Korean Job Discussion Forums

princess · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: soul of Asia

What exactly is a "true" copy of my uni degree? I just spoke with a notary on the phone today, and she said even she isn't sure. Well, that's her job, so if she isn't sure, I sure am not sure...

She said she thinks a true copy would be another degree given to me by my uni. Well, my uni is a joke, because a request has to be made in writing for another degree, and if approved, that will be $100. I thought a photocopy of my degree, notarized by her, would be enough. So confusing! I may just end up taking a chance and using my one and only original degree. I don't want to give my uni $100 for another copy.

BabaNaja · Joined: 12 Apr 2009

You have three options that I know of.

1) Send your (one and only) original university diploma in, you should eventually receive this back. I got mine back a couple days after I arrived in Korea. (most people do this option)

2) Pay $100 to your university to receive another official diploma which you can send in. You should still receive this one back, but you will also have another one back at your house.

3) Go to your closest Korean Consulate with your original diploma and a copy of it, and they can notarize the copy for you to send in. Any other notary will not be acceptable in this case if you want to send in a copy, it has to come from the Korean Consulate.

I hope this clears it up.

the oak llama · Joined: 05 Dec 2008

don't send the original.

the notary may not be familiar, but a "true copy" is a notarized photocopy of your degree.

so take your diploma to the notary, have them photocopy it, have them notarize that photocopy and write "true copy" on it.

that should seal the deal.

E_athlete · Joined: 09 Jun 2009 Location: Korea sparkling

BabaNaja · Joined: 12 Apr 2009

Thanks E_athlete... listen to them about the notarized copy princess.

I knew the Korean Consulate had to do something with it, but I didn't realize that someone else had to notarize it first. A trick is that just about any back or credit union has a notary, so you can just go into your back and they will notarize it for free.

ms_casillas · Joined: 11 Feb 2009

yea don't send them the original . i did that and they said the would
mail it back. now, they say we will give it to you when you get here.
then a teacher emailed me telling me she's been there 7 mos
without them giving it back to her.

so once they get it, its a bit of blackmail...."youll get it back at end of contract"

you can go to the Korean consulate near your home. they will
copy it and put some stamp on it. send that.

all the best

kirsi · Joined: 29 May 2009 Location: dongtan

i asked the same question a while back and i did this: got copies of my diploma, and got them notarized... all that at my bank (free service). Then I will go to/send them in to the secretary of state's (of ohio) office and they will apostille them for $5 a piece. good as original.

Kikomom · Posted: Fri Jun 19, 2009 3:35 pm Post subject:

If you can't just drop by the consulate--like you're hundreds of miles away, go the apostille route. That's what it's there for.

DrugstoreCowgirl · Posted: Fri Jun 19, 2009 5:58 pm Post subject:

I made a photocopy of my degree and got it notarized and the notary signed it saying "I swear this is a true copy, notarized on blah blah day". So basically, it's just a notarized copy.

sboix23 · Joined: 15 May 2009

i first got it notarized at a bank. then went to the city clerk to approve the notary. then went to the state department and got an apostille for it.

halfmanhalfbiscuit · Joined: 13 Oct 2007 Location: Seoul

Flash your breasts

princess · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: soul of Asia

Well, I am in a small town in the south, where the people have no idea what they are doing, even though they are notaries and I am not.

I went to two banks and I blew their little minds with my request. I had photocopies of my degree and the original. Both banks said they could not do anything. They said my signature had to be on the degree. Ummm, hello??? Who signs their own degree? They said they could NOT stamp or sign those copies. I got referred to the county courthouse clerk of court office. I blew the little minds of the three ladies in there, too. They said they could not notarize something that didn't come from their office, and when i mentioned that I need a "true copy", which is their signature, saying that the copy was a true, exact copy of the original, they would NOT do it. They said they could not sign the copy of my degree, etc, etc. Both banks and the clerk of court people said they could not sign and stamp my copies. Ridiculous!

So, guess I will take a chance and hand over my original.

Small towns, small minds... Rolling Eyes

Oh, maybe Canada is different, but the good ole US of A, no longer allows Korean consulate stamps, thanks to the US joining the Hague Convention. Before, all I had to do was send my degree to the Korean consulate, they would stamp some copies, and that was it. Now, it's all of this extra rigmarole. Also, after notarization, us USA people have to get the secretary of state to apostille it. The Korean consulate is no longer involved.

Chambertin · Joined: 07 Jun 2009 Location: Gunsan

Theres been a number of posts about this, but here it is again.

First get it officially notarized by someone.
I recommend you contact your Twp., City, County, Etc. office that is the closest. Often they provide notary for free if not significantly less expensive than private notaries.

Make multiple copies, I always get three because they don�t expire.

Take these notarized copies to the closest place to you that offers apostle services.
This is the link to the official agencies approved to do so by State (US).

http://www.hcch.net/index_en.php?act=authorities.details&aid=353

The list begins halfway down the page under section III.
Each agency will give specific directions on how to get it completed.
I recommend you check or call the agency for your state as there may also be walk in services not listed on the exact page.

You will have to repeat this process with the Criminal Background Check, so get familiar with it or do it all at the same time.

(EDIT:) NO One should ever send the original diploma. It leaves you open to them keeping it to try to force you to sign the contract and you have to get an apostle for the CBC anyway. Therefore you save nothing by sending off the original.

princess · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: soul of Asia

Chambertin, thank you for your advice. But, I took the advice of other posters, and took a PHOTOCOPY of my degree to get it notarized, and 3 places in this hick town would not do it. They all gave weird reasons for why they wouldn't do it. Two banks actually thought my signature should be on my degree. Who ever signs their own degree??? So, I may have no choice but to use my original degree. Crying or Very sad

A 4th notary I spoke with on the phone even thought I would need a duplicate for $100 from my university before she could do anything. She thought a photocopy was not good enough.

the oak llama · Joined: 05 Dec 2008

I don't think it should be this difficult.

Ask the notary to make the photocopy.

They put their seal on it to show that THEY made the copy. That's all it needs to be.