Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Bowden_PSM]

Hello,

I called the 02-1345 Immigration office this afternoon after a freind of mine went in person into the Daejeon office also this afternoon. Thus, my information comes from 2 sources.

Both Daejeon ans Seoul said the new rules are in effect as of 1 Jan 2011 regarding the CBC and Diploma check (which is already in effect).

Whether changing a contract or renewing a contract, the new rules apply. For US citizens, an FBI check. For Canadian citizens, an RCMP check ONLY. Although our (Canada) checks are national, Immi will only accept the RCMP checks. For UK, a national check, but I am unclear as to the parameters. My friend didn't say.

I mentioned that it would be impossible for me to get a new CBC check from the RCMP in time (my visa expires 28 Feb 2011). He said that immigration is aware of this. I mentioned I still have a notorized, national check from 2009, certified by the Korean consulate in Toronto as being national, with a VSS and ok, and that I hadn't been back to Canada since. He politely said that he understood that there was no logic in not accepting that check, but that was the case all the same. I would need a new one. This is the case for a RENEWAL, which is what I am doing. Changing a visa may be the same as long as your already in country.

He did go on to say that they are aware that there has been a lot of information and disinformation going around and that the rules had been relaxed and then re-instated. He said they know that the FBI and RCMP checks take several decades to clear and come back. So, he said immigartion would take that into account when I renewed, would renew my visa, and give me a date in the future (a couple of months) to return to immigration and prove I had obtained an RCMP check.

Degrees can no longer be verified in Korea. They must be sent home. He told me to send mine to the Korean embassy in Canada, and have them notarize it and send it back to me. This could also take a lot of time, but can be accomplished in the time before Feb. I have to call the consulate in Canada tonight and figure that load of BS out. I've been here since 2003 and thus my patience is wearing thin. I am only here for a 6 month renewal, until July 2011, when I will return home to take an MA, so all of this seems just barely worth it.

To recap, in case I have bored people to death.

1) New rules are and will be in place on 1 Jan 2011.
2) CBC national check required by FBI (US) and RCMP (Canada) only.
3) If the CBC check is late, they will RENEW your contract and give you a date to come back in and show your obtained CBC. I have no idea about changes to the visa. My case is a renewal.
4) Though this comes from 2 sources, it could change by tomorrow, and depends on what immi officer you get when you renew. He even went out of his way to tell me that, which I found proufoundly helpful.

Son-of-a-b%*#$ this is an annoying process. I miss the blue paper days.

[grandpa]

How long does it take to do an FBI/RCMP check?

How are you supposed to do it from Korea?

[ttompatz]

[global_gal]

[quote="ttompatz"][quote="grandpa"]How long does it take to do an FBI/RCMP check?

How are you supposed to do it from Korea?[/quote]

RCMP is easy (just slow).

Get your fingerprints done at the "GU" police station (not the local police box) and mail it off along with your money order.

Takes 4-5 months.

Full specifics are on their (RCMP) website and linked from the Canadian embassy website as well.

[b]If you are IN Canada just pop into your local RCMP station or if you are in a metro area that has their own police force then the RCMP division office for your province. Takes 3-7 days. [/b]FBI is similar - get printed on the appropriate form, mail it in with the fee and wait. Details on their website.

.[/quote]

Ttompatz, is this an electronic fingerprint entry? I can't seem to find anything on the RCMP website indicating that a CRC can be completed in that short of time. I am going to Canada over the holidays, and would LOVE to get this BS sorted and done with.

[austinmc86]

This is getting out of hand. Each day someone has something to say that conflicts with what someone else has said.

[Bowden_PSM]

[Rutherford]

I just renewed with EPIK in Busan and just had to sign a waver saying I recognize the new requirments and will have to abide by them next year. This waiver applied to teachers renewing at the same MOE between Sept. 2010 and August 31, 2011.

[phatrick]

I also just renewed and signed a waiver with Epik in Busan.

[ttompatz]

[koolmoe]

Thanks for the very useful information.

I called the Canadian Consulate yesterday and was told CRC would NOT be verified/apostilled in Korea. I was told that my CRC would have to be stamped at an Korean Embassy in Canada, which seems ridiculous. I was told a family member or lawyer could get the stamp in my absence.

I'm going to call the immigration office today and try to verify this information.

Regarding the diploma: I have a stamped and notarized copy from last year. Is that still valid?

[koolmoe]

Just got off the phone with the korean immigration office. Very frustrating.

CRC must be verified/stamped in Korean Embassy in Canada.

When asked how one would do this in absentia reply was:

"We don't know"

How does one find out, I inquired:

"Call the Korean Embassy in Canada"

I suggested that since this is a Korean Immigration procedure perhaps it would be useful to know how to proceed with said policy. To which the lady replied, and I shit you not:

"We just make the procedures here, we don't actually know how you do them."

I'll update after I talk to the Embassy in Canada.

[sallymonster]

What I'm wondering is, how old can an apostilled copy of a degree be? I currently have a copy of my degree that was notarized/apostilled in April '10, and I'm wondering if I can use it when I get my next job six months from now. I'm really worried about this, because I don't have anyone in Oregon (that's where my degree is from, and where it would be notarized) who can take care of this for me.

Is it possible for me to send my degree to a Korean consulate/embassy in the US to get it notarized? Would that work, even though we have the apostille system in the US?

[tombanjo]

[expat2001]

[Bowden_PSM]