Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Hotpants]

After some other posters on here recommended getting a UK criminal check through Disclosure Scotland, I thought I would give it a go.

Despite the fact that their website says they are familiar with being asked to notorize the check for overseas employment, and despite the fact that I enclosed 2 papers with capital letter writing that it was important that my check be signed and stamped, alas, the disclosure form came back without any stamp or signature.

I'm about to get on a plane to Korea, so haven't time to sort it out this end.

As far as I can see, I will have to post the check back to them and try and get them to sign it, get them to send it to a nominated UK address (Disclosure Scotland will only send overseas mail by 'surface mail' - that could take more than a few weeks), then get the person in the UK to forward it on to me.

Are there any solutions that can overcome the need to send it back to the UK?

The whole CRC thing is a nightmare...

[Darkeru]

This happened to me too, even with e-mail confirmation that they'd get it signed/stamped by the correct person. It took a week for them to sort it.

I do recall reading something about getting one notarised in a different way, by a solicitor or notary or something. I don't know anything about it, but it might be something to look into.

[chellovek]

I had that problem too. Went to two solicitors to try and get it done and both refused, whilst being complete richardheads about it.

In the end I ordered another one and really emphasised the point that they be sure that they signed and stamped it.

Sounds like bad luck about it taking a week to get it sorted, when they did mine it took 3 days.

[Hotpants]

Hmm, sounds like Disclosure Scotland is not so reliable, then.

Can anyone give me the specs in Seoul as to where I can notarize a CRC?

Thanks.

[Depths of My Soul]

Maybe they got pissed at the CAPITAL LETTERS?

I emailed them a day after I'd ordered (and paid online) asking if they could get it signed by their 'notary' and it was all good when it arrived 5 days later.

Still, a solicitor should still sign it for you for a fiver, if not then get it notarised for about �80+ (if rich or stupid...........or both )

[fergalreid]

Can you Brits not go to your local police station and request it there?

[stuey11]

OP, is this your first visa for Korea? If not then take ur disclosure Scotland check to the British embassy in Seoul, pay them about 100,000 won and the next day they will give an official letter stamped and signed by the embassy stating ur disclosure Scotland check is valid, I did this about 4 months ago

if this is ur first visit visa then I don't think this will work and you will have has to send it back to uk as you stated in your original post.

It might be worth a check with the British embassy in Seoul to check, you can find their phone number via google

hope this helps

[Hotpants]

Thanks guys.

Well, I phoned Disclosure Scotland to explain my problem. They checked their files, and they said 'er yeah sorry the request for the notary signature was filed with my application, but that they had overlooked it'.... Great.

The best they can do is get me to send it back, then they will send it back to an address in the UK, then it will get forwarded on to me from there. They won't do airmail, although if you already knew your forwarding address in Korea, they could probably handle an SAE.

Maybe a 3 week turn around time, but as I had just enough time to go to a post office, thought I should post it back, because the route of going through a lawyer/embassy and paying up to W100,000 or more when it should have been signed in the first place - that's just nuts. Just gotta hope it doesn't get lost in the post now...

As for walking into a local police station in the UK, most stations will give you application forms that you send to the restricted information department. This can take many weeks (40 days in my area) as opposed to Disclosure Scotland's alleged 1 week turn around time (although clearly the more haste, the more they can be prone to overlooking the details!). Furthermore, a lot of people have had problems getting the signature from a local police office recognized for the purpose of the apostille. They then have to find an expensive notary etc, so Disclosure Scotland seemed better.

As for the capitalization - it does ask for block capitals on the form , and it sounds that if you want to be doubly sure that they are following your request, to email AND phone them just as a precaution. Getting the CRC delayed is going to cost you a job or two. Everyone already in country has a big advantage to changing jobs.

Phew, all these documents, all these extra hurdles and costs, and there's still the apostillizing to go, and the wee matter of actually getting a job...

I've already said no way to all of Hong Kong's latest visa documentation requirements, and this will be the last teaching gig I ever do in Korea if I'm ever faced with having to get all of the visa docs from scratch again. Japan now converts tourist visas to work visas without having to leave the country or go through this sign seal and apostille hoo haa, so Japan looks more attractive once again from this point of view.

F2s must be laughing!

[JD_Tiberius]

[ippy]

go to milton keynes, and there are about twenty solicitors that notorise in an easy radius of the office you need for the apostille. Otherwise just find a solicitor in your area and try and convince them that you dont need it notorised but in fact certified so you dont want to pay the 80 quid price tag, but the 5 quid one. Same thing happened to me, so i just thought screw it, ate the 40 quid train fare and a day out of my life, went to milton keynes and got it all done there and then.

[Savant]

[Eddy24]