Korean Job Discussion Forums

[isitts]

Is there already a thread on this? I found threads for those coming to Korea, but not those who were already working here.

I got here in July 2009. The State CBC was fine then. Now it�s changing to an FBI background check. How do I get that from Korea? Or I guess more specifically, where/how do I get fingerprinted?

And when do I need this by? Am I going to get deported if I don�t have this by next week? Or is my State CBC good through the end of my VISA term?

Thank you.

[Ji]

The requirement for FBI Criminal Background checks for E2 Visa renewals has been postponed a year.

You can get fingerprinted at any of the major Korean police stations. Just bring the fingerprinting document. You can also print out all necessary documents from the FBI website. After filling out the paperwork, getting the fingerprints, just enclose payment and mail to the instructed address.

The trick is getting the document apostillized. The FBI doesn't do it. You'll have to take the FBI Check to your state to get apostillized.

[isitts]

[Ji]

I just got my FBI check. So if you want to get it apostillized (however that's spelled), you'd have to mail it to your State of Record back home to the state office.

Just check your state's website about getting documents apostillized. So I'll have to re-mail it back to the US and get it back again.

[isitts]

[munybse]

Not all states will apostille a federal document like the FBI CBC.

I was told many times to send it to the Department of State for an apostille.

http://www.state.gov/m/a/auth/

[melirae1976]

If you do it at the state-level you also have to fill out an affadavit that states the FBI check is a true document; the affadavit will then have to be notarized and attached to the FBI check and they will attach the apostille to those. The individual states cannot apostille an FBI check because it is a federal document, so to save putting together an affadavit with notary, you can just send your authenticated FBI check to the State Department (make sure to put you need it autenticated on your FBI application when you send your prints in).

U.S. Dept of State Authentications Office
518 23rd St NW
SA1 Columbia Plaza
Washington, DC 20520

[email protected]
phone: 202-647-5002
fax: 202-663-3636

15 day turn-around time for mailed in documents.
Fee: $8 per document- check or money order to US Dept of State. Credit cards can only be used for walk-ins.

[nstick13]

This seriously should be a sticky. I've posted it at least 15 times now.

You do NOT NOT NOT NOT NOT! have to get an apostille if you're in Korea!!!

You may SWEAR AN AFFIDAVIT at the US Embassy. Immigration explicitly states this on their website. Immigration will accept that in place of an apostille if one is in Korea or entry is imminent.

To speed up the BG check, call your congressperson and explain the urgency.

[isitts]

[MCGLewis]

[isitts]

bumped

[melirae1976]

My visa expires in early 2011. I am in Korea and in the process of gathering docs for renewal now- this will be my 3rd visa. I was told that my CBC needs the apostille. Swearing an affidavit at the Embassy is not the same thing as an apostille, it is the equivalent of a notarization. Just my experience...I'm going with what I'm being told by the people in my office who take care of this and have been talking to Immigration.

[Alias77]

Actually, that's what makes this whole process and the fact that Korean immi is demanding it - STUPID. An apostille is nothing more than a notarization with a shiny, expensive sticker. There is no verification process of any kind involved. It's bureaucratic garbage documentation.

If anyone has had a situation where immi has refused an affadavit from the US embassy, I have yet to read/hear about it.

So, if someone has been denied, please speak up.

[melirae1976]

Yeah, an apostille is just another level of bureaucracy and the only verification process is that the notary, certified by the same office that gives apostilles, has done their due diligence and verified that the document is a true document before notarizing so an apostille can be obtained.

I'm sure that affidavits notarized by the US Embassy are fine for most transactions in Korea- in fact I used the service for obtaining my Korean driver's license. However, in the case of renewing and E2 visa the apostille and notarization of an affidavit are not the same thing, so those who are interested in coming or staying should suck it up and get the apostille done. Why go through paying $50 for something that may or may not be accepted (notarized affidavit from the Embassy) when you can pay $8 (for the apostille) and call it a day?

And every time I get annoyed at this process, I just think how much easier it is for me to come here than for them to go to my home country- WAY less red tape!

[nstick13]

Those of you saying the affidavit doesn't work haven't done your own research.

An affidavit can be done and in your hands in a day, an apostille will take however long in transit time, plus associated expenses, plus however long for the state department to do it.

If you're in the US and it only takes a day and $8, do it. Definitely do not pay $200 for the various apostille services.

www.hikorea.go.kr -> Information -> Immigration Guide

Work/More than 91 days -->View

Eligibility/Procedure/Document
Under Issuance of Proof of Criminal of Lack of Criminal Records
"※ In case applicant stay in Korea and is sent Criminal Background Check by mail, Or one's entry to Korea is imminent, the document notarized by one's embassy in Korea may be exceptionally acceptable."

I suppose I can understand why some other source would tell you otherwise, but I've been screwed by that in the past. I found out that my BG check was going to be expired because of this site about 2 years ago. My recruiter didn't know there was a 6-month date on it, and EPIK didn't either. My EPIK coordinator didn't know about the Embassy affidavit either when I interviewed, but agreed that immigration allowed it as I walked him through to the exact page I just quoted on.

Just be grateful Korea publishes this stuff in English and easily accessible.