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Kang & Kriel Recruitment
Country-by-country guide to apostilling your documents for a Korean E-2 teaching visa. Covers the US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and Ireland with costs, timelines, and step-by-step instructions.
An apostille is an international authentication certificate that verifies your documents are genuine for use abroad under the Hague Convention. To teach in Korea on an E-2 visa, you must apostille your bachelor's degree and national criminal background check. The process, cost, and timeline vary by country — US teachers should expect 6-16 weeks total, while UK and Australian teachers can often complete it in 4-8 weeks.
An apostille is a standardized certificate issued by a government authority that verifies a document is authentic for international use. Korea requires apostilled degrees and background checks for E-2 visa applications because these documents originate from foreign governments that Korean immigration cannot directly verify.
The apostille system was established by the Hague Convention of 1961. All seven approved English-speaking countries (US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Ireland) are members of the Hague Convention. Each country has a designated competent authority that issues apostilles. The apostille is a separate certificate attached to or stamped on your original document. Korean immigration will reject documents that are not apostilled or are authenticated through other means.
US teachers need two separate apostilles. The FBI background check must be apostilled by the US Department of State in Washington DC (the only authority for federal documents). Your degree is apostilled by the Secretary of State in the state where your university is located. Total cost: $38-$150. Total time: 6-16 weeks.
Start with the FBI Identity History Summary Check. Submit fingerprints electronically through an FBI-approved channeler (2-4 weeks, $50-75) or mail a physical FD-258 card directly to the FBI (8-12 weeks, $18). Once you receive the FBI check, mail it to the US Department of State for apostille ($20 standard, 4-8 weeks; $60+ expedited). For your degree, contact the Secretary of State in the state where your university is located. Fees and timelines vary by state — some offer same-day walk-in service, while others take 2-4 weeks. A professional apostille service can handle both processes simultaneously for $150-$300 additional.
UK teachers apostille their ACRO Police Certificate and degree through the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) Legalisation Office. Both documents can be submitted together. The FCDO charges £30 for standard service (2 weeks) or £75 for premium next-day service. Total process: 4-8 weeks including the ACRO certificate itself.
Apply for an ACRO Police Certificate online at acro.police.uk (£65, 2-4 weeks). Once received, submit it along with your degree to the FCDO Legalisation Office for apostille. Note that the FCDO only apostilles original or officially certified documents — photocopies are rejected. If your degree is a modern digital certificate, contact your university to obtain a hard copy suitable for apostille. Some UK universities issue separate "authentication letters" that can be apostilled instead of the degree itself.
Canadian teachers need an RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) criminal record check apostilled by Global Affairs Canada (GAC). Your degree is apostilled by the provincial or territorial authority where the university is located, or by GAC if the institution is federally chartered. Total cost: $200-$450 CAD. Total time: 8-16 weeks.
Submit fingerprints to the RCMP for a criminal record check ($25 CAD, 2-8 weeks depending on method). Certified results can be submitted to Global Affairs Canada for apostille ($35 CAD per document). For your degree, check whether your university is provincially or federally chartered. Provincially chartered universities require apostille from the provincial authority. GAC handles federally chartered institutions and federal documents. Some provinces have faster processing than others. Canada joined the Hague Convention in 2024, so the apostille process replaced the older authentication and legalization system.
Australian teachers obtain their criminal record check from the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and apostille both documents through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). AFP checks cost $42 AUD and take 2-3 weeks online. DFAT apostilles cost $90 AUD per document. Total time: 6-12 weeks.
Apply for the AFP National Police Check online at afp.gov.au ($42 AUD, typically 2-3 weeks for digital results). Print the official results for apostille. Submit documents to DFAT by mail or in person at their Canberra office. DFAT charges $90 AUD per apostille with standard processing of 5-10 business days. Express service (1-2 business days) is available for $180 AUD at the Canberra office. Your degree must be an original or a certified copy — DFAT will not apostille plain photocopies.
New Zealand teachers obtain their criminal record check from the Ministry of Justice and apostille documents through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT). The criminal check costs $29 NZD (online, 2-3 weeks). MFAT apostilles are $44 NZD per document. Total time: 4-8 weeks.
Apply for your criminal conviction history from the Ministry of Justice online at justice.govt.nz ($29 NZD). MFAT handles all apostilles at their Wellington office. Submit by mail or in person. Standard processing takes 5-10 business days. If your degree is from a New Zealand university, MFAT apostilles it directly. If you studied overseas, you may need authentication from the country where the degree was issued. MFAT also accepts notarized copies for apostille in some cases — check their current requirements.
South African teachers need a South African Police Service (SAPS) clearance certificate apostilled by the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO). SAPS clearance takes 6-10 weeks and is free. DIRCO apostilles take 5-10 business days. Total cost: approximately R500-R1,500 ($30-$80 USD). Total time: 10-18 weeks.
Apply for your SAPS Police Clearance Certificate at your nearest SAPS branch or the Criminal Record Centre in Pretoria. Processing takes 6-10 weeks — this is the longest wait of any approved country. Start this process first. For degree authentication, SAQA (South African Qualifications Authority) may need to verify your qualification before DIRCO can apostille it if your institution is not well known internationally. DIRCO is located in Pretoria. Mail-in applications are accepted but processing is slower. Consider using a document service agency if you are applying from outside South Africa.
Irish teachers obtain their criminal record check through the National Vetting Bureau (An Garda Síochána) and apostille documents through the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA). Garda vetting is free but takes 2-4 weeks. DFA apostilles cost €25 per document and take 3-5 business days. Total time: 6-12 weeks.
Apply for Garda vetting through the National Vetting Bureau. If you are already employed, your employer can submit the application through e-vetting. Otherwise, apply through a registered organization. The DFA Authentication Unit in Dublin handles apostilles. You can submit documents by post or in person. The DFA is one of the fastest apostille authorities — most documents are processed within 3-5 business days. If your degree is from an Irish university, the DFA apostilles it directly. For degrees from other countries, you need authentication from the issuing country.
The most common mistakes are apostilling photocopies instead of originals, using the wrong authority (state vs federal), letting background checks expire before the apostille is complete, and not starting early enough. Begin the apostille process at least 3-4 months before your intended departure date.
Background checks have expiration dates (typically 6 months) — if your check expires while waiting for the apostille, you must start over. The single most common error for US teachers is sending FBI documents to a state Secretary of State instead of the US Department of State. Only the federal Department of State can apostille FBI documents. For all countries, confirm that your documents are originals or officially certified copies before submitting. Keep digital scans of every document at every stage of the process. If using a professional service, verify they are legitimate — scams targeting ESL teachers are not uncommon.
Apply for your national criminal record check first — this is almost always the longest step in the process. Do this before securing a job offer.
Duration: 2-12 weeks depending on countryContact your university for an original degree certificate or officially certified copy. Digital degrees may need to be converted to a physical format.
Duration: 1-2 weeksSend your background check and degree to the appropriate government authority for apostille authentication. Track your submission.
Duration: 1-8 weeks depending on countryMake high-resolution scans of every apostilled document. Store digital copies in cloud storage. Keep originals in a protective folder for travel.
Duration: 30 minutesYour school or recruiter will need the apostilled documents to apply for your Visa Issuance Number (VIN) from Korean immigration.
Duration: 1-2 weeksSenior ESL Consultant & TESOL Trainer
8+ years of experience
Korean immigration typically requires documents issued within 6 months. Your criminal background check is most time-sensitive. The apostille itself does not expire, but the underlying document may. Start the process no more than 5 months before your intended start date to stay within the validity window.
Yes, but it depends on the document. A degree from a US university held by a Canadian citizen is apostilled by the US Department of State (where the document was issued), not by Canada. Background checks must come from your country of citizenship or long-term residence.
All seven countries approved for Korean E-2 visas (US, UK, Canada, Australia, NZ, South Africa, Ireland) are Hague Convention members. If you hold dual citizenship with a non-Hague country, use your Hague-member citizenship for the visa application.
Yes. Professional services charge $100-$400 but handle the entire process including document shipping, tracking, and sometimes expedited processing. They are especially useful for US teachers dealing with both federal and state apostille offices simultaneously. Verify the service is legitimate before sending original documents.
No. Korean immigration does not require apostille for TEFL/TESOL/CELTA certificates. Only the bachelor degree and national criminal background check must be apostilled. However, bring the original certificate with you as your school may request to see it.
Minor offenses like traffic violations generally do not disqualify you. Serious offenses (felonies, drug charges, violent crimes, or any offenses involving minors) will result in visa denial. If you have a minor offense on your record, contact the Korean consulate in your country before starting the process to confirm eligibility.
Sarah Chen. (2026, April 1). Apostille Guide by Country for ESL Teachers in Korea. ESL365. https://esl365.com /knowledge-hub/apostille-guide