Title
With the pandemic declared, Apostille Korea bridges the gap in overseas paperwork Unable to travel to collect local documents for study, work or marriage abroad, more people are turning to contactless agency services.
- Related countries
- 중국
Content
Apostille Korea said it operates a platform on which civil documents from around the world can be requested without a face-to-face visit, covering issuance through to overseas delivery, at a time when cross-border travel has stopped. The move follows the World Health Organization declaration of a pandemic on the 11th, after which entry bans and restrictions left people unable to prepare local documents in person.
- The World Health Organization declared a pandemic on the 11th, with 119 countries reporting infections, 120,000 confirmed cases and more than 4,000 deaths.
- As countries imposed entry bans and restrictions, routes in and out of the country were effectively closed.
- Visa paperwork, local graduation and academic transcripts, criminal record certificates, marriage certificates and licence renewals were all delayed together.
- Documents submitted abroad must pass through translation, notarisation, local apostille and embassy legalisation, which makes the process long.
Paperwork halted along with the borders
The World Health Organization declared a pandemic over COVID-19 on the 11th. Infections had been confirmed in 119 countries, with 120,000 confirmed cases and more than 4,000 deaths. Countries banned or restricted entry as a containment measure, and routes in and out were effectively closed. The effect carried straight into the paperwork of students, job seekers, couples preparing for international marriage and overseas Koreans. Documents for visa applications, local graduation certificates and academic transcripts for study, criminal record certificates and marriage certificates for work and marriage abroad, and renewals of driving licences and international driving permits due to expire overseas all became hard to prepare in person. Someone who graduated from a university in China and is preparing to work in Korea has to travel to China to obtain embassy legalisation of the graduation certificate and transcript, but that trip is blocked. Someone staying in Italy on business likewise found returning home to renew an international driving permit difficult.
The steps the contactless platform takes over
Documents submitted abroad are long-winded: after translation and notarisation they still need a local apostille and embassy legalisation. Apostille Korea operates a route in which that chain is carried out on the applicant's behalf once a request is filed online, without visiting each office. Applications can be filed at any time through the internet or a mobile app, and no digital certificate, computer or printer is required. The issued documents can be received by email or at a location the applicant chooses. Documents used within Korea, sent from Korea abroad, from one foreign country to another and from abroad to Korea are all covered.
Frequently asked questions
Why did preparing overseas documents become so difficult after the pandemic declaration?
Countries banned or restricted entry, so travelling to collect documents locally became impractical. Paperwork for study, employment and international marriage was all affected.
What steps does a document submitted abroad go through?
After translation and notarisation it needs a local apostille and embassy legalisation. Apostille Korea carries those steps through in sequence.
Is a digital certificate or a printer needed to apply?
Neither is required. Applications can be filed over the internet or through a mobile app, and the issued document is received by email or at the location of choice.
Source: 아이티비즈 · 2020-03-13