Korean Job Discussion Forums

[kiwiduncan]

The British police have completed my Subject Access (CRC) and I've got no criminal record whatsoever, but rather than sending it to the UK address I specified they've sent it to me here in New Zealand.

I still have to get the letter notarized and apostilled but rather than sending it back to a UK lawyer then having them send it on to the apostillizing place, I was wondering if I could just arrange this in New Zealand. I will of course phone the British High Commission in Wellington tomorrow, but I'm wondering if any of the readers here have had a UK Subject Access form notarized and apostillized in the British Embassy or High Commission in another country.

Cheers,

Duncan

[ED209]

Can't you just take it to the UK embassy in Seoul? I thought if you've had an E2 in the past and are in Korea this is what you can do. Give'em a call.

[kiwiduncan]

[allan of asia]

Well, I live in Japan and the UK embassies here wouldn't do it for me when I asked them.

I am gettign v v stressed right now as I have a PS SMOE contract and all my documents sittign waiting to FEDEX as soon as I get my CRC and degree copy back from the Foreign Office Apostille service in Milton Keynes.

Its 28 pounds per document plus 6 ponds for postage but they have had it for a month and still no sign...they said they had a backlog - if this job falls through cos of them ill be well pissed.

One way through it is if you know anyone in the UK who lives near MK is they have a public counter that you can go and have documents apostilled on the spot in person - takes about an hour apparently. It can be anyone not just the person whose documents it is so any friends or family you cold ask?

Just dont bank on an embassy doing it although korean immi will take it. It never hurts to ask though!

[kiwiduncan]

[stevelad_83]

Hi there,

I went through a huge amount of BS getting my documents signed and stamped. In the end I got a solicitor to put his signature and stamp (literally a rubber stamp saying his name and 'solicitor') on the document. He told me this signature actually means nothing whatsoever and does not endorse the document, but it is a red tape requirement. He charged me five pounds to do this. I then spent a whole day getting the stamp (one hour - yeah right!). I literally could have signed the document myself and stamped it with a potato and some ink!

Good luck!

[DeLaRed]

[Kimsmith]

When I applied for my E2 last year (one of many I have held over the years), I took along both a Disclosure background check and a Met Police check. Only one of them needed to be notorized. I forget which, but one of them already had a signature - this one did not need to be notorized by a solicitor. The other had no signature and did need to be notorized. I then took both to be apostilled. I was told that basically the apostille functions to verify that the signature on the document is from a recognised authority, rather than to say the document itself is genuine! All seems like a legal money-making scam to me! Not sure if this helps out at all, kiwiduncan, but I thought I'd add it anyway...

[nizpaz]

If it helps I'll tell you my experience. I was a late arrival on the SMOE programme and my CRC was JUST 6 months old. This is last AUgust. They issued me an E2 visa on the promise I applied for a new subject access and would provide within the first 2 months. So I had the first CRC apostilled in London (no notary necessary in my case) visa issued and travelled to Seoul. I applied for the 2nd CRC before I left the UK and had it sent directly to me in Seoul. I went to the British Embassy and they stamped it no problem, took about 5 mins, cost me 60,000won no other signings necessary. SMOE accepted this no prob. I didnt need either of the CRC's for immigration.

Why not try the embassy in NZ? Otherwise, fax a copy to Korea and tell them you'll hand deliver the original once you've had it notorised in Seoul.

The new procedure at FCO in Milton Keynes is overpriced and not worth it. Even if you can get someone to go in person, by the time you post it back and forth, that's a minimum of 2 weeks and very expensive factoring in 27 quid for the stamp and recorded delivery plus the cost of getting to the FCO.

I remember all the paperwork and different stories being an utter nightmare. It seems no two experiences are ever the same. Good luck

[kiwiduncan]

Thanks for everyone's responses and suggestions.

For future reference for anyone who might find themselves in a similar situation to me (ie, getting a British crc apostilled in New Zealand), I can confirm that the British High Commision in Wellington can provide this service for about NZ$130.00, and the lady said she can usually have the paperwork done within 24hours of receiving it.

Also, my British "Subject Access" document (crc) does not need to be notarized, which removes another layer of hassle.

Anyway, I've still got to say I'll only finally believe this paperwork trail is over when I'm back in Korea, but things seem to working out ok right now.

Cheers, Duncan

[Chambertin]

Start with the authority in NZ, here's the website
http://www.dia.govt.nz/apostille

If it is properly notarized as a valid UK document then it might pass. You might want to try to get a new NZ notary stamp before you go to the apostille though.
However they might deny you. It is possible they would want it Apostilled in the UK before they can consider it legit.

Good luck, the NZ DIA should tell you what to do.
Phone: (04) 470-2928 Freephone: 0800 872 675 Fax: (04) 470-2921

[kiwiduncan]

[Chambertin]

Glad you got some good answers.
Believe them over me.

I'm just quoting what I find at the Apostille website. Officially it needs a notary stamp, but they should have that service also. Most likely they are saying, "don�t worry we can do that here also."

HCCH apostille info (the treaty that changed all this international document crap)
http://www.hcch.net/index_en.php?act=text.display&tid=37