Korean Job Discussion Forums

jaderedux2 · Joined: 09 Jul 2007 Location: lurking just lurking

I need to get sealed transcripts from my university. While I was at it I requested a duplicate diploma (I am not carting around the real one as it is really cool and I don't want some official setting his/her coffee mug on it or folding it.)

Today it came in the mail. Customs had opened the Fed-ex envelope and inside the envelope was another envelope clearly marked transcripts and educational documents enclosed.

They ripped it open re-packaged it and I got it today. I opened the package and found that everything except the actual degree and sealed transcripts and been riffled through. They were kind enough to staple the unsealed transcripts together for me.

I am fuming. This is twice this has happened. I have two degrees and am leaving the country and decided I wanted as much paper work as possible for the future. The first time the school (different one) simply sent the documents and I knew not to open the FedEx envelope before it got here. Not such luck. Customs opened the package making the transcripts useless.

Can't they x-ray the stuff and see that it is not drugs and simply documents. Or see on the envelope that it states LEGAL FREAKING DOCUMENTS.

Rant over.

Jade

Hanson · Joined: 20 Oct 2004

Wow, that really sucks.

I was just asked for transcripts at my uni, for my renewal (which is in a while, so no biggie). I mentioned how they could have them now, because I got three sets of sealed envelopes from my uni back home on my last trip, last summer.

They tell, me "Sorry, it has to be mailed directly from your university to us...".

Awesome.

Rae · Joined: 10 Oct 2007

After sending candy as a thank you gift to accompany my documents to Korea (box only marked as documents but stuffed with paper by the carrier - he said "so it doesn't move around") and making it there untouched, I've come to the conclusion that if something is sent expedited - it's less likely to be messed with.

Have you tried having your uni send your transcript directly to your school? It'd save money and even if it's opened again, perhaps the schools will deal with it.

blackjack · Joined: 04 Jan 2006 Location: anyang

After this happened three times to me, I got my boss to write out DO NOT OPEN TRANSCRIPTS FOR IMMIGRATION in Korean and I sent it to my uni who glued it to the package. worked.

peppermint · Posted: Sun Nov 25, 2007 12:54 pm Post subject:

I think customs is on some sort of crackdown right now. I sent a small present and card to a friend in Seoul a couple of weeks ago. Not only had customs opened the package, they'd opened the card as well. It was written in cursive, so they probably thought I was outlining some sort of terrorist plot in an obscure language Razz

mrsquirrel · Joined: 13 Dec 2006

it's two months into the academic year and the Canuks are jonesing for a bit of green. So it gets shipped in this time of year.

bluelake · Joined: 01 Dec 2005

Shades of when I first lived in Korea in 1984 (the year sure fit the circumstances: "1984"). It was during the Chun Doo-hwan regime; every letter I received from overseas was opened and taped shut. My feeling was they wanted me to know they were reading my mail.