Korean Job Discussion Forums

Mdvl_lady50 · Joined: 22 Oct 2008

For any fun filled happy Americans wanting to know how long this process takes, it's not that bad. I was starting to get a little heat from the school (aka the recruiter) that hired me in that they seem to want me there sooner than later. I was under the impression that the job started March 1st, but apparently a week before would fit into their interests better. That being said, I'm not a magician, and could not exactly fly into West Virginia yanking the throats of said FBI clerk demanding my clearance and letter. I told said recruiter yesterday, that I would call the FBI tomorrow and ask about the status of my print clearance.

My clearance with letter came today by mail. It only took two weeks. That's not bad. I was so irritated that I could not have this done at the police or state level -- but I live in Arizona, and it has to be done through FBI. I followed the Bureau's instructions with an introductory letter why I wanted this process done sooner than later (work visa), and wrote a two sentence request on the back of the envelope. I have to admit, they delivered.

hockeyguy109 · Joined: 22 Dec 2008 Location: Daegu

That's strange that you were not able to just get a state criminal background check. Is it an Arizona thing? I got one through the state and it just took about a week.

hockeyguy109 · Joined: 22 Dec 2008 Location: Daegu

Washington State, by the way. All states must be different with those.

Mdvl_lady50 · Joined: 22 Oct 2008

It is a state thing. Arizona will only do a state check, which I think if you read in the fine print of E-2 visas, Korea doesn't really care. Arizona will not release a criminal background check that is valid anywhere out of the state of Arizona if you are an employee of another state, let alone another country. The police stations just laugh at you. Fortunately, I get along with our state patrol here, and they understood my frustration. I just obeyed. It was annoying, in that I thought I was going to lose the job - not that others aren't out there.

But when I taught in Nevada, I went through FBI as well. It's okay, but every state is different. If anyone is new to the game of teaching overseas, no matter what a recruiter tells you that a police check is kosher -- make sure what the state law says. To be honest, I was in a state of denial for about three days. I already possess a safety card that allows me to teach in this state. Granted it had expired over six months ago for overseas use (which has it turned out was not) -- I stupidly thought I could just renew it. Didn't quite work out that way. But, oh well.

Mdvl_lady50 · Joined: 22 Oct 2008

Cleaned up that title in that it's starting to get insane in the fricking state I live in Arizona. I was sooooo excited getting my little FBI check in record time. Went to bed "Happy as Larry" as my Brit friends used to say. That feeling lasted five minutes into my phone call to the Secretary of State's Office in AZ, who informed me that basically my FBI document was worthless in that only an Apostille would be performed if the document came from this state. I pointed out to her that the state will not do criminal record checks for people who work out of the state, let alone the country. I went through three days of self denial with that factlet, until I bowed down and obeyed with Department of Public and Safety Criminal Record Checks (which I possess but is a bit over a year old) in that I teach here.

I then called my Congressman's office, who surprisingly enough is out for lunch for the next week. His aide, not surprisngly, only works three days a week -- supposedly will get back to me tomorrow. I called my state Senator's office which was kind of like calling my kid's high school with a concern - a waste of time.

Then I called the FBI back up who said that I could conceivably mail back said docs to their Secretary of States office who just happend to be conveniently closed today (maybe state holiday, what do I know?). By this time, I managed to get a sense of humor back and think, maybe this particular job might not work out, and there are plenty out there in Korea.

Last call was again to Arizona Secretary of State's office and the lady I spoke with said, "Sweets, Just do an affidavit letter to yourself, that what you got from the FBI was accurate, and get it notarized in your town." Then I'm supposed to bring in to their offices for the apostille on my FBI docs.

This is getting a bit nutty. Then I keep thinking -- have a sense of humor -- welcome to Korea -- but all of this is happening on my side of the continent:)

Mdvl_lady50 · Joined: 22 Oct 2008

Anyone in the States who has to go through the FBI for their CRC in West Virginia, today was a new day in that when I called they were actually open - that is the West Virginia Secretary of State's office. It ended up being fairly easy ($36 later) to overnight the docs, with a return mailing label. My recruiter who seems like a very nice man of sorts, emailed me a sample apostille to include in the mailing. Worked for me. Normally, if one lives in a "sane" state, none of this nonsense has to be done. But in the infinite wisdom of Arizona, state statute prohibits the state from doing a criminal background check on someone -- frankly, I think it's a paranoid illegal immigration concern of theirs -- who knows?