Korean Job Discussion Forums

AaronPSU777 · Joined: 18 May 2009 Location: Seoul

I have everything ready to go for a visa and my recruiter just informed me that my CBC is no good because it's a print out from the internet. She said CBCs from the internet are no longer acceptable. If I have to mail in a request to the state government it takes a month to get a reply, which will completely screw me for this job.

I don't understand why it would matter if I got it off the internet. It is an official document from the Pennsylvania State Police. It even has instructions for verifying the document if they so desire. It's notarized and apostilled. Why would it matter if its from the internet?

In addition I know plenty of people that have gotten their CBCs from the internet and had no problems but she claims this is a recent change to the laws.

Has anyone heard of this or know anything about it?? This would not be the first time a recruiter has told me something was unacceptable but it ended up working anyway. Last go round I was told my transcripts HAD to have the schools stamp on the envelope or the government would not accept them. However my school said they don't stamp envelopes and there was nothing they could do. I went back and forth for a week until I finally just sent in my unstamped transcripts and lo and behold I got a visa no problem.

aweitzm1 · Joined: 23 Mar 2010 Location: Florida

I was told by multiple recruiters when I started my job search that I needed to get a certified copy of my CBC on State level letterhead. I was specifically told by them all that I could not get a CBC from online.

From my understanding a few years ago you could print the CBC off the internet but immigration changed their procedure.

tua111111 · Joined: 20 Apr 2010

I recently used the Pennsylvania online background check. I printed it out, cut off the website address on the bottom, scanned it and touched it up to make it seem like it never had a website address on the bottom (there were just a few black lines).

So, it is possible to use one but you gotta do a little extra work.

ChilgokBlackHole · Joined: 21 Nov 2009

Skippy · Joined: 18 Jan 2003 Location: Daejeon

This is going to sound harsh! But you deserve this! According to your status you have been on the board 1 year minus 2 days. During that time you have made 19 posts and the majority of them are you asking for help for you S.H.T.F situations then replying once or twice and then disappearing. Only about 3 times have your contributed to discussion not relating to you.

Now if you where a newbie I would definitely feel sorry for you. You have already done a year in Korea and been screwed around once. Why the heck did you not get some knowledge after that! Why are you still believing recruiters and korean bosses. I will use a recruiter but I will still do my own bloody research. Never take what a recruiter says at face value!

I have known for over a year and a half that ONLINE Criminal Record Checks are not accepted by the Korean goverment. If you have spent even 30 minutes every two or three days during the year here you reading eslcafe and other blogs plus contributed you would have know that.

Basically from the beginning the Government started asking for CRCs they would not accept online criminal record check printouts. There where a few weeks of the government not really telling what the heck they wanted before settling on some half assed standard. True there has been a few people who have got accepted and passed half completed paperwork but never ever think it will work for you.

Why does the government not accept because they are not considered reliable as they could have been tampered with. CRCs not done online usually have a stamp, seal, and/or signature for some police official. An online one has none.

My advice is get on the ball and get a legitimate CRC and remember that sometimes there are no shortcuts. You can try the altering with razor blades and scanners but you will be the one that kicked out if caught!

Also beg, beg and beg the immigration official also promise that you will get them the CRC right away just start the proccessing. It has worked for some people but do not rely on it.

Good Luck

AaronPSU777 · Joined: 18 May 2009 Location: Seoul

bobranger · Joined: 10 Jun 2008 Location: masan

1 Download this http://www.dpw.state.pa.us/Resources/Documents/Pdf/FillInForms/statepolice-bkgd.pdf
2 Print it and fill it out
3 Get a money order
4 Mail it
After you receive your criminal (usually 10 days) .
5. Get it notarized
6. Go to your local state representative office and ask them to help you get it apostatized (quickest way 3 days)
7 Repeat steps 1-6 every 11 months

The online check and the mail-in are different

Skippy · Joined: 18 Jan 2003 Location: Daejeon

Using the following the into search bar at google
site:forums.eslcafe.com/korea Pennsylvania online OR "on-line"

http://forums.eslcafe.com/korea/viewtopic.php?p=2374993

http://forums.eslcafe.com/korea/viewtopic.php?p=2055010

http://forums.eslcafe.com/korea/viewtopic.php?p=2364608

Ok I was a little shrill of expecting somebody to know one little something, but I stand by my point of you need to keep appraised of the situation of things. It is hard to to read all of the info out there that might affect you, but people need to be proactive. My advice is keep reading ESLCAFE forums but avoid the fluff stuff like current events and off-topic, travel, technology (I don't). By reading the General Discussion, FAQ, and Job-Related boards you will learn a thousand little things that can help you or even what might screw you later or even surprise just make life a darn spot better. But of course if you do have other more important things to do please go on normally. Just when the fecal matter hits the air circulation device do not expect a break.

So by doing the above of reading eslcase often I remember reading about someone having their CRC refused because it had an internet address on the top of it actually that might have been a few times. People saying I tried to use such and such website CRC place and why will immi not accept it. My local consulate saying that two popular services for criminal check will be refused. Recently even thru it does not affect me that in the US local check are now not being accepted people need state or national. ALL these little factoids
help me be prepared for what to expect and what not to do. WHich is that I can not not used any online service to get my CRC.

This board is for asking questions like you say, but also this board needs to have people contribute, to work together and not become a place of I have a problem, please people tell me what to do, ok thanks got the info, BYE. Never to be heard again till the next time a crisis comes. People do start to get irked when they keep having people asking them to do their work for them. Put in some effort. Heck by contributing you might even save somebody else the problems you had. Tell your story in full if you can and when you can what happened. I love a story.

True I will admit that looking at the New York and Chicago Korean Consulates they really do not provide the information of NO ONLINE checks.

Also Korea government does have the tendency to flip flop. At times they will let something slide or just do not notice but other times they will be pedantic fecal receptacles and refuse out of spite. Also another little point about Korea and heck even government anywhere they will NOT BE LOGICAL. Heck in the grand scheme I do find it silly that your to me perfectly acceptable CRC is refused.

My advice to survive that above crap situation in Korea is to do everything they ask for, heck to the point of redundancy. Heck I get paranoid. Why just get one CRC, I would get many. You should have also sent for the FBI check too. You might have been lucky and got it quickly but when the first (state) craps out you might have the second option available, rather than none. Always assume when dealing with government is they will be uncaring heartless people. Make it a rule that everything you will do will be refused.

Good Luck and please do tell us how your situation ends.

AaronPSU777 · Joined: 18 May 2009 Location: Seoul

bobranger · Joined: 10 Jun 2008 Location: masan

I've done this process three times and never had a problem. I'm looking at my most recent check (Feb. 2010) and it does not have a url. The most important part is the apostatized page. Just follow those steps and you will be fine.

AaronPSU777 · Joined: 18 May 2009 Location: Seoul

Just wanted to update this thread. Despite what some on here told me, including some who were rather rude about it, I had no problems getting a visa using a criminal record check from the internet. My CRC had a URL on the bottom. I was informed by the state of Pennsylvania that this was the only CRC they offered so I sent it in anyway and hoped for the best.

It's possible I just got lucky, in the future I will try and get offline CRCs if possible. But just for reference, this time, for me, it went through perfectly fine. Thanks for everyone who responded.