Korean Job Discussion Forums

missionshk · Joined: 09 May 2007

I got sprung with a demand for a Criminal Records Check as part of the contract renewal.

I had understood it wasn't necessary for contract renewal.

My problem is that I have no state of residency in the USA, but I am a permanent resident of Hong Kong, and have been a resident there for the last 15 years. I can't ask anyone for the CRC in America, so I sent a request off to the Hong Kong govt.

Today, the Immigration called the school and said I needed a USA CRC.

Does the FBI give criminal records checks at the embassy. I have no clue how to proceed with this.

Please help

missionshk · Joined: 09 May 2007

DongtanTony · Joined: 22 Feb 2008 Location: Bundang

Negative...criminal checks cannot be performed by the embassy.

Plus, the FBI check requires fingerprinting.

http://www.fbi.gov/hq/cjisd/fprequest.htm

You must download the fingerprint form...find a Korean police station willing to fingerprint you...then send it along to the feds. I'd include a prepaid self addressed envelope with explicit instuctions to mail when completed.

There are very clear instructions at that website.

The process can take up to four weeks or more, to send, process, and receive.

I'd send along your last permanent residence address...possibly give them a phone call too to see if they have any expedited options available.

Hope that helps.

DongtanTony · Joined: 22 Feb 2008 Location: Bundang

Negative...criminal checks cannot be performed by the embassy.

Plus, the FBI check requires fingerprinting.

http://www.fbi.gov/hq/cjisd/fprequest.htm

You must download the fingerprint form...find a Korean police station willing to fingerprint you...then send it along to the feds. I'd include a prepaid self addressed envelope with explicit instuctions to mail when completed.

There are very clear instructions at that website.

The process can take up to four weeks or more, to send, process, and receive.

I'd send along your last permanent residence address...possibly give them a phone call too to see if they have any expedited options available.

Hope that helps.

ytuque · Joined: 29 Jan 2008 Location: I drink therefore I am!

Here is the number for the FBI CBC customer support in W. Virginia. 304-625-5590. You may want to find out whether they only mail CBCs to US addresses. Also, I had a lot of trouble getting them to use expedited mail. They wouldn't process a prepaid FEDEX envelope.

CentralCali · Joined: 17 May 2007

As a US citizen, you do have a permanent address in the US, even if said address has been bulldozed over a dozen times. It's the address you use for voting eligibility and is the one you put on your passport application way back when, the address you were last living when you lived in the US.

If you're in Seoul or just feel like a trip there during the week, cruise on over to the Pass and ID section for the US Army Garrison Yongsan. It's in the building next to the USO and you don't need any ID whatsoever to enter that part of the base. They'll do the fingerprinting for you at no cost and they have the FBI forms already!

missionshk · Joined: 09 May 2007

i decided to get the online check, for 60 bucks..

should be here tomorrow..

i hope they accept it.

ontheway · Posted: Fri May 30, 2008 8:50 am Post subject:

Ut videam · Joined: 07 Dec 2007 Location: Pocheon-si, Gyeonggi-do

As I understand it, an online check will only be accepted if it comes from a government website (federal, state, or local).

An online background check issued by a private company will NOT be accepted by immigration.

Good luck, but don't get your hopes up.

Zaria32 · Joined: 04 Dec 2007

Recently Immigration has been accepting CBChecks from darn near any website in the US that does it...then you have to have the US Embassy in sole notarize that YOU SAY IT'S ACCURATE. Mind you, the embassy doesn't say it's accurate, they say that YOU said it's accurate.

Doncha jus love Korea?

Ut videam · Joined: 07 Dec 2007 Location: Pocheon-si, Gyeonggi-do

Trust me, I know about the embassy-notarized affidavit bit. Take a look at who wrote the sticky post about it.

But I was under the distinct impression that the background check itself had to come from a government-operated website. This would be in keeping with the regulations as posted on the HiKorea website, which states that the background check must be issued by a federal, state, provincial, or local government authority.

Can you cite specific instances of an online background check from a private website being accepted by Immi? I'd be very interested to know if people have managed to get by this way, as it seems to be against the regs.