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mizmoxie
Joined: 22 Mar 2008
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 Posted: Sat May 10, 2008 6:55 am Post subject: Inconsistency with Diploma Requirement for E2 Visa... help! |
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Hi all -- I am, of course, up against a deadline to get my E2 visa processed, as I just found out that my departure date is a week earlier than I had anticipated.
So here's my question -- I almost have everything ready to send off to SK for the visa issuance (should be getting my last doc back in the mail Monday). But my employer has just told me that I cannot send my ORIGINAL DIPLOMA, that I need to send 2 COPIES NOTARIZED BY A KOREAN CONSULATE...
I am stumped by this, because, according to the www.hikorea.go.kr website (I just checked today), it lists EITHER as an acceptable form of documentation.
Can anyone inform me on this? It will take another week, at least (which I don't know if I have at this point) to send my diploma by mail for notarization... I'm emailing my employer back with the info I found on hikorea, but I just wondered if anyone has experience with this... Why wouldn't my original diploma be valid??
Thanks!! |
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icicle
Joined: 09 Feb 2007
Location: Gyeonggi do Korea
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| Posted: Sat May 10, 2008 7:04 am Post subject: |
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| I had a similar comment made to me when I recently applied for a job and because I thought that it was wrong I checked the Korean Immigration website - nothing beats going to the real accurate source. It clearly gives several options about how you can satisfy the diploma requirements for the E2 including Original Diploma and Consulate notorized copies. I would suggest telling them that you have checked with Korean Immigration and they have confirmed that the Original Diplomas can be used in applying for the E2 visa. My recruiter actually originally said that I had to have Apostiled Diplomas which would have cost a small fortune to get (In my home country it cost $80 to get the CRC apostiled) But when I got back to them with the fact that Original Diplomas could be used I had no problem with that. It was going to be much cheaper for me to get new Diplomas than getting copies in acceptable condition. |
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Ut videam
Joined: 07 Dec 2007
Location: Pocheon-si, Gyeonggi-do
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| Posted: Sat May 10, 2008 7:19 am Post subject: |
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- Your reading of the regulations at HiKorea is absolutely correct: an original diploma, with no further authentication, is perfectly acceptable to Korean Immigration. I provided my original diploma for both my E-2 applications (one pre-12/15, one post-) and had no problems.
- If you live in the United States or another country that is a signatory to the Hague Convention (apostille treaty), the Korean Consulate will not notarize your diploma copies. They must be notarized and apostilled just as a CRC must be.
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mizmoxie
Joined: 22 Mar 2008
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| Posted: Sat May 10, 2008 7:37 am Post subject: |
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Thanks so much, both of you, for the quick reply. It's reassuring that others have been asked for the same from their employers, but that the original will work! I'll just be relieved when I've got the visa in hand... this whole process has bordered on madness  |
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DongtanTony
Joined: 22 Feb 2008
Location: Bundang
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| Posted: Sat May 10, 2008 11:19 pm Post subject: |
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Mizmoxie....where are you from??
My answers and comments could be different depending on where you hail from....please give us some indication. |
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mizmoxie
Joined: 22 Mar 2008
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| Posted: Sun May 11, 2008 5:48 am Post subject: |
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| Oh, sorry, I'm from the US. |
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DongtanTony
Joined: 22 Feb 2008
Location: Bundang
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| Posted: Sun May 11, 2008 6:16 am Post subject: |
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Your recruiter is a bozo......be careful...be very careful.
1. Original diploma is fine
2. For US citizens...photocopied reproduction with notarization and affixed apostille. Have your original with your during the notarization.
If you have the ability to travel to your city hall, and state capital's Secretary of State's office....you might be able to acquire your notarization and apostille in the same day.
As a US citizen...you're going to need to receive an affixed apostille to your background check anyways...if you haven't done so already that is.
If the school wants you enough...they will wait for you documentation to be proper and finalized...before they make flight arrangements. That's just plain idiotic on the part of the school to arrange your flight at this stage of the game.
If you look at my username...and recent job postings...you may be able to put two and two together....I'm currently looking for quality individuals myself......a shameful plug I thought I'd throw in there...just in case it doesn't work out with you and this particular school!!!
Good luck mizmoxie!!! |
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mizmoxie
Joined: 22 Mar 2008
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| Posted: Sun May 11, 2008 4:56 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks, DongtanTony -- I already have the crim report apostilled, so really everything's ready to go. It was just this damn diploma issue that was holding things up.
Also, don't fret -- they haven't actually bought my plane ticket yet, it's just that the date for my flight to Korea got bumped up a week, so I've lost some valuable time to get all my i's dotted and t's crossed.
Could you tell me this -- I mail everything to Korea, and Immigration processes and issues me the Visa Issuance #. But then, do they send me back my documents before I have my consulate interview? Or do I not need those same docs to interview with the Korean consulate??
Hopefully everything will pan out as planned with the job I have lined up. But I'll look into that shameless plug of yours... just in case... |
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Ramen
Joined: 15 Apr 2008
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| Posted: Sun May 11, 2008 5:15 pm Post subject: |
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Last edited by Ramen on Sun May 11, 2008 5:29 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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nuthatch
Joined: 21 Feb 2008
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| Posted: Sun May 11, 2008 5:16 pm Post subject: |
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most places hiring have and give misinformation:
in the U.S....many months ago, the Korean Consulate Boston and D.C. told me they do NOT notarize documents...
...to accomplish getting your diploma over (send a copy, why waste your original diploma)
1. make a bunch of copies (in case you need more at another time...get all the notarizations and apostilles now);
2. take the copies to your city hall or wherever you get your notarizations, bring along your original so that they can see they are true copies; get all the copies notarized (cost nothing where I live);
3. then take the notarized copies to your state's Secretary of State Office which handles apostilles; have all the copies apostilled; small fee where I live ...maybe $2 or $3 a piece; and
4. send over the notarized/apostilled copy with the other documents. |
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mizmoxie
Joined: 22 Mar 2008
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| Posted: Sun May 11, 2008 5:23 pm Post subject: |
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| Nuthatch, yeah, I can see the wisdom in knocking out several at once. The caveat, unfortunately, is that the diploma cannot simply be notarized and apostilled like the crim report -- according to hikorea's website, this has to be done by a Korean consulate... unfortunately, the closest for me is 2 states away, which really sucks... I think in this case I'll have to go with the original and hope they don't mash it all up before mailing it back (don't worry, I won't hold my breath on that one). |
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nuthatch
Joined: 21 Feb 2008
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| Posted: Sun May 11, 2008 5:37 pm Post subject: |
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...though I have not looked, it sounds lilke HiKorean is incorrect...
...yes, don't count on ever seeing your origianl diploma again if you send it.... |
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Ut videam
Joined: 07 Dec 2007
Location: Pocheon-si, Gyeonggi-do
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| Posted: Sun May 11, 2008 6:20 pm Post subject: |
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| mizmoxie wrote: |
| The caveat, unfortunately, is that the diploma cannot simply be notarized and apostilled like the crim report -- according to hikorea's website, this has to be done by a Korean consulate... |
This looks like a case where HiKorea has not been consistently updated. Nevertheless, as nuthatch and several other posters have stated, Korean consulates in the U.S. (and other Hague Convention signatory countries) will no longer notarize or stamp documents. For countries where the apostille process is available, that process must be used to authenticate documents for use in Korea. This includes diploma copies.
Note that the other options for degree documentation, such as a certificate of graduation, speak of apostille authentication. The fact that it's not mentioned for diploma copies appears to be an oversight; I don't think it should be taken as an indication that apostilled copies are not acceptable.
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Ut videam
Joined: 07 Dec 2007
Location: Pocheon-si, Gyeonggi-do
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| Posted: Sun May 11, 2008 6:32 pm Post subject: |
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| mizmoxie wrote: |
| Could you tell me this -- I mail everything to Korea, and Immigration processes and issues me the Visa Issuance #. But then, do they send me back my documents before I have my consulate interview? Or do I not need those same docs to interview with the Korean consulate?? |
Immigration will send the documents back to your boss in Korea, since your boss was the one who applied for your visa issuance.
You do not need the documents for your interview. Bring the following items:- Passport;
- Completed visa application (you can fill one out at the consulate, but doing it in advance saves time);
- Visa issuance number;
- Visa fee: $45 (cash or money order);
- Completed "Consul's Checklist for E-2 Applicant" form (again, can be done at the consulate, but doing it in advance saves time).
In addition, some consulates want another sealed copy of your transcripts.
Finally, you may want to bring a self-addressed stamped Express Mail envelope to receive your passport after the visa has been affixed inside. This is often available at the consulate, but it never hurts to be prepared.
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