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Korean Job Discussion Forums "The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Teachers from Around the World!"
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Hadit
Joined: 01 Feb 2010
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Posted: Mon Feb 01, 2010 6:45 pm Post subject: |
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I was thinking of getting a job in Korea in August or September, but I also plan to leave the US and travel until then. I am wondering if it would make sense to get the CRC, etc., now, even though it might be a little over six months when I would need it. Thanks. |
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gelynch52
Joined: 18 Jan 2003
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Posted: Mon Feb 01, 2010 7:06 pm Post subject: traveling |
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The last I heard Korea allows the CRC to be only 30 days old from time of apostille. |
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gelynch52
Joined: 18 Jan 2003
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Posted: Mon Feb 01, 2010 7:09 pm Post subject: You only need 1 CRC |
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John Connor wrote: |
Julius wrote: |
sugarcookie wrote: |
I lived abroad most of my life. O.o |
The British embassy in seoul notarized it, and this was acceptable for E2 purposes. I had previously had an E2 for which I had had to submit a notarised criminal check (from a public school a year earlier ).
This was back in early March. Things may have changed since. |
Really? Thats great news. I am looking at getting a CRC from the UK too. I have dual citizenship with the UK and Australia. Yet, I have been instructed to get a CRC from both even though I havent lived in the UK since I was 14.
1- How long did it take to get the UK CRC from old blighty?
2- Did the Uk Embassy in Seoul do it on the spot?
3- You mean the embassy thats next to City Hall station right? |
There is no reason under the sun to list a dual citizenship when applying for a job in Korea. Just use whichever country is easiest to obtain the CRC from. You can only present 1 passport @ Immigration anyways. Just use the one you obtain your CRC from & your visa in. |
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cookiedowe
Joined: 24 Nov 2009
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Posted: Thu Feb 18, 2010 2:46 am Post subject: Korean Immigration Officer Contact |
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Does anyone know the phone number of another officer or perhaps Mr. Choi's e-mail address? When I called 02-500-9068 no one answered. |
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cookiedowe
Joined: 24 Nov 2009
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Posted: Thu Feb 18, 2010 3:07 am Post subject: Re: GUIDE: AUTHENTICATING A BACKGROUND CHECK FROM WITHIN KOR |
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Ut videam wrote: |
(Mods, may I humbly suggest that this information merits a sticky?)
Background
On March 24, Korean Immigration announced several revisions to the E-2 visa regulations in order to simplify the process. The English translation of the announcement was posted on April 1. One of the changes regarded the authentication requirements for criminal background checks:
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In order to improve the documentation system for an E-2 visa applicants who got the criminal record certificate issued from his/her home country while staying in Korea or came to Korea imminently without proper Apostille certification, the verification of the consul in Korea on the criminal record certificate will be also regarded as valid. |
(http://www.immigration.go.kr/HP/IMM80/imm_09/focus.jsp)
The problem with this is that many of the embassies in Korea have stated that they cannot/will not authenticate a background check. They will notarize a legal declaration from the applicant stating that his/her background check is authentic. But there has been some question as to whether that notarized declaration will be acceptable to Immigration. Therefore, I sought further clarification by e-mail from Lee Dong-wook (이동욱) a Deputy Director (사무관) at the Korea Immigration Service, Ministry of Justice. He provided the following answers:
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An affidavit or statutory declaration with regard to the criminal record check (attached) notarized by one's embassy in Korea is sufficient to authenticate a background check. |
(http://forums.eslcafe.com/korea/viewtopic.php?p=1584905#1584905)
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But nowadays, we(KIS) are accepting all the notarization from the embassies here in Korea. For example, an American citizen can go to the American embassy and make a self-declaratory statement in front of the consular officer there. |
(http://forums.eslcafe.com/korea/viewtopic.php?p=1590259#1590259)
This reliably establishes the acceptability of a consular-notarized declaration to authenticate a background check.
Procedure
The procedure for authenticating a background check at your home country's embassy in Korea is generally the same for all applicants. The only major differences arise in the name and format of the legal statement used.
For Canadian citizens, the legal form is called a statutory declaration. The Canadian Embassy in Seoul spells out the procedure on their website:
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For criminal record check, RCMP or local police certificate will be acceptable. Once a police certificate is received, one has to bring it to the Canadian Embassy in Seoul or to the Honorary Consulate in Busan with a statutory declaration (The form can be obtained both at the Embassy and at the Consulate) to have it notarised. |
(http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/world/embassies/korea/menu-en.asp, "Korea tightens visa rules for foreign instructors")
For American citizens, the process is similar, but the legal form is an affidavit. Once you receive the background check (issued by federal, state, or local authorities per Immigration regs), bring it to the U.S. Embassy and ask to fill out an affidavit�they have blank forms available. On that affidavit, you will state that you obtained the attached background check from (name of agency), and that the attached document is authentic, true, correct, unaltered, etc. Attach your background check to that form, sign it before the consular officer, and have them notarize it. The fee is $30.00. (http://seoul.usembassy.gov/notarial_services.html, "Administration of Oath")
Contacts
If you encounter any difficulties in this process, there are several points of contact available to assist you.
At the U.S. Embassy, Mr. Hale VanCoughnett is familiar with Korean Immigration's regulations and has been in contact with them regarding this matter.
If a local immigration office is reluctant to accept a background check authenticated by this method, contact Mr. Namil Choi (최남일) at the Korea Immigration Service. According to Mr. Lee at Immigration, Mr. Choi's opinion is the final word on E-2 visa matters�he trumps the officers in the branch offices. His office number is (02) 500-9068. |
Does anyone know the phone number of another officer or perhaps Mr. Choi's e-mail address? When I called 02-500-9068 no one answered. |
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eoneinna
Joined: 05 Mar 2010
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Posted: Tue Mar 09, 2010 6:36 am Post subject: |
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Okay, I spent all day today calling the FBI, US Embassy in Korea, Secretary of State (California) and CJIS. HERE is the updated scoop on this situation (3/9/2010):
**THIS IS FOR CALIFORNIA ONLY and you must have someone in California help you (receiving address)**
1. Call the CJIS (304) 625-5590 and ask them to send FD-258 Fingerprint cards to your Korean address. Why? B/c the Secretary of State will NOT Apostille CRC results if they are NOT on official FD-258 cards. You CANNOT just print the form out from online, other states may allow this but California does not.
2. Take your FD-258 Fingerprint cards to any Police HEAD QUARTERS, not station
3. Write a written request "I need this NOTORIZED yada yada yada" (or they won't do it) on your cover letter. Also, The request must be accompanied by satisfactory proof of identity (consisting of name, date and place of birth, copy of ID, copy of passport, country of destination, and a set of roll-inked fingerprint impressions) and a certified check or money order for the $18 processing fee. Send all of this to CJIS.
4. Wait 13 + weeks until it reaches your California address. Have your contact check the notarization and have them send it to the Secretary of State. Along with the necessary documents: 1. Make a cover letter stating the country of destination 2. Self-addressed AND stamped letter. (So I guess they send internationally, but I will double check when I call back in a couple hours) 3. $20 professing fee check
5. WAIT! and wait..
This is what the FBI, Secretary of State and US Embassy in Korea told me to do. I was going to get my CRC and just take it to the Seoul Embassy in Korea but the lady told me that they do not do Notorize or Apostille via an Affidavit and that I MUST get it via my State...
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jamiemexi
Joined: 13 Feb 2010
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Posted: Tue Mar 23, 2010 10:28 am Post subject: background check |
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You can have apostille pros help you. They have a live scan fingerprinting machine that can eletronically capture your fingerprints and your information get sent to the department of justice database. It's only a state background check and it takes 2-3 business days if you have no record, most agency take state background checks. FBI fingerprints can be done there as well, sometimes its done faster than 13 weeks. Also, they can handle the apostille and send it to South Korea.
www.apostillepros.com |
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mamagata
Joined: 13 Jul 2009
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Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2010 4:04 am Post subject: Re: Expiration of CRC/Apostille situation - unique I think. |
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sanpedro72 wrote: |
Hello all,
Yes, this whole thing is still a bit messy. Here's my situation:
I got my CRC (Oregon, County) in June 08 and Apostille (State of Oregon) in July 08. Besides of some last minute hiccups with Gepik, I instead hopped a plan to Istanbul, Turkey and worked there for 6 months.
I just arrived in Korea with all of the originally documents in-tact, but was told that their valid expires at 6 months. So a recruiter suggested an affidavit (which I also see referenced in posts here), to show/swear that I haven't been back in the states since that time of my CRC/Apostille, to swear that nothing has changed and all is current.
Now I am getting some resistance from GEPIK and EPIK, attempting to move my application forward. Now I am in a pickle. I will call this Mr. Choi at Korea Immigration but is there anything else that you can recommend or that I should know about/do at this point?
Regards,
Jacob |
Has anyone been able to resolve this? I'm also in the same situation. I have all my documents, but my CRC is more than six months old. Can I just go to the Embassy and get an affidavit?
Thanks,
MG |
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gelynch52
Joined: 18 Jan 2003
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Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2010 3:12 pm Post subject: Re: Korean Immigration Officer Contact |
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cookiedowe wrote: |
Does anyone know the phone number of another officer or perhaps Mr. Choi's e-mail address? When I called
02-500-9068 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting��������������02-500-9068������end_of_the_skype_highlighting no one answered. |
Did you add the country code (82) before that number? When calling from abroad you would also delete the 0 in front of the 2 if I am not mistaken. |
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gelynch52
Joined: 18 Jan 2003
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Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2010 3:22 pm Post subject: Apostille via affidavit at US Embassy, Seoul or another coun |
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For American citizens, the process is similar, but the legal form is an affidavit. Once you receive the background check (issued by federal, state, or local authorities per Immigration regs), bring it to the U.S. Embassy and ask to fill out an affidavit�they have blank forms available. On that affidavit, you will state that you obtained the attached background check from (name of agency), and that the attached document is authentic, true, correct, unaltered, etc. Attach your background check to that form, sign it before the consular officer, and have them notarize it. The fee is $30.00. (http://seoul.usembassy.gov/notarial_services.html, "Administration of Oath")
Has anyone ACTUALLY had a CRC duly apostilled or authenticated at the US Embassy in Seoul?
Since I am American and living in The Philippines I wonder if that apostille can be accomplished at the US Embassy in Manila and accepted in Korea? |
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boatofcar
Joined: 20 Dec 2006 Location: Sheffield, UK
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Posted: Sun May 09, 2010 2:41 am Post subject: |
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I got a CRC in 2007 when I came to Korea the first time. Now, going back for the Fall of 2010, I assume I'll need a new one. Is there any time frame limitation on when I have to get it done? For example, I'm a US citizen currently living in the UK. If I get a CRC done in the states and mailed to me in the UK, and get it apostilled at the US Embassy in the UK, does it have to be done X amount of days before I enter Korea? |
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freeridden
Joined: 27 Apr 2008
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Posted: Fri Jun 25, 2010 7:07 pm Post subject: f |
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Let's say you are already on a E2 visa. Your contract ends on August 25th. You go to Thailand for a month and then find a new job in Korea that starts in October/November. Since you have to get a new visa, do you need to get a criminal background check again? How about sealed transcripts? |
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OculisOrbis
Joined: 17 Jul 2006
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Posted: Sun Jun 27, 2010 4:26 pm Post subject: |
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boatofcar: korean immigration will accept CRC's up to six months past the issue date.
freeridden: you need to submit everything again |
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questionmark
Joined: 11 May 2010
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Posted: Sun Jul 11, 2010 7:16 pm Post subject: Re: f |
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freeridden wrote: |
Let's say you are already on a E2 visa. Your contract ends on August 25th. You go to Thailand for a month and then find a new job in Korea that starts in October/November. Since you have to get a new visa, do you need to get a criminal background check again? How about sealed transcripts? |
'Just spoke to Immigration (02-1345).
Here are the latest effective dates for E-2 visa changes.
Diploma: after Sept 1, an apostilled copy (not original will be required).
Transcript: after Sept 1, no longer required.
CRB: After Jan 1, the new CRB requirement takes effect, NOT Sept 1. However, the specialist told me you will still need to get a "federal" crb later on. If ypu're transferring a state crb, you will still need to get a federal crb later on.
Note: I inquired about the status of Americans applying for E-2 visas.
Unsure of Canadians. Call 02-1345 for latest information
IMMIGRATION HELP LINE: recommend calling 02-1345 whenever you have specific questions. Rules change quickly and its better to talk directly to the experts about your individual situation. |
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naturegirl321
Joined: 18 Jul 2006 Location: Home sweet home
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Posted: Thu Jul 15, 2010 3:04 am Post subject: Re: f |
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questionmark wrote: |
'Just spoke to Immigration (02-1345).
Here are the latest effective dates for E-2 visa changes.
Diploma: after Sept 1, an apostilled copy (not original will be required).
Transcript: after Sept 1, no longer required.
CRB: After Jan 1, the new CRB requirement takes effect, NOT Sept 1. However, the specialist told me you will still need to get a "federal" crb later on. If ypu're transferring a state crb, you will still need to get a federal crb later on.
IMMIGRATION HELP LINE: recommend calling 02-1345 whenever you have specific questions. Rules change quickly and its better to talk directly to the experts about your individual situation. |
Great! Thanks so much for the info. I've been trying to call Suwon kimmi all day, and they just say that the lines are busy and hang up. Couple of questions.
1. Any idea if the CRB has to be apostillised in the US or can it be authenticated in the US embassy?
2. Can our degrees still be authentified at the US embassy or do we have to do that back home? If it's the latter, I guess I'll get a whole bunch done.
Don't they realise that the apostillised copy of your degree doesn't prove that the degree is real at all? This is just opening Korea up to fake degrees once again, they should just as for the original and transcripts.
Though often kimmi has no idea what's going on either. Remember what happened with the new F2 for foreigners? People would call them and they would be told that it doesn't even exist |
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