What Is Criminal Background Check?

Korean immigration authorities require a criminal background check for most professional and teaching visa categories to screen for serious crimes. The exact document required depends on your country: US applicants must submit an FBI Identity History Summary (FBI Check), UK applicants use a Basic Disclosure from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS), Canadians use an RCMP criminal record check, and Australians use a National Police Check. The document must be issued at the federal (not state/provincial) level in most cases, must be recent (typically within 6 months of visa application), and must be Apostilled for Korean immigration purposes. Processing times range from 2 to 12 weeks depending on the country.

This is one of the most time-sensitive documents in the Korean work visa process. Federal-level background checks can take 8–12 weeks in some countries (especially the US FBI check during busy periods). Starting this application immediately is one of the first things you should do after receiving a job offer in Korea. An immigration consultant can advise on which specific document applies to your country and how to Apostille it correctly.