Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Monochroma]

My first post so be gentle.

I've been lurking in this forum for a long time and I've gathered all the info I needed to apply to EPIK and SMOE, and get through their interviews etc. So thanks for that!
Now I just need to send a notarised and apostilled copy of my degree and CBC, along with the other documents.

I'm from UK and it looks like the going cost to notarize a document is something like �60 - �70. I would PM the posters that mention they got it for �5 but I don't have enough posts.

So can anyone recommend a cheap notary service out there? Will a UK bank do it for me? Does it need to be a Notary Public or will any solicitor do?

Cheers,
H

[Beeston27]

In my experience it cost 25 quid per document from the (British Embassy?) in Milton Keynes. They have an express service where they will turn it around in a day for 70 quid. I wouldnt bother with that.
I went down to Milton Keynes in person to sort it , and they also wanted me to visit a local lawyer in order to get my degree notarized. THat was 5 quid, and I also had to get my photocopies notarized by them.

I am led to believe there is a cheaper and easier way to do all this; and that is to basically go to the Korean embassy in London and have them notarize the lot.
Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe that is a possibility!!

[Kimsmith]

If you are in London:
If you need a solicitor to obtain notarisation of your criminal check, here are contact details of a firm who provide this for �5 at the time of writing. Remember this must be done before presenting to the Foreign & Commonwealth Office.

Kidd Rapinet Solicitors
14 & 15 Craven Street,
London,
WC2N 5AD
Tel. 0845 017 8256
Fax. 020 7925 0334

(info taken from The Korean E2 Visa Application Helpdesk Centre for UK & Irish Applicants on Facebook)

[Karea]

Since hardly anybody seems to even know the difference between notarising and certifying, especially a bunch of dumbass recruiters. Then if you want to save a bit of cash, my advice would be to get your documents certified (signed by a solicitor) for about �5 per document. As you said, notarising costs around �70 on average (all over the UK, INCLUDING Milton Bloody Keynes).

Everyone I have spoken to so far seems to have had their documents certified (not notarised) and the FCO has apostiled them. As I believe, Korean immigration are only concerned about the apostile.

There are various agents who (via the postal service) will go in person to get your document apostiled (the cheapest price seems to be around �70-80 (including the �28 FCO apostile fee and �6-7 Special Delivery).
Of course you've got to decide if the travel and time costs of you going in person to Milton Keynes (where you'll still have to pay �5 for your document to be certified and �28 for the apostile) outweigh the cost of using an agent or solicitor to do it for you.
You can also post you documents directly to the FCO, but time seems to be the issue here, as FCO offices seem to only employ one lazy part-time staff member, this can take anything from 2-4 weeks. The agents, although expensive, should be able to turn it around within a week (less if you pay more for the express service).

[sas]

I am going through the same frustrating process! This is the most concise information I have found for UK applicants.

http://morganrecruiters.com/index.php/working/single/e_2_visa_process_for_british_applicants/

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[Savant]

[Monochroma]

Many thanks for the prompt replies. Gave me enough information for sure

I will probably go for the Milton Keynes option. As for certification, is it at a company/solicitor thats in the same building as the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office? Whats the exact location?

I live in Nottingham and I sent an email to all the Notary Publics here. Recieved very quick and pleasant replies, but they were all for �70! Thinking of disseminating their prices to each other in hope for a bidding war heh.

Useful info all round. Would be good to get a stickied thread collating this.

[sas]

I think the wonderful rules have changed since last year even. The FCO in Milton Keynes who do the appostille say this on their website:

"Original disclosure documents must be signed by a member of the Criminal Records Bureau or a UK solicitor or notary public before they can be legalised. We cannot legalise photocopies of NIS or disclosure documents".


In response to the above post (sorry, not got the hang of this yet) the Kidd Rapinet solicitors mentioned above is in London, very close to the SK Embassy. This isn't much use however as you have to go to/send the crb to Milton Keynes after it has been notarised.

I am attempting to get my crb check notarized at the Manchester magistrates court today by the duty clerk. He needs to see the document first but if it's acceptable it will cost me �8.50. Might be worth trying your local courts.

[Beeston27]

Basically there is a whole host of solicitors prepared to get their money hungry, thieving hands on �5 around the FCO in milton Keynes. I went to one place that was literally 30 seconds from the FCO!!
What a palaver it is, for gods sake,many potential teachers arebasically just trying to go elsewhere rather than sitting on their arses scraping by on dole money!!
but I guess that's England for you!!

[sas]

I managed to get the Manchester Magistrates Court to sign and stamp my crb today. It cost me �25 and took almost 2 hours to complete, although I think this was due to the busy period. They were completely unaware of the SK visa process and I had to explain several times what I wanted and why. I was eventually put in a bloody witness box in a small courtroom where I declared that the document was genuine and that I have no criminal record, and the magistrate stamped the doc and attached a signed certificate.

As I was going through the process however, I spoke to a legal advisor who told me that the 'shittiest' small solicitors that serve the more 'questionable' areas of the city would probably do the same for �5 within a few minutes. By this time I was too far into the process to back out! I will definitely be going to these 'shitty' solicitors for the diploma notification.