Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Mitsuko]

Hello,

Could any Canadian who has recently gone through the E-2 visa process clarify whether or not our Criminal Background Check must include a Vulnerable Sector Search (VSS). I've read a lot of conflicting information, my local police station will not provide a VSS for Canadians who are working overseas.

Some recruiters are saying the Criminal Background Check must include the VSS, I have read else where that the requirement has been revoked.

[ttompatz]

[Mitsuko]

Thank you for the quick response, greatly appreciated.

[ttompatz]

[Mitsuko]

I contacted the Korean consulate in Ottawa and asked about the this today. The woman in charge of the consulate said that the because the local police service uses CPIC that it would be accepted by both the consulate and Korean immigration. There is so much conflicting information concerning the Criminal Background Check.

[Chris.Quigley]

All that the VSS is is a stamp that they put on it. They did it for free for me. You might as well just get it while you are there.

[Mitsuko]

Apparently the VSS is for those working in Canada only. I was told that if VSS was granted to a Canadian working overseas, it was a mistake and technically invalid.

[bombenhagen]

The VSS was absolutely a requirement for a Canadian to get a work visa at one time as I had to get one when the rules changed a few years back. Good to hear that they dropped the whole VSS thing. A new RCMP policy means almost 45% of people looking for a VSS will have to be fingerprinted and thus wait 4 plus months. I'm waiting on one now. It's been three months and nowhere in site. "Might as well get it while you are there" might cause you a 4+ month wait, don't push your luck and think you are helping yourself by trying to get one.

[chachee99]

[jiyull]

Does anyone know how to get a criminal record check done while in Korea/

[bigpun]

You would need to get an RCMP fingerprint form (you'll have to contact RCMP HQ, but don't hold your breath for a reply...), have a police station here do the finger-printing (and maybe fill out some of the details on the form - it depends on how particular you/the RCMP are; the police officer taking your prints should be the one to actually fill out the form - have fun explaining that to a Korean police officer), then send the form back to RCMP HQ for processing. Total wait time for me is more than 5 months so far - requesting the form took A WHILE, even after some follow-up calls here and from folks back home. Now the wait is on for the form to be processed.

Some of those other details: the form asks for the purpose of this finger-print/backgournd check - there are several boxes for you to choose from. I was told I should check the box marked "VISA" (for visa issuance) NOT "Employment" (I guess that makes sense, because we are applying for a visa for Korea, it's just that the visa happens to be for employment.)

Regarding VSS, 5 months ago someone told me that Immigration specifically said that VSS was NOT necessary. A poster before just mentioned that VSS is technically invalid outside of Canada, and somebody else just told me that the RCMP has an issue if you check more than one box when specifying the purpose of the form (VSS is one of the options) - something about it invalidating the form...Help?

Korean Consulate said that a local police check will be enough because Canada uses a nation-wide database? Wow, even if the bureacracy and the HAIC (Head Ajoshis in Charge) finally managed to figure that out (Yes, Canada operates differently from the US...), people from Oz and GB have told me they still need a national check even though their police records are kept the same way (if they are not mistaken.) Anyone else confirm that a local CBC will be OK?

Finally, anyone else heard a rumour that the Canadian Embassy has a stash of RCMP fingerprint check forms and if you send it though them you can get your CBC back in about a month?

[chachee99]

[BigJ]

Question about the notarization for Canadians.

Again, like everything else to do with this process there are multiple answers to the same question. So I went and had my documents notarized by a public notary in a sleazy office that reeked of smoke. So they took my photocopy of my degree and notarized it, which involves the seal and they attached a document outlining their verification of my degree and they signed and dated (plus stamped) it. For the criminal background check they copied, signed the covering letter and stamped it as well. Now because there were no clear directions on what exactly to do and every recruiter I have been in contact with is next to useless and providing accurate information I put my trust in this lawyer. Well it turns out... at least from delving into it further that the original background check is supposed to receive the notarization. According to veteran posters on here.

So just to verify, I need to have the original CPIC notarized? Do I just need the stamp or is the covering letter that the notary issues necessary as well? Again this is NOT specified or described in any detail (why can't there be on answer to ONE question?) and most of us have never had to deal with this b**lsh** legal stuff before so I don't really know what these forms are supposed to look like when I sent them overseas.

Second question, why is the notarization even necessary on an original document? Does the consulate itself not also verify the document? Seems like a waste of time and money to me.

Lastly, has anyone had their documents verified by two different notaries? I would like to get this done asap and I don't want to go back to the same sleazy lawyers office.

Regardless, any answers would be appreciated and I apologize for my tone but it's therapeutic to write about this unnecessarily tedious process.

[Mitsuko]

I just had all my documents sent to Korea and had no problems. I was issued the visa issuance number. Any Criminal Records Check (CRC) with CPIC is acceptable. You do not need the RCMP CRC.

You need to have a photocopy of your original diploma notarized by a lawyer (notary public) & Korean consulate (you need to have the notary public notarize the photocopied diploma before the Korean consulate notarization).

*All that is needed is a stamp with either an attached letter or hand written & signed on the photocopied diploma verifying the authenticity.

You do not need to get the CRC notarized by a notary public, only notarized by the Korean consulate. You will send the original CRC to Korea.

[ssuprnova]