Title
Criminal record certificates for overseas use blocked by the digital certificate requirement Online issuance requires a registered public digital certificate, which effectively rules it out for Koreans abroad, while appointing a proxy leaves the handling of sensitive personal data unresolved.
Content
Apostille Korea says it has built a processing system to address the difficulty Koreans abroad face in obtaining a criminal record certificate. The document is mandatory for overseas employment, entry and residence matters, yet is structurally hard to obtain from outside Korea.
- The criminal record certificate is a mandatory document for overseas employment, entry and residence matters.
- It comes in two forms depending on whether expired sentences are included.
- Online issuance requires security modules and a registered public digital certificate, making it effectively unavailable from abroad.
- For submission overseas, ministry confirmation and either an apostille or consular legalisation may also be required depending on the country.
Top-level personal data means a demanding procedure
As employment with foreign companies grows and cross-border travel becomes more frequent, demand rises for the criminal record certificate, the basic document used to verify identity. It is a form setting out the applicant's own criminal record, and it is divided into two versions according to whether expired sentences are included. Because the version that includes expired sentences is a sensitive document, the rule is that it be used only to verify the individual concerned, and disclosure is permitted only within the minimum scope needed for the enquiry, in cases prescribed by law such as residence permits for foreign nationals. The issuance procedure is not simple either. Applying online requires installing several security module programs and registering a public digital certificate. Anyone unable to obtain such a certificate, or unable to cope with the web environment, has to apply in person instead.
The double barrier facing Koreans abroad
Applicants living in Korea are expected to obtain the document themselves, while those staying abroad may appoint a proxy to handle it. That route requires documents proving the overseas stay, the appointment of a proxy to collect the certificate, and then, depending on the destination country, ministry confirmation plus an apostille or consular legalisation. With the procedure stretched out this far, obtaining a Korean criminal record certificate from abroad becomes a formidable task. Even with a proxy, the applicant must accept that a document containing highly sensitive personal data is being handled where they cannot see it. As a result, many Koreans abroad fly home simply to collect the paperwork. Apostille Korea says it built its processing system for people caught in this gap, and recommends obtaining the document through a fast and secure specialist office precisely because it contains sensitive personal information.
Frequently asked questions
Can I obtain it online from abroad?
Online issuance exists, but it requires installing security modules and registering a public digital certificate. For Koreans abroad without such a certificate it is effectively unavailable.
What is the difference between the two versions?
They differ in whether expired sentences are included. The version that includes them is the more sensitive document.
What else is needed to submit it to an institution abroad?
Depending on the destination country, ministry confirmation and either an apostille or consular legalisation must also be completed.
Source: 문화저널21 · 2017-03-16