Korean Job Discussion Forums

[MJ_Coney]

Hi there. I was wondering if someone could help me clear up a question.

I'm hoping to head over to Korea to teach within the next few months, but I'm confused about the criminal record check.

I've lived in Northern Ireland all my life, but because of our rather unique situation, I'm entitled to have either a British or an Irish passport. I'm going to be travelling on an Irish passport, but my criminal record check will be from a British police service.

Therefore my question is, do I need to get a criminal record check from the Republic of Ireland? It seems rather silly as I've never lived there.

So if anyone out there could clear this up for me it would be greatly appreciated

[Aine1979]

Hi, I had exactly the same problem, Northern Ireland, Irish passport. Your CBC has to match your passport - as I already had my UK CBC apostilled, and no way of getting an Irish one, I ended up just getting a British passport.

I know 3 people who applied with Irish passports and UK CBC. Two were rejected and one was accepted - strangely the one who was accepted applied at the same time as his girlfriend, who was rejected.

[MJ_Coney]

Aine, thanks for the reply. That is disappointing. I haven't had my documents apostilled yet and would really prefer to travel on the Irish passport as I've never had a British one and don't consider myself British.

Guess it's something I'll have to look into and hopefully I can find a way around it. If not, then I guess I'll have to bite the bullet and travel on a British passport.

Thanks again for the reply, as I would have been gutted had I been accepted into a school and then been rejected at the last hurdle.

[Aine1979]

I looked into getting an Irish CBC as opposed to a British passport, but as I'd never had an address in the Republic of Ireland and I couldn't seem to find a way round it.

[MJ_Coney]

Yeah, I don't think I'll have any choice in the matter Aine. I've went and emailed the Garda information office so I'll see what happens afterwards.

Just one other quick question if you don't mind answering. If you've traveled outside of Korea since you've been over there, are you still using the British passport or have you also taken your Irish passport over with you?

Time permitting, I'm keen to visit a number of places when I have holidays and I wouldn't want to get hauled into an office at Incheon airport, because I arrived on a British passport but am traveling outwards on an Irish one.

[Aine1979]

PM sent.