Korean Job Discussion Forums

[persephone]

Different states have different rules. If you, like me, no longer have US residency, just choose the state that's most convenient for you. I picked the states to contact based on their fees and whether or not I knew people living there that might be able to help me with pick-ups/drop-offs if necessary.

Here's the process for New York:

1) Get stamped and signed fingerprints from French police station
2) Send fingerprints with a copy of passport, $30 money order/bank check, and a self addressed envelope to City Hall
3) Wait ten days to get the report back (probably a little over 2 weeks, including postage time)
4) Send the report with a $3 money order/bank check to the notary near City Hall.
5) Wait 10-15 days to get it back
6) Send the notarized report to the "Apostillate" in a self-addressed envelope with a $10 money order/bank check
7) Wait 10-15 days to get it back

OR
3) Send the fingerprints with a copy of your passport, a $30 money order/bank check, and a NOTARIZED LETTER (which will cost me an additional $30) which authorizes a friend to pick up the report for you and take it to be notarized and apostillized.

WHEW! That's a LOT OF MONEY!!! (I hope the fingerprinting isn't too expensive!)

Here's the process for Washington, DC

1) Write a letter requesting your background check and a form FL20. Include your name, last address in DC, social security sumber, date of birth, race, and gender. Have this letter notarized.

2) Put the letter in an envelope with a money order or bank check made out to the "DC Treasurer" in the amount of $7.

3) Don't seal the envelope yet, but you can write this address on it:
Attention: Ms. Stacy Miller
Metropolitan Police Dept.
300 Indiana Ave. NW, Room 3061
Washington, DC 20001
USA
4) Inside this envelope, you should include 2 more envelopes
a) The first will be addressed to the Apostalate (sp?)
Inside it should include:
i) a coverletter with your name, address, and a US phone number
to contact.
The letter should state something similar to the following: "Inside
is included my criminal background check for FL-20 from the DC
Metropolitan Police Department. I am requesting that it be
apostillized so that I may seek employment in the country of
South Korea."
ii) a money order or bank check made out to the "DC Treasurer" in
the amount of $10.
The address written on this envelope will be
441 4th St., NW
Room 810 South
Washington, DC 20001
USA
b) The second envelope (inside the big envelope addressed to the
Metropolitan Police Dept) should be empty, stamped, and
addressed to you.

FINISHED!

[tired of LA]

Can't say which one is faster, as I never got a FBI check done, but I know for sure the California one doesn't take 13 weeks. I got mine done 2 years ago from Korea, but you do need someone in California to recieve your background check, as they won't mail it overseas.

First you need to get fingerprint cards. They must be on cardstock, no paper. You can contact the DOJ and they will mail you some, but it might be faster if you got someone in California to get some for you and mail it.

Then you go get fingerprinted. Do it 2-3 times, in case you get a smudge on one of them. I went to the local police station where they gave me the ink and told me to have at it. If this happens, just remember to roll in one direction only or else it will smudge.

Then you will have to mail the fingerprint cards to the DOJ with a letter saying why you need the background check and why you can't do livescan (you're not in the country) and that it needs to be apostilled, so ask them to include a letter with a original signature and seal. I think you also need to include a check and maybe an envelop with postage to an address in California. Not too sure on the envelop part though.

Once your family member recieves it, ask them to make sure there's a letter with a signature and seal, that way you don't need to get it notarized since its an official document from the state. They can then mail it off to get it apostilled, but it would be quicker if they take it in person.

All in all, I think it took somewhere between 6 and 7 weeks, but I wasn't in a rush. I have heard the FBI check doesn't take anywhere near 13 weeks, but I have never done one so I can't be sure.