Need An Apostille? It’s Not As Difficult As You Think

There’s a lot that goes into moving your entire life across the world. The process can be quite lengthy, but it’s without a doubt worth it. Still, there are a number of small details that can’t be overlooked and one of them is getting documents apostilled. The details are crucial so let’s get into how to get an apostille.

You could need an apostille for any number of things including getting a visa, but there could be other documents that you need while abroad and the only way to ensure their authenticity is to get an apostille.

In Korea, if you want to exchange your driver’s license for a Korean license (FYI if you have a resident visa then you can’t drive with an International Driver’s License legally technically), you need to get an apostille on your driver’s license. You also need an apostille on your criminal record or background check, and you might need one on academic records.

This post is more specifically geared towards those that are getting apostilles on their documents to obtain an E2 visa to teach here in Korea, but if you’re not doing that, just skip down to the apostille parts. The first bits are about the E2 visa and which documents need an apostille. After that, anyone can use this guide.

• What Documents Need An Apostille?
• Where Can I Get An Apostille?
• What Documents Do I Need To Teach English In Korea?
• What Is An Apostille Document?
• Steps To Get An Apostille

(This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a certain percentage of a sale if you purchase after clicking at no cost to you. Thank you for your support.)

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What Documents Need An Apostille?

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Where Can I Get An Apostille?

Depending on the document, you may need an apostille from different places. For example in the US, each state has a Secretary of State and that office can provide an apostille for personal documents such as a state issued driver’s license as well as diplomas, transcripts, powers of attorney, and birth and marriage certificates. If you are looking to get an FBI background check or IRS document apostilled, you would need to send it off to the US Department of State.

You DO NOT have to go in person, so keep reading if you think you can’t get to either of these offices. There are other ways to get an apostille.

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What Documents Do I Need To Teach English In Korea?

Obtaining a visa is quite a lengthy process, but bear with me, we can get through this together. If you want more information, check out this guide for getting a job teaching in Korea which will also help lay out EVERYTHING not just the apostille process. I want to simplify this and list every document that you will need to get your visa confirmation number. BUT I’ve highlighted which documents you also need to get an apostille on. Whether you’re coming to Korea to teach at a public school or a hagwon, you will need the same documents.

• Visa application form
• A copy of your resume
• A color copy of the information page in your passport
• At least 8 color, passport-style photos: You will need 4 of them for the visa, and use the extra ones for when you come to Korea.
• A copy of your signed contract
• Self-check medical form: This is a document that includes very basic health questions. It is important to answer the questions honestly. If you don’t, it can cause a lot of issues when you come to Korea between you and your employer.
• Apostille copy of your bachelors degree: You are required to have a bachelor’s degree to teach in Korea. If you only have an associate’s or are in the process of getting a 4-year degree, you are not eligible.
• Apostille copy of your FBI background check: This is your national-level background check to verify that you have not committed any serious crimes.
• TEFL Certificate (This is optional unless you’ll be teaching at a public school. You don’t need it for the visa, but you’ll need it for the job so I’ll list it here.)

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What Is An Apostille Document?

FYI, in case you’ll be going to a country that is not in the Hague, the US Department of State can still provide authentication however it will be something a bit different. Their site says this:

The U.S. Department of State issues both Authentication Certificates and Apostilles. The determination of which certificate is issued is based on the country in which the document will be used.  Authentication Certificates are issued for documents which are destined for use in countries that are not parties to the Hague Apostille Convention.  Apostille Certificates are issued for documents destined for use in countries that are parties to the Hague Apostille Convention.

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Steps To Get An Apostille

Step 1: Gather The Necessary Documents

Whichever documents you’ll be looking to authenticate need to be gathered. Pertaining to the E2 visa, you need to get your FBI background check and your college diploma authenticated. That’s only two documents, very straight-forward. That said, you can’t just send in these documents to get an apostille.

The apostille actually goes on the letter of authentication. You need to get your documents notarized AND THEN you can get an apostille on that. Notaries can be found all over but the easiest and likeliest if you’re in the States is at a bank. This means that for every document you want an apostille on, you should have two documents, the main document and the notarized document.

Step 2: Find The Nearest Place To Get An Apostille

GO IN PERSON: There are two options when it comes to the apostille process. One way you can do it is through your state government. Here is a list of all of the addresses for the locations to get an apostille in each state of the US, as well as Guam, Puerto Rico, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, and South Africa. But it gets messy because only certain offices do it at certain hours of the day.

For me, when I was living in Florida, it would’ve taken 2+ weeks to get the authentication done. For Hallie in Ohio, it just took a few minutes but she had to take a drive to the state capital to get it done.

In Ohio, you need to go to the Ohio Secretary of State’s Office and visit the Client Service Center. You can visit in-person without an appointment and get documents authenticated within minutes. It costs just $8.00 per document. You could also mail them your documents and they’ll be processed in 2-3 days. Ohio seems to make it a clear cut process, however in-person isn’t always possible and if you mail documents, it’s easy enough if you’re in the state, but if you’re abroad you might want to go a safer route which could lead you to Option 2.

DO IT ONLINE: The smartest and most efficient way you can do it is through a third party company. This is especially useful if you’re already abroad. I used a site called Monument Visa. I found so many third party companies that authenticate documents. This is by far the most affordable option, and most expats in Korea use it.

They essentially do all the dirty work for you. The company will take your documents to the federal government during apostille hours, which again, may be different by state and by office. They even translate the documents to languages such as Spanish, Italian, French, and more. They charge $55 per document. If you prefer another company, USA Authentication is a great option as well.

To prepare, print off the pdf version of your FBI background check (be sure to request the electronic version of the results) and a scanned copy of your degree. Then you can fill out the form with a money order to the Monument Visa or whatever third party company you decide to use. The address will be provided on the website, then you can mail it to them.

The second and most efficient way is to create a pdf version of your degree and FBI background check. Then fill out the form online, put in your card information, and submit it. You will get a call from the company to confirm the request. They were so helpful, and sent me an email when they would take it to the State Department for the apostille, and when they would send it back to me with the authentication. Once they send copies of all your stamped documents then you are good to go.

Notes If You’re Not American

The information I have provided above is geared towards Americans who are looking to teach abroad. After discussing with my other foreign teacher friends from South Africa, England, Australia, etc. They told me the process for getting apostille documents is relatively the same for their countries. The apostille is by far the biggest part of the process for preparing your visa paperwork to move overseas. And once you finish this, you can finally send your documents off to South Korea.

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