Job Discussion Forums

[Rooster_2006]

I got a job in Inner Mongolia teaching English at a public high school. I'm working on getting everything together so I can get my letter from the Foreign Experts Bureau (we've mutually agreed to get the Z visa sponsored before I come).

There's one question that my recruiter cannot seem to answer, though:
What criminal background check service should I use?

I've looked at a bunch on the internet, and quite frankly, they all look like scams. Maybe this is good enough for the Chinese government, but I don't want to take any chances.

I can't do the FBI one, because it takes too long. I only have about 50 days from now until the first day of class. So, fellow Americans (everyone else don't bother responding since the companies in your country that do this will be completely different), what service did you use to get your Z visa?

[lf_aristotle69]

I'm Australian. But, that's not going to stop me asking this...

They're asking you to organise a criminal background check on yourself...? No way!?!?!

LFA

[samhouston]

I am unaware that having a criminal background check is part of the normal procedure for teaching in China. No one ever asked me for one. And I don't think it's listed as a requirement on the embassy's visa webpage. I have never applied for a job in IM, so maybe their provincial government does things differently.

A few years ago I did the FBI thing, and like you mention, it took six weeks to get a response. "Dear Sir, we got nothing on you, but thanks for the inquiry, ha ha ha!"

[North China Laowei]

Dear All,

I hate to say it but for a fact Inner Mongolia is the ONE province in all of China that has made criminal records checks a part of the process. Frankly, given the miserable, miserable weather and the remoteness of the place and all of the other sundry problems that foreign teachers will have in that area, it just isn't worth it.

There is NO service that can and will actually provide what you need. You yourself need to complete a form, sign it and either hand it in or mail to the FBI if they want an FBI check, In some of the bigger cities, such as New York and Chicago, their respective police departments are enabled to handle such matters.

It does take at least 6-8 weeks to be issued. You need to be EXACTLY sure what they require -- some places in Inner Mongolia require that it be notarized and then apostilled and then notarized at the Chinese Consulate or Embassy again.

It's truly a time-consuming and relatively expensive process to undergo, in addition to which a mark is made on your FBI file, or one is opened, that you were the subject of a criminal records check. All for this for a high school in Inner Mongolia -- not worth it at all.

Sorry for the sobering information.

NCL

[flutterbayou]

People!

Of course, many countries expect you to obtain a background clearance.

This organization is used by several countries and costs 34.95 USD for a national background check that takes 3-4 business days:

www.backgroundferret.com

You make the request online and pay for it by either paypal or credit card/debit card.

There is no great mystery to it.

[Anda]

What is an Apostille and how do I go about getting it?

http://www.eslstarter.com/how-to-apostille-documents.php

Apostille is the internationally recognised treaty that ratifies the authenticity of documents. Korean Immigration will accept Diploma Copies and Criminal Background Checks that have been Apostilled as legitimate and therefore will be able to fully process the visa. Without an Apostille, they cannot accept either of these two documents and this will mean a delay in getting the visa.

You are welcome to email us at [email protected] for information on Apostille.

Coming up is a breakdown of where to get the Apostille starting in the USA and then going in alphabetical order from, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, to the UK. This breakdown includes postal addresses, useful links, phone numbers and fee information.

Canadians must get the Consul's notarization seal from the nearest Korean Embassy/Consulate).


Getting an Apostille in the USA
United States Authentication Authorities

Who are the U.S. "Competent Authorities" to issue the Apostille certificate?

There are three levels of U.S. competent authorities, one for Federal agencies, one for U.S. (federal) courts, and one for state documents, including documents executed before notaries.

Federal Executive and Administrative Agencies: Authentications Office, Department of State, 518 23rd St., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20520, (202) 647-5002 Fee: $5.00. For additional information, call the Federal Information Centre: 1-800-688-9889, and choose option 6 after you press 1 for touch tone phones. Walk-in service is available from the Authentications Office from 8 a.m. to 12 noon Monday-Friday, except holidays. Walk-in service is limited to 15 documents per person per day (documents can be multiple pages). Processing time for authentication requests sent by mail is 5 working days or less. See also, the State Department home page: http://www.state.gov. See also in general, 22 C.F.R. 131.
2. U.S. Courts: Clerks and Deputy Clerks of the Federal Court System. Fee: $5.00. For the purposes of the Convention, clerks and deputy clerks of the U.S. Courts shall include the clerks and deputy clerks of the following: The Supreme Court of the United States, the Courts of Appeals for the First through the Eleventh Circuits and the District of Columbia Circuit, the United States District Courts, the United States Court of Claims, the United States Court of Customs and Patent Appeals, the United States Court of International Trade, the United States District Court for the District of the Canal Zone, the District Court of Guam, the District Court of the Virgin Islands, and the District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands.
States, Territories and Other Jurisdictions: Each state and other jurisdiction in the United States (District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, U.S. Virgin Islands, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam)
.......................................................................................................

Go to link for list for addresses for different States:

http://www.eslstarter.com/how-to-apostille-documents.php





.....................................................................................................

[North China Laowei]

Flutterbayou,

Inner Mongolia requires an official background criminal records check, not the one performed by those software-based service companies that check publicly available records. FBI records are NOT publicly available and often are not even made available when subpoeaned under the Freedom of Information Act.

Having been through the process, I attempted to describe it in as much detail as possible. The background clearance check needs to be on the letterhead of a government entity, a recognized and recognizable one, and surely www.ferretitout.com or whatever will not qualify.

Since you have raised the matter, forgive me here is the information taken directly from the FBI..

http://www.fbi.gov/hq/cjisd/fprequest.htm

Introduction

An FBI Identification Record, often referred to as a Criminal History Record or Rap Sheet, is a listing of certain information taken from fingerprint submissions retained by the FBI in connection with arrests and, in some instances, federal employment, naturalization, or military service. If the fingerprints are related to an arrest, the Identification Record includes name of the agency that submitted the fingerprints to the FBI, the date of arrest, the arrest charge, and the disposition of the arrest, if known to the FBI. All arrest data included in an Identification Record is obtained from fingerprint submissions, disposition reports and other reports submitted by agencies having criminal justice responsibilities.

The United States Department of Justice Order 556-73 establishes rules and regulations for the subject of an FBI Identification Record to obtain a copy of his or her own Record for review. The FBI’s Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Division processes these requests.

Reasons for Request

An individual may request a copy of his or her own FBI Identification Record for personal review or to challenge information on the Record. Other reasons an individual may request a copy of his or her own Identification Record may include international adoption or to satisfy a requirement to live or work in a foreign country (i.e., police certificate, letter of good conduct, criminal history background, etc.)

Can I request my own record for an employment background check?
If you are requesting a background check for employment or licensing within the United States, you may be required by state statute or federal law to submit your request through your state identification bureau, requesting federal agency or other authorized channeling agency. You should contact the agency requiring the background check or the appropriate state identification bureau (or state police) for the correct procedures to follow for obtaining an FBI fingerprint background check for employment or licensing purposes.



Who May Request a Copy of Record
(or Proof that a Record Does Not Exist)

Only the subject of the identification record can request a copy of his own FBI Identification Record.

How to Request a Copy of Record

1. Complete cover letter.
If for a couple, family, etc., all persons must sign cover letter
Include your complete mailing address
If you have a deadline (e.g., an immigration deadline), please include the deadline in your cover letter and on the outside of the envelope.

2. Obtain proof of identity, which consists of a set of your fingerprints
(original card, no copies), with your name, date of birth and place of
birth. Fingerprints should be placed on a standard fingerprint form
(FD-258) commonly used for applicant or law enforcement purposes.
Include rolled impressions of all ten fingerprints and impressions of all ten fingerprints taken simultaneously (these are sometimes referred to as plain or flat impressions.)
If possible have your fingerprints taken by a fingerprinting technician (this service may be available at a Law Enforcement Agency.)
Previously processed fingerprint cards will not be accepted.

3. Include $ 18 - U.S. dollars in the form of a money order, certified check
made payable to the Treasury of the United States, or you may pay by
credit card
Be sure to sign where required
No personal checks or cash
Must be exact amount
If for a couple, family, etc., include $18 for each person
If paying by credit card you must include the completed credit card payment form
Credit cards will not be used for expedited mail services

4. Mail the items #1, #2, #3 (listed above) to the following address:

FBI CJIS Division – Record Request
1000 Custer Hollow Road
Clarksburg, West Virginia 26306

Please Note: If any of the above items are missing or incomplete, the request will be returned.
Allow approximately 3-4 weeks for processing, upon receipt to the FBI.

What You Will Receive

1. No Record Response – Consists of the original fingerprint card
stamped with the stamp “No Record.”

Or

2. FBI Identification Record

How to Challenge Your Record
Since the FBI's CJIS Division is not the source of the data appearing on Identification Records, and obtains all data thereon from fingerprint submissions or related identification forms submitted to the FBI by
local, state and federal agencies, the responsibility for authentication
and correction of such data rests upon the contributing agencies.
Therefore, the rules set forth for changing, correcting or updating such
data requires that the subject of an Identification Record make
application to the original contributing agency (e.g., police
department, county court, etc.).

An individual may challenge the information contained in the FBI
Identification Record by contacting the original agency that submitted
the information to the FBI or the state central repository in the state in
which the arrest occurred. These agencies will be able to furnish the
guidelines for correction of the Record. The FBI is not authorized to
modify the Record without written notification from the appropriate
criminal justice agency.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)

Back to beginning

Some of these publications are in PDF (Portable Document Format). To view them you will need to have the Adobe Acrobat Reader plug-in installed on your computer. The Reader can be downloaded at no cost from Adobe's site on the World Wide Web
Updated 01/26/2007

[Rooster_2006]

North China Laowei, thank you for your response. I still don't know if they absolutely require an FBI check or not, but my recruiter was like "I can hook you up with a job in another part of China" and it turns out she has a job I'm eligible for in Yanji, my dream Chinese city. So if she can get me that one, I don't even care about what strict regulations Inner Mongolia might have.

[flutterbayou]

The OP did not ask for an FBI check.

The link I sent in works for Mongolia and other countries.

I know for certain.

You do NOT need an FBI check, OP. Believe me.

As for Anda's question, I have gone through the Apostille process, too. This is how you get it done iin the USA (Canadians have a different procedure):

You can either contact the registrar at your college or university, or you can go through the steps yourself.

I sent my original diploma to my attorney who notarized a copy of the original and then sent it on to the Secretary of State where I went to un.versity. ıt must be the same state where you graduated from university.

The Secretary of State charges only about 5 USD to complete an Apostille, verifying that the copy of the diploma is authentic with the State Seal.

If you choose to contact your Registrar, that office will send out a duplicate diploma on your behalf and get the Secretary of State's Seal, too. They know how to do this, as they do it often for graduates.

In Canada, they have a different means of getting this done, and if you check the stickies on Mexico, you can obtain accurate information there.

[Moon Over Parma]

[North China Laowei]

Flutterbayou,

I just realized that you might be slightly confused.

The OP is talking about the Chinese Autonomous Region of Inner Mongolia which is part of the Chinese People's Republic.

He is not talking about Monglia, another country, the capital of wihch Is Ulan Bator, or whatever in the transliteration. I know nothing about criminal background checks in Ulan Bator.

However, Inner Mongolia -- the part of China -- requires the FBI one.

Hope that clears up the difference.

NCL

[flutterbayou]

Mexico, Autonomous regions, Vietnam, Korea, and other countries accept this online background check.

The other option is to go to your local police station and ask them to provide one for you.

I know because I have done lots of hiring in Asia, I have needed more than one myself, and I have colleagues who have had their checks done without the FBI.

If you don't trust anything online, then your local police station is used to this sort of request.

I am definitely right about not needing to go over the top with an FBI check. These are usually geared towards people taking Security positions or a job requiring a clearance or a Bond.

[Anda]

I posted the above because I checked on the requirments for going back to Korea about four months ago to work for the government again in case I couldn't come up with a job to my liking here. If I went back to Korea I needed a Criminal background check that had been Apostilled in my home country Australia. I checked with a business friend in Australia and found that it could be done without going back to Australia at a reasonable cost. I have given the link to the addresses in the US above.


"Korean Immigration will accept Diploma Copies and Criminal Background Checks that have been Apostilled as legitimate and therefore will be able to fully process the visa."

[Moon Over Parma]

[Anda]

Um, I going to bed!


http://www.tefllogue.com/finding-a-job/certificate-of-no-criminal-record-for-tefl.html

**Update** As of December 2007 (or earlier) it appears that the estimated time for an FBI Certificate of No Criminal Record is 16-18 weeks, not the shorter time it took when I wrote this post. They also say they do not officially expedite any requests, though if you write the date you need it by on the envelope, and follow their directions, they may be able to.

If you are from the US and need a Certificate of No Criminal Record for a residence or work permit abroad, here is the TEFL Logue�s advice:

Follow the instructions on this site to the tee.
This means that if you need the document expedited (and just trust me, you do) write the date and reason you need it by on the outside of the envelope too, in addition to specifying it and the reason in the text of the cover letter. This is important because if you don�t specify on the outside of the envelope, your request will get put in the queue with all the other requests � if you specify, it can be done in 7-10 business days; if not, it will take the full 8 - 10 weeks.
The reason is �to apply for work and residence permits in such and such country� and a date about three weeks into the future should work.

Make sure to request a letter that the FBI does not provide an apostille. Some countries require this additional certification and some will accept the letter, some will not.
If the country you want to work in does not accept the letter, you need to get an apostille from the Secretary of State office of the state in which you are a resident. Certainly it�s easiest if you are there in person, but if you�re already abroad, it�s possible for another person to do it.
To get the apostille: go to a notary and have the document notarized as a true and exact original (you pay for this, possibly up to $40). You get a paper and stamp from the notary, and then go to the Secretary of State office with a check (for $2.00 in the case of Illinois), or send what you need, where they put a stamp (the apostille) on the document.
Especially if you are overseas, find out if you need this apostille before the document is, for example, Fed Ex-ed to you without it and you have to Fed Ex it right back and then have it Fed Ex-ed to you a second time.
Right now you need an ink set of fingerprints � on an appropriate form � for the certificate and this is only about one hundred times easier to do from home. In some countries, officials only take electronic fingerprints, or they may not be �authorized� to fingerprint just anyone. Police may not even take fingerprints because in some countries everyone is fingerprinted at the city council for their state ID. At home, just print out the appropriate form and go to a police station and ask to be fingerprinted.
If you really enjoy reading about red tape, read the FAQs and also be on the lookout for TEFL Logue posts Certificate of No Criminal Record, My Story: Parts 1 � 17.

In all seriousness, use my ideas in this post as tips but for goodness sake make sure you do it right and don�t blame me if something goes wrong .



Tags: Bureacracy, Certificate Of No Criminal Record, Documents, Finding A TEFL Job, Finding A TEFL Job, Red Tape, Work Permits, Work Visa
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