Korean Job Discussion Forums

[VelindaKate]

It seems evident that it's okay to use an FBI Channeler such as NBCI http://www.nationalbackgroundcheck.com/. I went through them in July and they got me my background check with seal and signature in about 2 weeks. But then I was told by recruiters that it's not the correct kind of CBC if you go through a channeler, because there is a sentence at the end that says it's not for the purpose of employment or licensing. But apparently this is only referring to employment in the United States. Even when you go directly through the FBI to request the CBC, they still put that blasted sentence at the end. Thank you again pntrlqst for bringing this to my attention. It seems that I will now be able to depart in Sept or Oct rather than waiting until November! Halleluah!!

[young_clinton]

I don't think so. I've never heard of expedited CBC's being excepted by Korean Immigration. It's Korean Immigration that requires the FBI CBC for a legal teaching visa.

[VelindaKate]

Bonnie at OK Recruiting said that Korean Immigration would accept my CBC, and she even showed me an example of someone who just received their CBC in August 2013 (blocked out their name) who went directly through the FBI and it still had that darn sentence at the end. My document looks exactly the same, VOID watermarks and all. Pntrlqst, another member on here, said that the FBI just started putting that infernal sentence on all CBCs this year and some recruiters are unaware.

Anyway, I have a second backup CBC on the books that I requested directly through the FBI on 29 July. It should arrive in mid-Sept. I'm trying to request help from congressmen in hopes of speeding it up. Anyway, I will find out 100% for sure when it finally comes.

[Guajiro]

[beentheredonethat777]

[VelindaKate]

I'll be sure and post what I find out for sure. I've got the CBC that I processed through a channeler (NBCI) pending at the US Dept of State for an apostille - due back Sept 5th. And I've got the second CBC which I processed directly with the FBI pending - due back mid-Sept (hopefully).

Yes maybe I can email my document to someone at the Korean consulate in San Francisco to see if this CBC will work, but 2 people so far have told me it will be accepted just fine by Korean Immigration.

[beentheredonethat777]

[VelindaKate]

Yes, it would be awesome!!! Fingers crossed!!!

[mermaidpower]

My CBC results that I received through a channeler (NBIC http://www.nationalbackgroundcheck.com/) were apostilled by the US Department of State.

I received the pdf results and printed them at a local mailing office. They were on white paper, had the seal in an off blue, with the office head signature. I sent them directly to US State Department and had them back apostilled in about 2 weeks. This whole process for me was about 5 weeks (between sending my fingerprints to the channeler and getting my apostilled results back).

However, my husband's results were rejected by the US Department of State. Apparently they weren't considered "original" even though they were exactly the same as mine. He had to call the channeler NBIC and have them mail him his results printed on "security paper". It's blue, and apparently tamper proof. We are still waiting to see if his results will be apostilled. We should find out Wednesday. If his results are apostilled and returned to us, then it will have taken him 7 weeks. But we paid a lot of money for overnighting and 2 day delivery. Our contract is supposed to start September 30th so we are in a hurry.

This 7 weeks includes going through another channeler to expedite the apostille process: US Legalization https://www.uslegalization.com/
Again, more extra money for this. They get your results and drop them off in person which currently is taking about 3 days- it depends on how busy the US State Department is at the time. If you do not use this expedited channeler it can take 2+ weeks to get your results from DC.

Problem: We are now not sure if the Korean Immigration office in Seoul is going to accept my apostilled CBC results. We have asked our recruiter about this- is my CBC considered original even though it's on white paper? Even though it is apostilled we are worried, considering all the hoops we have had to jump through I would not be surprised if the apostille isn't enough and my results need to be on blue paper THEN apostilled. That would mean another step, another 2 weeks, more overnighting costs, and further delay in getting our visa number. We already have a start date for our job so this would not be good.

So as soon as my recruiter gets back to me about this paper difference (is apostilled white paper good enough) I will update on this thread.


All in all though my opinion at the moment is a channeler is acceptable but make sure you get printed results on security paper. Skip the pdf just in case your results get rejected like my husbands. As far as I know, NBIC is he only approved channeler that can send the authenticated results that will be accepted for apostille. But then again, my results were apostilled and we are waiting on my husband's. So irritating.

Will update about our results when we know more. Wednesday most likely. Wanted to post in case someone else needed this information though. I wish we had known this so we could have skipped the whole pdf process.

[VelindaKate]

Good grief! What a mess! I'll say a prayer for y'all that Immigration will accept your CBC!

When I requested my CBC through NBCI, I ordered the pdf results and also 2 hard copies. I think it's on security paper. It's got those rainbow watermarks that say VOID when it's copied or scanned. I should get mine back by Sept 5th. Although it could take longer since I didn't go through an expediter with the US Dept of State. That's just too many expediters for me LOL!

[mermaidpower]

[VelindaKate]

I just got my "backup" CBC in the mail, in which I applied directly with the FBI. This document looks almost exactly the same as the document I received after applying for a CBC with NBCI, a channeler for the FBI. All of the wording is exactly the same. It is signed by the same person. They're both on security paper. The only difference is that the seal on the page from NBCI is bigger.

Two recruiters have told me that the CBC from NBCI is acceptable. It only took 2 weeks to get, while it took 5 and a half weeks to get it directly from the FBI (which is actually very quick)! I did send a request to a California Senator to help expedite it, so I wonder if that helped. Not sure.

Conclusion: If you need your CBC fast, and you don't mind spending more to get it, you can go through NBCI as a channeler to expedite your CBC. http://www.nationalbackgroundcheck.com/services-background-check.htm

[kengreen]

This is extremely valuable information. Thanks a million. Your info saves us all a ton of work.

[lennyk]

Can I bump this thread and ask if there's more updated info on this? Has somebody used NBCI who has successfully gotten their visa i.e. is now in Korea with their visa? VelindaKate?

I have a recruiter who has repeatedly assured me that FBI through channeler NBCI would be accepted as they have had no problems with their other teachers who have used them. They've given me a few interviews but it's always worrying me that they are misinformed since I also have other recruiters saying Korean Immi would not accept it even with an apostille.

I might as well not do any more interviews if NBCI checks are not valid. Since FBI direct takes 1-2 months.

[Hokie21]

Sure you might get through but here is the official word from the Korean Embassy in the United States.

"Korean Immigration informed the Embassy on July 17, 2008, that they will no longer accept criminal records checks provided by an on-line service as some states and private companies are able to do. Korean Immigration will only accept an FBI criminal records check."

http://seoul.usembassy.gov/acs_fbi.html

So there ya go. You can try and you maybe get in...but if it's rejected you know why.