We handle your Korean criminal record certificate from request through delivery, wherever your immigration case is being filed. Korean criminal record certificate issued and apostilled for your immigration or permanent residency application, handled remotely.
Immigration authorities in countries such as the United States, Canada, Australia, and EU member states typically require applicants to submit a criminal record certificate covering every country of residence over a set period (often six months or more). Foreign nationals who studied or worked in Korea before applying for immigration or permanent residency elsewhere fall directly into this requirement.
Immigration case processing is highly deadline-driven, and a rejected or improperly authenticated document can delay an entire application by months. Applicants abroad face the same core obstacle as in other cases: the loss of Korean identity verification access needed to request the certificate directly.
This service is for anyone who previously lived, worked, or studied in Korea and now needs a Korean criminal record certificate for an immigration or permanent residency application abroad — including applicants to USCIS (U.S.), IRCC (Canada), or other national immigration authorities, and Korean nationals living overseas. You do not need a Korean bank account, Korean mobile number, or Digital Certificate (Joint Certificate) — a signed power of attorney and identity verification are enough for us to request the certificate on your behalf.
Korea issues two related documents under the same governing law (the Act on the Lapse of Criminal Sentences). The Criminal Record Certificate (범죄·수사경력회보서) covers immigration, employment, family, and other general purposes. The Background Check (Criminal Records) Certificate (신원조사 범죄경력증명서) is issued specifically for overseas visa, permanent residency, or citizenship applications — its application form states that it cannot be used for any other purpose, and doing so is subject to penalty under Korean law (Article 10).
There are two ways to get a Korean criminal record certificate authenticated for an immigration application once you've left Korea.
Option 1 — Handle it yourself. You can request the certificate directly from the relevant Korean government office (which requires Korean identity verification, and in many cases an in-person visit or a Korean-resident representative), then bring it to Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs for an Apostille, or to your destination country's embassy or consulate in Korea for Consular Confirmation. This is possible without a service, but it typically requires a trip back to Korea or a Korean resident acting on your behalf — timing that can be difficult to manage against an immigration case deadline.
Option 2 — Use GetKoreanDocs. We request the correct certificate on your behalf, complete the Apostille or Consular Confirmation, and ship the finished document to you internationally, without you needing to set foot in Korea.
Two ways to complete authentication, depending on your destination country. Pricing and processing time differ between the two certificate types below.
Covers issuance of the certificate and Hague Apostille certification, for destination countries that are Hague Convention members.
Final pricing depends on your destination country's embassy or consulate in Korea, and is confirmed during your consultation.
Covers issuance of the certificate and Hague Apostille certification, for destination countries that are Hague Convention members.
Final pricing depends on your destination country's embassy or consulate in Korea, and is confirmed during your consultation.
* Applying with family members (spouse, adult children)? Ask about our family bundle pricing for 2+ simultaneous applications during your consultation.
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Tell us which document you need and where it's being submitted. No Korean phone number, Digital Certificate (Joint Certificate), or physical visit required on your end — you sign a power of attorney and provide identity verification, and we handle the rest directly with the issuing agency.
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We request the document on your behalf from the relevant Korean government office.
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Based on the destination country you provide, we apply the required certification — including notarization first, when that's a prerequisite.
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Your completed, authenticated document is shipped directly to your address, anywhere in the world.
Yes. We request the correct certificate from the relevant Korean government office and complete the Apostille or Consular Confirmation on your behalf, without you needing to visit Korea in person.
Korea issues two related documents. The Criminal Record Certificate covers general purposes; the Background Check (Criminal Records) Certificate is issued specifically for overseas visa, permanent residency, or citizenship applications and cannot legally be substituted. If you're not sure which yours requires, let us know during your consultation and we'll confirm before requesting issuance.
This depends on your destination immigration authority's specific requirements, which vary (for example, between USCIS, IRCC, and DHA). We recommend confirming this with your immigration attorney or the authority itself, and letting us know any specifics during your consultation so we can prepare your document accordingly.
The Criminal Record Certificate generally takes 12 or more business days; the Background Check (Criminal Records) Certificate takes about 29 or more business days, not including international shipping. Exact timing depends on your destination country and is confirmed during your consultation.
Yes — ask about our family bundle pricing for 2 or more simultaneous applications during your consultation.
That's common — tell us your destination country during your free consultation, and we'll confirm the correct authentication path before anything is charged.
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Tell us what you need and where it's going. We'll confirm the process, requirements, and next steps before anything is charged.