Int'l ESL Gateways

** IMPORTANT NOTICE: NEW REGULATIONS (EFFECTIVE DEC 15, 2007)

Additional documents are required in order to obtain a visa issuance number in Korea.

Canada and United States

1. Criminal Record Checks

- Must be issued within last 3 months by the RCMP or the Provincial Police or like this in the states:http://www.sos.state.co.us/pubs/bingo_raffles/apostille.htm
- Must include VULNERABLE SECTOR SEARCH
- Must be notarized on the original criminal record check by a public notary
- Must be confirmed by a Korean Consulate

Canada Apostilles:

There is an authentication "stamp" (not a "certificate" stapled-over-notarized-document like in the US). Korean immigration will accept apostilled documents from Canada--just like Korea, Canada is also not a signatory to the Hague Convention on Authentication of Foreign Documents. But they do have notary authentication mechanisms.

More info:

http://www.redsealnotary.com/authentication-canada/legalization-canada/apostille-canada/authentication-legalization-apostille-canada.html

US apostilles:

Your Secretary of State's office does apostilles--they have to--the US is a signatory of the Hague Convention on Authentication of Foreign Documents, whose (full force of) rules just kicked in recently.

Call your Secretary of State's office. They'll tell you how to get notarized documents apostilled--either by mail-in, or walk-in. Remember--the notary who notarized your documents does have to be from the same state (ie: registered as a notary there)
They will also ask you for which country you need the apostille.

Basically all the Secretary of State's office does (or any other body where notaries are registered) is:

A) Check that the notary is registered with said state/body
B) Compare the signature of the notarized document with the sig they have on record.
C) Authenticate document by various means--In the US stapling another document with the Sec of State's seal over the notarized document, stamps, etc.
The method of authentication depends on which country you're from and if they're signatories to the Hague Convention.

Some things to look out for which get apostille requests rejected:

a) Notary's commission has expired or will expire soon (check the date and make sure the commission will be valid for quite a while after you've submitted the document to whomever wants it)
b) Notary does not sign exactly the same way as they did when they registered with the State/Body ie: registered with the state as "John A. Smith" but sign a notarized document "John Smith."

Notaries do have mistakes and these are the most common ones.

Also, if your notarized "true copy" document is authenticated by having another document stapled over it, do NOT remove the staples or alter it in any way. This voids the authentication.

UK Apostilles

http://www.notarypublicinlondon.com/services.html

2. Medical Exam certificate
- Complete 'Health Statement' form and send it to Korea.
- Once you arrive in Korea, visit a general hospital or community health center to obtain medical exam certificate to apply for Alien Registration at a local immigration office within 90 days of arrival.
- No drugs!!!  You will be checked for drugs and if any show up, then you won't be allowed to stay. 

3. Verification of Academic Degree
- Submit one of the documents listed below for verifying purposes :
* Original Degree
* Copy of notarized degree confirmed by a Korean Consulate

4. To obtain VISA at the nearest Korean Consulate;
- all applicants, except those who worked previously with an E1, E2, E3 visa in Korea without any illegal activities, must be a Canadian citizen.
- all applicants must have an interview at the consulate by a consul. If applicants are not in the Montreal area, phone interview will be arranged.
- First time applicants (non Canadians) must apply for visas at the Korean Embassy or Consulate in their own countries.
The required documents to obtain a E2 visa for teaching foreign languages in Korea for more than 90 days are:

For individuals with a visa issuance number :

1. VISA ISSUANCE NUMBER received from your employer and issued by the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Korea (Please write down the number at the application form)
2. Valid Passport
3. Visa Application form duly completed and signed
4. One recent Canadian passport color photo
5. A sealed transcript
6. CAD $55.00 money order, payable to the Korean Consulate(NO personal cheques)
7. Out-of-town locations: Prepaid, self-addressed return (Xpresspost or Priority of Canada Post) envelope (Not registered mail)