someone coming into my training area is expected to wear a white belt if they are just starting to learn my system and wear my patch . They may wear their own belt ( regardless of color) if they wear their old uniform.
I may at my discretion place them in position of the rank they hold in another system while they have my uniform patch on to show they hold rank in another system but when they test they take the same test as anyone else that tests for the color belt.
Most experienced people I have know did not hesitate to put on a white belt in a new school. Most do not want to wear their own belt if it is a completely new system. Most good martial arts people I have known want to test with no special consideration being given to them because of old rank in a different system. They may learn faster but no always, and they may want to wait until a black belt test would be given to them because of their new knowledge but most want to go through all the steps of testing beginning with the first colored belt test.
