Korean Job Discussion Forums

[j500sut]

Hi guys, my first post on her so apologise in advance for the length email or if this topic has been covered already.

I've just had my interview with EPIK and it went well and will find out in a few days if I've passed, so fingers crossed!! But in the meantime I was trying to sort out documents I'll need.

So I got my ACPO Subject Access request for �10 which is the criminal background check covered and I have a copy of my Degree certificate and original if necessary.

Basically what I'm really struggling to find out is whether is matters to the Korean embassy whether the documents have been just certified by a 'normal' solicitor with a stamp etc OR a registered notary public needs to notarise the documents.

They are definitely not the same thing since there are few registered notary publics in the country and they are expensive (cheapest was �70 ex VAT which would cover 2 documents) but any solicitor can certify documents.

I think the confusion is that term 'notari(s/z)e' is different in the US to the UK.

It doesn't seem to matter to the FCO, they will give an apostille certificate either way as it clearly says on the website but I don't want to go through all that and send the documents to Korea for them to be rejected due to the wrong type of certification/notary. Plus I was hoping to save myself almost �90 on top of the �60 that I have to pay the FCO to give apostille seals for the docs.

If any of the UK guys who have been through this process could help me with this, that would be awesome.

Thanks in advance!

[Setaro]

The Foreign Office will accept documents certified by ANY registered solicitor.
If you pay more than �7 for this per document you're being absolutely robbed.

[Setaro]

Also on the Korean end of things, they don't care, or know, what the difference is between a solicitor, Public Notary, or Dave down the pub. All they care about is that it has an FCO apostille stamp.

All the FCO care about is that the docs are certified as genuine by a solicitor.

[tdobbins]

I went to Milton Keynes yesterday. The woman that did it there that everyone recommends, was just a normal solicitor. Also the apostille counter at the FCO is now closed. You can only apply for the apostille by post. http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/about-us/what-we-do/services-we-deliver/legal-services/Legalisation/030-Links/010-How-to-apply/

[tdobbins]

I went to Milton Keynes yesterday. The woman that did it there that everyone recommends, was just a normal solicitor. Also the apostille counter at the FCO is now closed. You can only apply for the apostille by post. http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/about-us/what-we-do/services-we-deliver/legal-services/Legalisation/030-Links/010-How-to-apply/

[j500sut]

Thats absolutely great news Setaro, I was hoping it was only the FCO apostille stamp that mattered, makes things much easier and cheaper now.

I actually just found this link after I posted which I hope other UK people will find usefull:

http://www.teflhub.com/korea/uk_visa_guide.pdf

Thanks again Setaro.

[Andyc24_uk]

As posted above, the Apostille is the only thing Korean Immigration look at. The notarisation is just to keep the Apostille-stamping monkeys in MK happy. A recommended place to get a notarisation ( basically a signature, stamp and statement on the back of your document that 'This is a genuine copy' - is Kidd Rapinet solicitors in London - they're right behind Charing Cross station and will do this for around �5. Unless you live in a very distant part of the country, even taking into account the return rail fare this is likely to be cheaper than paying some local solicitor �70-100 to do it.

[j500sut]

Thanks for the tip Andy. I actually gave a solicitors in my town a call and they said they would do it for �7 so I think I'm just going to do that.

Thanks again everyone for clearing that up for me, one last thing to worry about!

[hakwonner]

wait a sec... what is this notarisation thing?

I will be applying for a new visa in a few months so could you explain how things have changed?

I applied for my last visa in May last year and this is what I did:

- Got my CRC from the police, got my original uni degree and a new set of sealed transcripts.

- I went to Milton Keynes and got the CRC document apostilled.

- I sent all these off to Korea and then received my pin number a week later.


Any advice on how this process has changed would be appreciated. Thanks.

[Andyc24_uk]

As I understand it, the rules have changed slightly (in the long run, actually for the better, although it's a pain in the backside now).

You now need the following :

1) EITHER a Subject Access Request from the Police, which must be signed by them in order for the FCO to apostille it.
OR a CRB Basic Disclosure form Disclosure Scotland - If you ask them, they will notarise it for free which is acceptable to the FCO.

If for whatever reason this document is not certified by either Disclosure Scotland's notary public or a police official, you'll need to get that done by a solicitor before you send it to the FCO in Milton Keynes for Apostillization.

2) An apostilled COPY of your degree certificate - they no longer accept the original. (This is good in a way as they're less likely to lose it, and crooked Hagwon directors can no longer hold them hostage). To get the apostille, you'll once again need to get the copy certified as genuine - literally, a solicitor needs to write on the back something like "I certify that this is a genuine copy". It shouldn't cost more than about �7-10 - If it does, you're being ripped off. Once the copy is signed, you need to send that to Milton Keynes as well to be Apostilled.

3) You no longer need the transcripts. (another good move, as they were always an entirely pointless requirement which proved absolutely nothing)

4) Passport and passport photos

5) Various documents from your employer-to-be (the same as before - They should sort this out for you.)

There have been a couple of other useful changes it's worth knowing about too -

Firstly, the ARC card now automatically includes an extra month of tourist visa status after your 12-month E2 visa period expires - so if you want to stay an extra week or two to travel around Korea, or if your flight home is a few days after your contract end date, you no longer need to mess about with contacting Immigration to get permission to stay beyond the expiry date of your ARC card.

Second, your ARC card, when you get it, is now automatically valid for multiple entry. No need to get a multi-entry visa stamp in your passport.

Third, under certain conditions it's now legal to change employers during the visa term - You can do it and then have a couple of weeks in which to inform Immigration about it, instead of requiring permission in advance. As I understand it, you can do this if you have permission from your current employer; or in some circumstances, if you have documentary evidence of your being cheated or badly treated by a corrupt director/boss.

Finally, and most importantly, as long as you've gone through the process this time and submitted the latest required documents as mentioned above, Immigration will keep your apostilled degree/CRB etc on record for three months after the end of your next E2 visa. If you want to extend again, or apply for a new visa with a new employer, within this time - you can do so without re-submitting everything all over again. You can go home or take a break or whatever after your contract - as long as you're coming back within 3 months, you should be able to do so without jumping through all the hoops again.

[morrisonhotel]

[j500sut]

I know this might be slightly off topic with regards to the subject of the original post but in relation to the visa, when is it actually valid for? Is it possible to arrive in Korea maybe a week or at least a few days early to stay with a friend? This is what I was hoping to do before starting the EPIK orientation.

[hakwonner]

[mrthingy]

This is a great thread. On thing I want to check, you need a copy of your degree but the original of the CRB check, correct?

[morrisonhotel]