Korean Job Discussion Forums

[ella]

Wait, now I'm confused. I'm taking a degree from a U.S. university to the Korean consulate in Los Angeles. They'll make copies and add whatever blessing is important to Koreans, correct? Or do I need to make copies and get them notarized by a U.S. notary before the Korean embassy will bless it?

[pgplummer]

I do not want to send my original degree. Can I have a copy notarized by my lawyer and not by the Korean Consulate?

[denverdeath]

[yamyam]

At the Korean embassy in Toronto I was told that my copies of my degree had to be notarized by a lawyer before the embassy would notarize them (even though I had the orginal with me!) and also that they would not notarize my degree unless I had copies of my transcript too. (I forgot to ask whether they had to be sealed copies or not...)

[Big Mac]

It sounds to me that the Korean consulates around North America seem to say something different, depending on what day it is and what you look like.

I guess I just looked like an untrustworthy person or something...because it sounds like other people got an easier ride than I did.

Why would one consultate say a photocopy of your transcript is fine while another insists on an original in a sealed envelope? I even had an original with me when I went to get my degree notarized and they shook their heads and said "must be in sealed envelope."

There doesn't seem to be any consistency at all.

[OiGirl]

Maybe we can make a database of what is required at each embassy/consulate?

[RachaelRoo]

[dimnd]

I just contacted the San Francisco Korean Consulate at . 415-921-2251 and the gentleman told me I make copies of my original diploma and take to a Notary Public and have each copy of my diploma notarized and then send with a passport to the consulate and they will certify each diploma for two dollars. No need to send the original diploma as each diploma copy will be notarized and certified at that point. Original diploma stays home..Hence, it saves on getting new diplomas from my uni..which charges 25 apiece and takes about a week or less to receive...Sealed transcripts are 8 ...but not so bad..

[Hotpants]

Korean consulates/embassies don't notorize degrees/diplomas. They most usually take notorized copies as part of their visa processing process. Notorizing a degree/diploma (verifying that it's authentic issue) is typically done with a lawyer, a city hall official (often free), or the embassy/consulate of your home country if you are overseas before you approach the consulate.

You might want to take photocopies of your passport (and any other docs?), though, because some Korean consulates get funny about them paying money to make photocopies on your behalf even if it just costs them like 1 cent or so.

Then, you have to get your transcripts lined up...

[buster brown]

The Atlanta Consulate must be one of the easier places to certify copies. I took my original diploma along with all of the copies I wanted certified. I can't remember what kind of ID they looked at, but taking along your passport wouldn't hurt. For the low low price of $2 each, they stamped my copies and attached an additional stamp for the receipt of the $2. There was no mention of notarizing or transcripts. I was in and out in 10 or 15 minutes, tops...no problems.

[dimnd]

notarizing is free at my bank...then sent off to San Francisco for the $2 fee for certifying ..did not need my original diploma ...just passport...