process generally works

The steps are consistent across providers, though details vary:

1. Choose a provider. Check whether the institution requesting your evaluation specifies a particular service or type of membership. NACES membership is a common benchmark — FIS notes it is a charter member of NACES and emphasizes compliance within industry standards.
2. Submit your documents. FIS advertises a "quick and easy upload" and a "get started" entry point for beginning a request. You provide the degree, transcript, and any supporting records.
3. The provider evaluates or translates. For an evaluation, your foreign credentials are documented in U.S. equivalence terms. For a translation, the document is rendered into the target language.
4. Receive the completed evaluation or translation and submit it to the university, employer, licensing body, or immigration authority that asked for it.

FIS describes the outcome as giving clients "a competitive edge to employment, universities, and certifications," and its published testimonials repeatedly mention smooth evaluation requests and helpful staff — useful signals about the customer experience, though not a substitute for confirming your specific requirements with the receiving institution.

What document services are not

This is where confusion is common. Document services for credentials are not:

• Notarization — a notary confirms identity and signature, not what your degree is worth
• Courier or shipping services — these move documents, they don't interpret them
• A guarantee of admission, employment, or visa approval — an evaluation documents your credentials; the receiving institution makes the decision

If someone offers to "certify" your foreign degree without producing an evaluation report or translation, that is a different category of service.

Choosing a provider: what to check

• Membership and standards. NACES membership is a recognized marker; FIS cites its charter membership and adherence to industry standards.
• Track record. FIS has operated since 1978 and describes itself as an industry leader — longevity matters when your documents are hard to replace.
• Fit for your purpose. Confirm the provider handles the specific use case (immigration, employment, admission, licensing) before you pay.
• Pricing transparency. FIS publishes a pricing page, so you can review its structure before committing. Check current pricing directly, since it is not reproduced here.
• Reviews. FIS collects client testimonials and invites reviews; reading them gives a sense of typical experiences, though individual cases vary.

For a fuller comparison of how to select among evaluation services, see the related question on choosing an international credential evaluation service.

A credential evaluation is a written report that converts education and work experience earned outside the United States into a U.S. equivalency, so a school, employer, licensing body, or immigration authority can understand what your foreign credentials mean. You typically need one when a U.S. organization asks you to prove that a degree, diploma, or professional qualification from another country is equivalent to a U.S. credential. Providers such as the Foundation for International Services (FIS) have offered these evaluations, along with translations and expert opinions, since 1978, and FIS is a charter member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES).

What a credential evaluation actually does

A credential evaluation does not re-issue your degree or certify that you are qualified for a job. It documents your educational level and expertise in U.S. terms. FIS describes its evaluations as accurately documenting your expertise and educational level, which is what lets a U.S. reader compare your foreign background against a familiar standard.

In practice, the report answers questions like: Is this three-year bachelor's degree equivalent to a U.S. bachelor's degree? Does this diploma represent a high school completion? What level does this professional title correspond to? The evaluator reviews your documents and issues a report stating the U.S. equivalency.

When you need one

According to FIS, its evaluations are used for immigration, employment, admission into U.S. universities, and meeting licensing or certification requirements. That covers most situations where a U.S. institution or agency has to interpret a foreign credential.

• Immigration: Supporting documentation where your education or professional background must be stated in U.S. terms.
• Employment: Giving employers a clear picture of your qualifications so you can compete for roles.
• University admission: Showing that your prior education meets a program's entry expectations.
• Licensing or certification: Satisfying a board or certifying body that reviews foreign credentials.

If the organization you are dealing with explicitly asks for a "credential evaluation" or an "equivalency report," that is your signal to get one. If it only asks for a translation, you may not need a full evaluation.

Documents, translations, and expert opinions

The exact document list depends on your country and your goal. FIS publishes country-specific guidance — for example, it has an expert advice article on what documents it needs to evaluate a Chinese degree — so the reliable move is to check the requirements for your specific credential rather than assume a universal checklist.

Three services often work together:

Translations and expert opinions are positioned by FIS as complements to the evaluation, not replacements for it. If your documents are already in English and your reviewer only wants an equivalency, you may not need the translation service.

How to choose a provider

Two factors do most of the work here.

Membership and standing. NACES membership is a commonly referenced signal of credibility, and FIS notes it is a charter member. Many universities, employers, and licensing bodies specify that they accept evaluations from NACES members, so confirming this before you pay can save you from an evaluation that gets rejected.

Pricing and process fit. FIS publishes a pricing page, so you can review its structure before committing. Compare providers on the same dimensions: what the report includes, whether translation is bundled or separate, turnaround expectations, and whether the receiving organization has a preferred provider. FIS also emphasizes customer service and compliance within industry standards, and its site includes client testimonials about the process being smooth and professional — useful context, though your own requirements should drive the decision.

The basic steps

1. Confirm what the recipient requires. Ask the school, employer, licensing board, or immigration contact whether they need a credential evaluation, a translation, or both, and whether they require a NACES-member provider.
2. Check the document requirements for your country. Use provider guidance specific to your credential rather than a generic list.
3. Request the evaluation. FIS describes a quick and easy upload process to get started.
4. Arrange translation if needed. If your documents are not in English, add the translation service.
5. Consider an expert opinion if your situation calls for extra supporting documentation.
6. Receive and submit your report to the organization that requested it.

The main places people get stuck are submitting the wrong documents for their country, assuming a translation alone will satisfy a reviewer who wants an equivalency, and choosing a provider the recipient does not accept. Verifying the recipient's requirements first avoids all three.

International credential evaluation services convert your foreign education and professional credentials into a U.S.-equivalent format that employers, universities, licensing boards, and immigration authorities can understand. You need one when a U.S. organization asks you to prove what your foreign degree or training actually means in American terms—typically for immigration, employment, university admission, or professional licensing. This guide explains what these services do, how the different document services differ, and how to pick a provider you can rely on.

What a credential evaluation actually is

A credential evaluation is a formal written report that documents your educational level and expertise by comparing your foreign credentials against U.S. standards. It does not translate your documents word-for-word; it interprets them. The evaluator reviews your degree, transcripts, and supporting documents, then states what U.S. equivalent they represent—for example, whether a foreign three-year bachelor's degree is comparable to a U.S. bachelor's degree.

According to Foundation for International Services (FIS), a provider operating since 1978, evaluations are used for immigration, employment, admission into U.S. universities, and for meeting licensing or certification requirements. That range matters: the same foreign degree may need to be framed differently depending on whether an immigration officer, an HR department, or a state licensing board is reading it.

When you need one

You generally need a credential evaluation when a U.S. institution or agency will not accept your foreign documents at face value. Common triggers:

• Immigration — supporting a visa, green card, or asylum-related filing that requires proof of education.
• Employment — an employer or recruiter needs to verify that your foreign degree meets a job's education requirement.
• University admission — a U.S. school needs your foreign transcripts converted into a comparable format before reviewing your application.
• Licensing or certification — a professional board requires confirmation that your foreign training meets its standards.

If you are unsure whether your situation requires an evaluation, the deciding question is simple: has an organization asked you to demonstrate the U.S. equivalency of your foreign credentials? If yes, you need one.

Evaluation vs. translation vs. expert opinion

These are three distinct services, and people often confuse them. FIS lists all three as separate offerings:

A key practical point: translation and evaluation are not interchangeable. A translation makes your document readable in English; an evaluation interprets its academic or professional value. Some situations require both. An expert opinion letter is an add-on that reinforces an evaluation rather than a substitute for it.

How to choose a reputable provider

The single most useful signal is membership in a recognized industry association. FIS is a charter member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES), which is a commonly cited marker of legitimacy in this field. Membership signals that a provider has agreed to meet certain professional and ethical standards.

Beyond membership, weigh these factors:

• Track record and longevity — FIS has operated since 1978 and describes itself as an industry leader with over 40 years of experience. Longevity is not proof of quality on its own, but it indicates stability and familiarity with evolving requirements.
• Range of services — A provider that offers evaluation, translation, and expert opinions can handle a case end-to-end rather than forcing you to coordinate multiple vendors.
• Customer experience — FIS publishes testimonials describing smooth, professional evaluation requests and helpful staff. Reviews are useful for spotting friction points, but treat them as one input among several.
• Compliance with industry standards — FIS states it provides a high level of customer service and compliance within industry standards. Ask any provider how they handle document verification and confidentiality.

A practical approach: confirm the provider is a NACES member (or holds a comparable recognized membership), check that they offer the specific service your situation requires, and read recent reviews for how they handle problems, not just successes.

What the process typically involves

While exact steps vary by provider and by the purpose of your evaluation, the general flow is:

1. Identify what the receiving organization requires. Some ask for a "course-by-course" evaluation, others a "document-by-document" evaluation. Confirm this before you order.
2. Gather your documents. This usually means your degree certificate and transcripts. If they are not in English, you will likely need certified translations.
3. Submit your request and documents. FIS describes a "quick and easy upload" process for getting started.
4. The provider evaluates and delivers a report. FIS emphasizes "reliable delivery," noting it helps thousands of people each year.

The most common snag is submitting the wrong type of evaluation or incomplete documents. Resolve the requirement question with the receiving organization first—it saves you from paying for a report that does not meet their specification.

Pricing and turnaround

FIS publishes a pricing page ("View Pricing") and describes its structure as "simple" and "competitive," but the specific figures are not included in the available information here. To compare providers on cost, request quotes for the exact evaluation type you need, since price depends heavily on whether the evaluation is document-by-document or course-by-course and whether translation is included.

For turnaround time, ask each provider directly for a current estimate and whether expedited options exist. Delivery speed matters most when you are working against an immigration or admissions deadline, so factor it into your choice alongside price.

The bottom line

Choose a credential evaluation service when a U.S. organization needs your foreign credentials interpreted into U.S. equivalents. Match the service to your purpose—evaluation, translation, or expert opinion—confirm the exact evaluation type your recipient requires, and prioritize providers with recognized industry membership such as NACES, a demonstrated track record, and clear pricing. FIS, operating since 1978 as a NACES charter member, is one established option that offers all three services; compare it against other members on price, turnaround, and fit for your specific case before committing.

Evaluation services convert your foreign education and professional credentials into a form that U.S. institutions can read and trust. A credential evaluation is the core product: a written report that documents your educational level and expertise so it can be used for immigration, employment, university admission, or licensing and certification. You need one when an organization asks you to prove what a degree, diploma, or transcript from outside the U.S. actually means in U.S. terms. Translation and expert opinion letters are separate services that often support the same goal.

What evaluation services actually produce

Evaluation services are document services built around three distinct outputs. They are related, but they are not interchangeable.

The credential evaluation is the report that carries the equivalency finding. Translation makes your original documents readable to the reviewer. An expert opinion letter adds a professional assessment on top of the evaluation when your case needs more support.

When you need a credential evaluation

FIS states its evaluations are used for immigration, employment, admission into U.S. universities, and meeting licensing or certification requirements. In practice, that covers four common triggers:

• Immigration — a case where your foreign degree or training must be documented in U.S. terms.
• Employment — an employer or recruiter needs to verify your educational level before hiring or promoting.
• University admission — an admissions office needs to place your prior study in its own system.
• Licensing or certification — a board or certifying body requires proof that your credentials meet its standard.

If none of these apply and no institution has asked for an equivalency, you likely do not need an evaluation yet. The request almost always comes from the receiving organization, not from you alone.

What the evaluation report documents

A credential evaluation report accurately documents your expertise and educational level. That is the function the receiving institution relies on: it turns a foreign transcript into a statement about what you have completed and what it is equivalent to. Because the report is used for high-stakes decisions, the provider's standing matters as much as the document itself.

How to choose a provider

Two signals are worth checking before you submit anything.

1. Industry membership. FIS is a charter member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES). Membership in a recognized association gives the receiving institution a basis for accepting the report.
2. Track record. FIS has been in business since 1978 and describes itself as an industry leader providing international document services for over 40 years. Longevity is not proof of quality on its own, but it means the provider has handled many institution relationships.

FIS also publishes a pricing page, so you can review its competitive pricing structure before committing. Check current pricing directly, since it is not reproduced here.

What you need to start

The starting point is a request, not a finished file. FIS describes the process as a quick and easy upload with reliable delivery, and its evaluation requests are described by customers as smooth and professional. To begin, expect to:

1. Identify which service you need — evaluation, translation, or an expert opinion letter.
2. Gather the documents the evaluation will be based on, such as your degree and transcripts.
3. Submit the request and upload your documents.
4. Receive the completed report for use with your employer, school, immigration case, or licensing body.

For specific document requirements by country, FIS publishes guidance — for example, on what documents it needs to evaluate a Chinese degree. Check the requirements for your own country before uploading, because missing documents are the most common reason a request stalls.

A practical way to decide

If an institution has asked you for an equivalency, get a credential evaluation from a provider with recognized membership and a long operating history, and add translation or an expert opinion letter only if the receiving organization asks for it. If no one has asked, confirm the requirement first — an evaluation you did not need will not move your application forward.