Title
Apostille Korea offers overseas document services for foreign residents and multicultural families Continuing studies or changing jobs in Korea often requires notarisation plus an apostille or consular legalisation of documents issued back home.
- Related countries
- 필리핀, 중국
Content
Apostille Korea said it provides a document service carried out in the applicant's home country for foreign residents and multicultural families in Korea. Some 1.8 million foreign residents and around 330,000 people in multicultural families live in the country, yet institutional support for them remains thin. Apostille Korea said it handles the chain from local issuance through notarisation and authentication.
- There are about 1.8 million foreign residents in Korea and around 330,000 people in multicultural families.
- Continuing study in Korea requires recognition of foreign academic credentials, and a graduation certificate alone is not enough.
- For a document issued abroad to take effect in Korea it generally needs notarisation plus an apostille or consular legalisation.
- Criminal record certificates issued locally for marriage or employment go through the same authentication chain.
Study and work blocked by an institutional gap
In the past, many members of multicultural households stayed only briefly before returning home, but the share who continue their education, marry and work in Korea has been rising quickly. Institutional support for them, however, remains limited. A Filipina who came to Korea through marriage migration two years ago at the age of 21 prepared to enter a Korean university once her married life had settled, hoping to resume studies she had not finished at home. She was stopped by the requirement that her academic record be authenticated by the education authorities and the embassy in the Philippines, as she had no room to travel back. A man from China faced a similar situation when his contract with a company expired and he sought to move to a new employer, which asked for a criminal record certificate issued in China. Because that document is difficult to obtain and costly in both time and money, he ultimately gave up on the move.
What it takes for a foreign document to take effect in Korea
Members of multicultural households who wish to continue their studies in Korea are generally required to have their foreign credentials recognised. Obtaining a graduation certificate and a transcript is not sufficient on its own. For a document issued abroad to have effect in Korea, it must in most cases be notarised and then either apostilled or legalised at the relevant embassy. To resume studies interrupted at a university in the Philippines, for example, the graduation certificate issued by that university has to be notarised and then legalised at the embassy. The same chain applies when obtaining a locally issued criminal record certificate for marriage or employment. Having someone on the ground to act on the applicant's behalf helps, but the document requirements, timelines and costs of each embassy are hard to pin down, so even a single authentication can take a long time and a great deal of money. Apostille Korea advised using a specialist office with established credibility, since administrative requirements differ by country and translation into the local language is sometimes required.
Frequently asked questions
Can a foreign graduation certificate be submitted to a Korean university as it is?
Usually not. In most cases it must be notarised and then apostilled or legalised at the embassy before it has effect in Korea.
Can the documents be prepared without travelling home?
Yes. A document service carried out in the home country can cover issuance, notarisation and authentication on the applicant's behalf.
Does employment or changing jobs need the same steps?
Yes. A criminal record certificate issued locally goes through the same notarisation and authentication process.
Source: 디트뉴스 · 2017-04-04