Korean Job Discussion Forums

pangaea · Joined: 20 Dec 2007

I have 3 months left on my contract and I might be staying for another year but applying to other schools. I am very confused about the criminal background check. I was told in a training session that I can use my previous criminal background check as I have not left Korea, but I am not sure if that is accurate. Has anyone done this or have any other information?It will be a real pain to get another criminal background check, but I will start the process now if I need to.

PigeonFart · Joined: 27 Apr 2006

Good question. I'd like to know too.

Given my experience with Korean burocracy (correct spelling?) i wouldn't be surprised if they demanded a new one from your home country (EVEN THOUGH YOU'VE BEEN IN KOREA FOR THE LAST YEAR!).

suprd3vil · Joined: 14 Jun 2009 Location: Sindorim, Seoul

Long story short, if you are transferring your visa you will not need a new CBC FOR IMMIGRATION if you have not left Korea for a period of time. Your new school may require a copy of your CBC for their records which is not easy to acquire.

(see below if you want to know my story)

I transfer my visa in Sept '10 from a Hogwon to a Public school.
My recruiter told me I had to get a copy of my CBC from immigration to complete my paper work and that they would give one to me no questions asked. She was wrong. I took an entire day off school to go there, explained my situation and was told that as long as I had not left Korea my CBC was still good and I did not require a copy of it to resubmit to the same people.
After 3 phone calls to my recruiter and 3 trips to different departments in the immigration building and almost 4 hours there my recruiter admitted that it was my school that required the copy not immigration as she had stated. I was told to beg them, cry if necessary, as I didn't have time to get a new one and GEPIK needed a copy. I ended up having to hand my phone over (with my recruiter on the other line) to the immigration officer with tears in my eyes I watched them speak in Korean, ending with a lot of "awww"s and "Ooo"s for about 10 minutes, she hung up, got up from her desk and came back 10 minutes later with the required document. As she handed the photo copy to me she told me "We don't do this, I didn't do this, don't ever tell anyone this was done."
I have no idea what she said to her for me to get the document, but it must have been one hell of a story, I got out of there as fast as I could with my hard earned sheet of paper but can honestly say I wish I had just filled out the 2~3 forms at the embassy to get a new one. I never want to go through that again. Ever.
I hope this helps you! Good luck!

pangaea · Joined: 20 Dec 2007

That was exactly what I asked the leader of the training session. He said that I could reuse the cbc for one more year since I have been in Korea the whole time, but after that I would have to get a new one. It doesn't make any sense to me. If I have been in Korea for a full year, why can't I just go to a police station here for a cbc and attach it to the previous one from my home country? Why can't immigration see the logic in this?

Anyway, does anyone know if I can reuse my cbc instead of jumping through hoops to get another done in my home country from here?

Riker · Joined: 28 Dec 2010

From what I've read on this site, you can not reuse your CBC. I have heard of getting a Korean background check though for people who have not left the country.

NohopeSeriously · Posted: Tue Feb 22, 2011 7:40 pm Post subject:

By the way. How long does the validity of the Canadian CBC last?

I heard that it's 6 months but I'm not sure.

lifeinkorea · Joined: 24 Jan 2009 Location: somewhere in China

MacLean · Joined: 14 Feb 2011

If you phone immigration to get this cleared up you'll get an answer. Unfortunately, if you phone back an hour later, and get a different staff member (heck, even if you get the same person) you'll get a completely different answer. Phone again the next morning, and you'll get a third answer. All of these answers will contradict each other. Yeah, the run-around that one must do to get a straight answer to any question in Korea is exasperating. Clarity and transparency is not their thing.

In the end you'll need a new CBC. "But I haven't left Korea during the last year," you say. You're forgetting that the criminal checks are not about locating a criminal past. They are about stigmatizing foreigners. If they were about "protecting the children" gyopos would have to take them too, as would any Korean employed at a hogwan. But they do not.

MacLean · Joined: 14 Feb 2011

One more thing. I would really like to see the criminal background checks of not a few hogwan owners.

hellofaniceguy · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Location: On your computer screen!

Immigration requires a NEW records check every time. Even if you have not left the country. Go figure. You change jobs....new one needed even if you only worked at a particular place for a month!
The minds at immigration....I don't know..but then again...they did not make the law.....

Riker · Joined: 28 Dec 2010

Basically you should just order a new background check every year.