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Korean Job Discussion Forums
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jjk
Joined: 29 Aug 2004
Location: Back in Australia for the time being
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 Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2008 12:21 am Post subject: |
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Well our new E2's are finally in our hands. Our passports arrived from the Korean Embassy in Canberra this morning via courier.
The application and all relevant new E2 paperwork was lodged at the Daejeon Immi Office on December 17, and the visa was stamped in yesterday, Jan 7. Considering the Christmas and New Year breaks, plus the changes to the rules this wasn't too bad- no interview at the Embassy for us either, as we are previous E2 holders. |
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yingwenlaoshi
Joined: 12 Feb 2007
Location: ... location, location!
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| Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2008 12:45 am Post subject: |
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| jjk wrote: |
Well our new E2's are finally in our hands. Our passports arrived from the Korean Embassy in Canberra this morning via courier.
The application and all relevant new E2 paperwork was lodged at the Daejeon Immi Office on December 17, and the visa was stamped in yesterday, Jan 7. Considering the Christmas and New Year breaks, plus the changes to the rules this wasn't too bad- no interview at the Embassy for us either, as we are previous E2 holders. |
My condolences. |
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kermo
Joined: 01 Sep 2004
Location: Eating eggs, with a comb, out of a shoe.
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Adventurer
Joined: 28 Jan 2006
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| Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2008 3:35 am Post subject: |
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| weatherman wrote: |
| As for this whole debate over the March 15th deadline ~ and if you extended your visa before this time will the new documents be needed by this date ~ I asked my employer, for an answer and surprised, I got an answer after a few days. My employer is saying that I don't have to provide additional documents for this 2008 contract year. |
I am confused about this process and the March 15th date. MY ARC
terminates in April, but my school is closing down in February, and I want to work for a public school. Can I switch over from private to public with no problem and then go on vacation and start a job in March? When do we really need those background checks? |
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blade
Joined: 30 Jun 2007
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| Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2008 5:48 am Post subject: |
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| Adventurer wrote: |
I am confused about this process and the March 15th date. MY ARC
terminates in April, but my school is closing down in February, and I want to work for a public school. Can I switch over from private to public with no problem and then go on vacation and start a job in March? When do we really need those background checks? |
Why don't you just apply and see? |
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hari seldon
Joined: 05 Dec 2004
Location: Incheon
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| Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2008 1:01 pm Post subject: |
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| Ut videam wrote: |
| ... You can get the documents mailed to you, then bring them to your country's Embassy or Consulate here in Korea. There, you make and sign an affidavit in the presence of a consular official, stating that you are the person named in the background check, and that the document is true and correct to the best of your knowledge and belief. The consular official notarizes this declaration, and you submit the whole kit and caboodle to Kimmi. At least, this is what Mr. Lee Dong-wook, Esq. seems to be saying in his Korea Times op-ed... |
What I'd like to know is why our best source of information is an op-ed piece in the newspaper? When is immigration going to provide us with up-to-date guidance on their website or, at least, transmit up-to-date information to the embassies?  |
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Adventurer
Joined: 28 Jan 2006
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| Posted: Wed Jan 09, 2008 5:18 am Post subject: |
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| blade wrote: |
| Adventurer wrote: |
I am confused about this process and the March 15th date. MY ARC
terminates in April, but my school is closing down in February, and I want to work for a public school. Can I switch over from private to public with no problem and then go on vacation and start a job in March? When do we really need those background checks? |
Why don't you just apply and see? |
I am trying to do that, but I am totally confused. Actually, even recruiters are not all clear on this. For example, I talked to one recruiter who didn't know that you would have to someone go and do the background check in the state capital and get the apostille there. However, the government had something about doing a background check by going to a website, but then my current manager who is a friend said that is not acceptable since they would still require an apostille, and the US Embassy won't do that. Is it is easier to do this all with a Canadian or American passport? My Canadian is expired, and the mess of the Korean Government is really having me scratch my head. Lee Myung Bak needs to fire many bureaucrats, slash some offices, organize them, and make sure the left hand knows what the right hand is doing...Can someone give me some info. on this Apostille thing. And is there a certain background check form I can give to a family member? Does anyone in Dodge know what's going on? |
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Ut videam
Joined: 07 Dec 2007
Location: Pocheon-si, Gyeonggi-do
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| Posted: Wed Jan 09, 2008 5:33 am Post subject: |
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| hari seldon wrote: |
| Ut videam wrote: |
| ... You can get the documents mailed to you, then bring them to your country's Embassy or Consulate here in Korea. There, you make and sign an affidavit in the presence of a consular official, stating that you are the person named in the background check, and that the document is true and correct to the best of your knowledge and belief. The consular official notarizes this declaration, and you submit the whole kit and caboodle to Kimmi. At least, this is what Mr. Lee Dong-wook, Esq. seems to be saying in his Korea Times op-ed... |
What I'd like to know is why our best source of information is an op-ed piece in the newspaper? When is immigration going to provide us with up-to-date guidance on their website or, at least, transmit up-to-date information to the embassies? |
I think they have spoken to the embassies, as the Canadian Embassy newsletter lays out the consular notarization method that Lee Dong-wook referred to in the article:
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| For the criminal record check, an RCMP or local police certificate will be acceptable. Once a police certificate is received, applicants should to bring it to the Canadian Embassy in Seoul or to the Honorary Consulate in Busanwith a statutory declaration(available both at the Embassyand at the Consulate)to have it notarized. |
http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/world/embassies/korea/embassy-newsletter-en.asp |
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Ut videam
Joined: 07 Dec 2007
Location: Pocheon-si, Gyeonggi-do
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| Posted: Wed Jan 09, 2008 5:39 am Post subject: |
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| Adventurer wrote: |
| I am trying to do that, but I am totally confused. Actually, even recruiters are not all clear on this. For example, I talked to one recruiter who didn't know that you would have to someone go and do the background check in the state capital and get the apostille there. However, the government had something about doing a background check by going to a website, but then my current manager who is a friend said that is not acceptable since they would still require an apostille, and the US Embassy won't do that. Is it is easier to do this all with a Canadian or American passport? My Canadian is expired, and the mess of the Korean Government is really having me scratch my head. Lee Myung Bak needs to fire many bureaucrats, slash some offices, organize them, and make sure the left hand knows what the right hand is doing...Can someone give me some info. on this Apostille thing. And is there a certain background check form I can give to a family member? Does anyone in Dodge know what's going on? |
If you are already in Korea, you do not need an apostille. According to the best information available, you should obtain a background check and have it sent to you in Korea. Then, take it to your embassy or consulate in Korea, where you will make and sign a declaration before a consular officer attesting to the authenticity of the background check. The consular official will notarize this declaration, and the consular notarization serves the same purpose as an apostille. |
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Adventurer
Joined: 28 Jan 2006
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| Posted: Wed Jan 09, 2008 5:42 am Post subject: |
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| Ut videam wrote: |
If you are already in Korea, you do not need an apostille. According to the best information available, you should obtain a background check and have it sent to you in Korea. Then, take it to your embassy or consulate in Korea, where you will make and sign a declaration before a consular officer attesting to the authenticity of the background check. The consular official will notarize this declaration, and the consular notarization serves the same purpose as an apostille. |
I was told that I would have to have a family member do a background check and have it apostilled there. I also heard the US Embassy refuses to deal with us teachers when it comes to apostilles. Are you sure about this? My recruiter is telling me it has to get apostilled in the U.S. and I would have to find someone in the state capital. I do have my sisters in the state capital, but that's not the issue, the lack of the regulations being clear and making sense is my problem. When is the government going to make this clear so everyone knows what's going on? |
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blade
Joined: 30 Jun 2007
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| Posted: Wed Jan 09, 2008 5:49 am Post subject: |
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| Ut videam wrote: |
If you are already in Korea, you do not need an apostille. According to the best information available, you should obtain a background check and have it sent to you in Korea. Then, take it to your embassy or consulate in Korea, where you will make and sign a declaration before a consular officer attesting to the authenticity of the background check. The consular official will notarize this declaration, and the consular notarization serves the same purpose as an apostille. |
Ya this seems simple but for one small problem; every immi office seems to follow their own rules. |
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Ut videam
Joined: 07 Dec 2007
Location: Pocheon-si, Gyeonggi-do
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| Posted: Wed Jan 09, 2008 6:02 am Post subject: |
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| Adventurer wrote: |
| Ut videam wrote: |
If you are already in Korea, you do not need an apostille. According to the best information available, you should obtain a background check and have it sent to you in Korea. Then, take it to your embassy or consulate in Korea, where you will make and sign a declaration before a consular officer attesting to the authenticity of the background check. The consular official will notarize this declaration, and the consular notarization serves the same purpose as an apostille. |
I was told that I would have to have a family member do a background check and have it apostilled there. I also heard the US Embassy refuses to deal with us teachers when it comes to apostilles. Are you sure about this? My recruiter is telling me it has to get apostilled in the U.S. and I would have to find someone in the state capital. I do have my sisters in the state capital, but that's not the issue, the lack of the regulations being clear and making sense is my problem. When is the government going to make this clear so everyone knows what's going on? |
You do not need an apostille if you're already in Korea. You need to take your background check to the U.S. Embassy, make a declaration, and have it notarized. The U.S. Embassy will not issue an apostille, and they will not notarize background checks, but they WILL notarize a declaration (which is a form of affidavit).
http://seoul.usembassy.gov/notarial_services.html |
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Ut videam
Joined: 07 Dec 2007
Location: Pocheon-si, Gyeonggi-do
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| Posted: Wed Jan 09, 2008 6:17 am Post subject: |
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| blade wrote: |
| Ya this seems simple but for one small problem; every immi office seems to follow their own rules. |
Yeah, but all we can do is follow the best information available, right? The consular notarization method for authenticating a background check is described by the Canadian Embassy newsletter and the Immigration official's article. It's not perfect, but it's something to go on. |
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PastImperfect
Joined: 21 Oct 2007
Location: indeterminate
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| Posted: Wed Jan 09, 2008 10:45 pm Post subject: |
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| Are the visa regulations changing for C-4 visas if teaching at a private camp located at a college? |
Yeah the rules have changed for C-4 visas for English camps. You now need a criminal record check. (No other changes.) If you are applying to a Korean consulate in your home country it will probably need an apostille (or whatever your country goes in for by way of certification).
If you`re applying in Japan at Osaka or Fukuoka they are just asking for a police check at the moment. You might have some teething problems because I don`t think the consulates have been given any guidelines about
(1) what police checks from the 7 countries actually look like
(2) what level of police check is acceptable
Also they`re demanding originals but don`t seem to be keeping records, so you might be asked for a new CRC every time you re-apply.
It`s probably a good idea to call ahead to the consulate you`ll be applying at and confirm, because there is no concrete information out there in English, and they might change the rules as they go along.  |
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Rteacher
Joined: 23 May 2005
Location: Western MA, USA
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| Posted: Thu Jan 10, 2008 2:48 am Post subject: |
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Well, I've decided to try the online criminal check route suggested by Mr. Lee Dong-wook in his Korea Times op-ed (as noted several times by "Ut videam"...)
Having got my bachelor degree in "paralegal studies" I figured that I'd better go to the U.S. Embassy with a legally sufficient form.
They will give you blanks when you go there (I was approached by someone who showed me his) but after waiting for possibly hours till your number is called you'll just end up with a blank application that you still need to type in...
I drew up my own affidavit form using the model given by the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo (I just substituted "Seoul, Republic of Korea" for "Tokyo, Japan" ...)
To see their form, go to this link and scroll down to "affidavit"
http://tokyo.usembassy.gov/pdfs/wwwfaffidavit.pdf
Don't sign anything before you get there. Below the first signature line, after it says "being duly sworn, deposes and says" I typed the following:
I, Rxxx Jxxxxx, hereby declare under oath that the criminal records check that I am going to submit to Korean Immigration authorities for the purpose of obtaining an E-2 visa is truthful and accurate to the best of my knowledge.
As suggested by an attorney working with the Republic of Korea Ministry of Justice in an article published in the Korea Times, (Mr. Lee Dong-wook, Esq) I used the online services of CriminalBackgroundRecords.com in order to conveniently get a reliable report while living in South Korea.
I ordered the report on January xx xxxx.
My member number is xxxxx, and my order number is xxxxx
Absolutely no changes have been made to the report..
The vice-consul guy (who seems pretty competent in legal matters) just wished me "good luck" - indicating he has no idea if Korean Immigration will accept it.
However, it looks pretty official after they add their cover page with seal, so I'm fairly confident that it will pass (at least for some people some of the time...)
The cost of the online criminal check (which only took a couple minutes) was $59.00 and the affidavit service at the embassy cost $30 (or 28,500 won ...)
I'm not sure when I'm gonna go to Immigration - it's still up in the air if I'll be re-signing with the same high school (privately owned but under GEPIC rules) or not (they thought I was too old to begin with, and now I need knee surgery ...) |
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