How to Apostille Documents for a Korean Visa Application

An apostille is an official certification attached to a public document that verifies the document is genuine and the signature/stamp on it is authentic. It is issued by a designated authority in the document's country of origin. South Korea is a member of the Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents (1961), as are most major document-issuing countries.

When Korea's immigration authorities ask for a document to be 'apostilled' (공적확인), they are asking for this Hague apostille — a single step that replaces the old two-step process of notarization + embassy legalization. If both your country and Korea are Hague members, you only need the apostille; you do NOT need additional Korean embassy stamping.

If your country is NOT in the Hague Convention (some African, Asian, and Middle Eastern countries), you must use embassy legalization: have the document notarized locally → authenticated by your own Ministry of Foreign Affairs → legalized by the Korean Embassy in your country.

Degree certificate / diploma: Required for almost all E-series work visas (E-1 through E-7) and for D-8-4 startup visa points. The original certificate must be apostilled. If your university issued an electronic certificate, most apostille authorities can still process it via a notarized print.

Criminal background check / police certificate: Required for E-2 (English teacher) and increasingly requested for E-7 and other long-stay visas. Must cover your national record — state-level checks are insufficient for Korean immigration purposes.

Marriage certificate: Required for F-6 (marriage migrant) and F-3 (dependent companion). Issued by the civil registry of your country, then apostilled.

Birth certificate: Required for some F-series applications involving family relationships.

Academic transcripts: Sometimes requested alongside the degree for certain occupations — apostille the transcripts separately if required.

Power of attorney: If an agent (행정사 or lawyer) is submitting your application on your behalf, a notarized + apostilled power of attorney may be required.

State-issued documents (degree, marriage certificate, birth certificate, state police check):

Apostilled by the Secretary of State (or equivalent) of the state where the document was issued. Example: a degree from the University of California, Berkeley is apostilled by the California Secretary of State. Process: mail the original (or certified copy) to the SOS office with the fee (typically $10–$20/document). Processing: 5–15 business days; expedited options available.

FBI Criminal Background Check (Identity History Summary):

Apply directly to the FBI at identity.ic.fbi.gov. Once you receive the FBI report, it must be apostilled by the U.S. Department of State Office of Authentications in Washington, D.C. (not a state SOS). Fee: $8 for the FBI check + $20 for the State Dept apostille. The report must be dated within 6 months of your Korean visa application. Allow 10–16 weeks total.

Important: If you graduated from a university outside the US, you also need a criminal background check apostilled from THAT country (per CVI requirements).

All UK public documents (degree, police check, birth/marriage certificate) are apostilled by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO).

ACRO Police Certificate (criminal background check):

Apply at acro.police.uk. Request a standard certificate (7–10 business days). Then send it to FCDO for apostille (FCDO Legalisation Office, Milton Keynes). Fee: £30–50 total depending on processing speed. The ACRO certificate must be dated within 6 months.

Degree certificate:

Most UK universities issue official certified copies. Send a certified copy (not the original) to FCDO for apostille. Alternatively, the university may issue an apostilled copy directly — check with your institution's records office.

FCDO apostille services: Apply online at gov.uk/get-document-legalised. Same-day premium service available in London.

Canada acceded to the Hague Apostille Convention in 2024, which significantly simplified the process. Canadian documents are apostilled by the Global Affairs Canada Authentication and Service of Documents office or by the provincial authority, depending on the document type.

RCMP Criminal Record Check:

Apply at rcmp-grc.gc.ca for a Certified Criminal Record Check. Once received, apostille it through Global Affairs Canada (Ottawa) or the relevant provincial authority. Fee: ~CAD $75 total. Allow 6–10 weeks.

University degree: Contact your university's registrar for a certified copy, then apostille through the appropriate provincial authority or Global Affairs Canada.

All Australian public documents are apostilled by DFAT (Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade). Submit documents at dfat.gov.au/apostille. Processing: 5–10 business days (standard) or same-day (in Canberra in person). Fee: AUD $45/document.

AFP National Police Certificate:

Apply at afp.gov.au/crime-check. Once received, apostille through DFAT. The certificate must be dated within 12 months for most Korean visa purposes ( requires within 6 months).

The Philippines joined the Hague Apostille Convention in 2019. All Philippine public documents are now apostilled by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) — no more Red Ribbon authentication.

NBI Clearance (criminal background check):

Apply at nbi.gov.ph. Request clearance specifically labelled for foreign use (valid 1 year). Have it apostilled at DFA. The DFA apostille can be done by appointment at DFA-Manila or regional offices. Fee: PHP 100–200 for apostille. Allow 5–10 business days.

University degree:

Request an official copy from your university (on security paper if available). Apostille at DFA. For Korean purposes, the degree must also have a CHED Verification (Certificate of Graduation Verification from the Commission on Higher Education) if required by the Korean employer.

India is a Hague Convention member. Indian public documents are apostilled by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Attestation Services Division.

Before MEA apostille, documents typically need state-level authentication:

1. Notarization by a notary
2. State Home Department (for state-issued documents) or HRD attestation (for educational certificates via the state education department)
3. MEA apostille — apply online at apostille.gov.in or through an authorised service centre

Police Clearance Certificate (PCC):

Apply at the Superintendent of Police / Commissioner of Police in your home district. Then apostille at MEA. Total time: 2–4 weeks.

Note: The multi-step process means document preparation in India takes longer — build in 3–5 weeks for complete apostille processing.

If your country has NOT joined the Hague Apostille Convention, apostille is not available. Instead, you must use embassy legalization — a two-step authentication chain:

1. Notarization: Have the document notarized by a licensed notary in your country.
2. Ministry of Foreign Affairs authentication: Your home country's MFA authenticates the notary's signature.
3. Korean Embassy legalization: Take the MFA-authenticated document to the Korean Embassy in your country — they stamp it as valid for use in Korea.

Countries that are NOT Hague members (as of 2026) and require embassy legalization for Korean immigration include: some countries in sub-Saharan Africa, parts of the Middle East, Myanmar, and a few others. Always verify your country's Hague status at hcch.net before preparing documents.