Hi,

I am Graduate (3 years) in Commerce, Chartered Accountant & Company Secretary from India. I am right now working as Asso. Manager in a private company for the last 9 months. I want to do CPA. What is the procedure to register myself for CPA? What is the eligibility for CPA? Can I get myself registered from India only? How much is the fees for registeration & how to make the payment?

Hi Muktesh,

Congratulations first of all for being so well qualified. You shall have no problems being eligible for CPA. You can register under any state depending upon your qualification but for you, as you are a CA, I would advise to register under Colorado state board as they recognise CA, CS quallifications.

Procedure? 1) Get your credentials evalated from FACS. 2) Apply to CO board for NTS (download the form from the website fill it up notarize it and send it across along with photocopies of your credentials + FACS evaluation report) 3) Take the test

You should join some review course in the meanwhile. Good ones to name are Gleim, Becker, Wiley.

Total Fees will be approximately $800 which can be paid by way of a DD (Banker's Check)

Hope this helps.

If anything else is there that you want to know, feel free to reach me.

Kind Regards,

Apurva.

Thanx for your prompt reply.

Can you please tell me, what is this FACS? How should I approach them for the certification of my credentials?

What is this CO Board & NTS?

Is it compulsory to join any review course?

What is the name of website from where I will get the Form? Where should I send the filled up form with copy of credentials & FACS Evaluation report?

I am sorry, but can you please elaborate the procedure in detail, as I have absolutely no knowledge of CPA, so for me every single detail is important. I will be glad if you will tell me the step by step procedure from ash to top, so that I can work out the procedure properly without any mistake.

Muktesh,

A lot of the details can be found out just by visiting the websites.

FACS = Federal Academic Credential Service - They evaluate your credentials and give you a report which you submit to the state board of accountancy when you apply for NTS.

CO board = Colorado State Board of Accountancy

NTS = Notice to Schedule (nothing but hall ticket for the exam)

At first you need to send photocopies of all your academic certificates to FACS for evaluation. www.facsusa.com Please visit the site and download the form. The form will contain all the relevant information about fees and payments and the addresses.

Once you receive their report which will be after 6 weeks of applying, you need to apply to the Colorado board for NTS. At that time you need to send photocopies of your credentials along with FACS report's copy to the board with the form which can be downloaded www.dora.state.co.us/Accountants/ here. The fees and the other relevant information can be found on the website or in the form.

After receiving the NTS, you need to schedule your examinations with thompson prometric centres. (www.prometric.com) Prometric centres are the centres where CPA exam is held. They have more than 250 centres all across USA. Find one near you and take the exam.

what remains now is taking the exam.

About review course, its better to join it since they provide u material, little bit of coaching, you can interact with people, and you get all the support in case of difficulty with the exam procedure.

I hope this helps. If anything else is not clear, do write.

Apurva.

Hi Apurva,

I am a CA from India and am currently on project in US.

The info provided by you was very very helpful to me. I was going through the FACS website I came across this statement

"Original records will be returned if so requested. Copies of original records will be accepted if they are officially notorized and certified as true copies by the issuing school, a U.S. educational foundation, A U.S. Consul, AMIDEAST or a similar agency"

I am currently working on project in allentown in US which is a very very small hill station. I dont know if there is a branch of US educational foundation here. What is AMIDEAST ? What all can be included in similar agency, they have not elaborated. will the notary from UPS work ??

Since am bit reluctant to send the originals.

Secondly I was going through the form provided by FACS. Here they have asked for elementary school records. Does it require the results of all the standards !!!! The date of leaving and the date of entrance  ??

Can you throw some light on this. Am very new to CPA topic!!

thanks in advance.

Hetal