Apostille for a Korea Visa: US, UK & Canada Step-by-Step (2026)

By WCS

Last reviewed and updated: June 14, 2026 · Checked against official Korean government sources.

If you are applying for a Korean visa and a checklist tells you to "apostille your diploma and criminal background check," it can stop you cold. An apostille is not something your local notary can stamp at the counter, and getting it wrong is one of the most common reasons a Korea visa file gets sent back. The good news: the process is mechanical once you understand it. South Korea has been part of the Hague Apostille Convention since 14 July 2007 (per the HCCH status table), which means Korean immigration accepts a single apostille certificate instead of the older, slower embassy-legalization route.

This guide is built around what you actually have to do, in order, for documents issued in the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada. It covers which documents need an apostille for which visa, who the issuing authority is, what it costs in local currency (with rough USD equivalents), how long it takes, and a printable checklist so nothing gets orphaned in the mail.

This is general information, not legal or immigration advice. Apostille authorities, fees, and visa document lists change, and your specific case may differ. Always confirm requirements with the relevant Korean diplomatic mission, the issuing authority in your country, and — where needed — a licensed professional before you submit. Last verified: 14 June 2026.

What an Apostille Actually Is (and Is Not)

An apostille is a standardized certificate created by the Convention of 5 October 1961 Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents — the "Apostille Convention" drafted by the Hague Conference on Private International Law. It verifies that the signature, seal, or stamp on a public document is genuine, so the document can be used in another member country without further embassy legalization.

A few things it is not, because the misunderstandings here cause real delays:

It is not a translation. An apostille certifies authenticity, not language. Korea may still require a certified Korean translation of the underlying document separately — and depending on where and how the translation is produced, the translation itself can sometimes need to be notarized or even apostilled. Confirm the exact translation/certification format with the Korean mission handling your case.
It is not a notarization. For many documents (a diploma, a private contract), you must notarize first, then apostille the notarized version. The apostille often validates the notary's authority, not your document's contents.
It does not check whether the content is true — only that the official signature/seal on it is authentic.

Because both Korea and the US, UK, and Canada are all members, your home-country apostille is the final step — no Korean consulate stamp is needed on top of it. Canada is the newest of the four: the Convention entered into force for Canada on 11 January 2024, so apostille (rather than consular legalization) is now the correct route for Canadian documents.

Author's note (on-the-ground): The single most common avoidable mistake I see is people apostilling the original diploma when Korea's checklist wanted a notarized copy apostilled — or vice versa. The two are not interchangeable, and the wrong one means starting over. Read your specific visa office's instruction line literally, then build the document to match it before you pay any apostille fee.

Which Documents Need an Apostille, by Visa

The exact list comes from the Korean diplomatic mission handling your application, but the documents that routinely require an apostille across the common work and family visas are predictable. Use this as an orientation, not a substitute for your mission's checklist.

Visa	Typically apostilled	Notes
E-2 (Teaching)	National criminal background check; bachelor's diploma (often a notarized copy)	The background check usually must be dated within ~6 months of the contract start.
E-7 (Skilled Worker)	Degree certificate; sometimes career/employment certificates	Requirements vary by the specific E-7 occupation code.
F-6 (Marriage)	National criminal background check; sometimes birth/marriage records	Used to show no major criminal history in your home country.
F-5 / F-3 (Residence / Dependent)	Marriage and birth certificates; criminal checks where requested	Family-relationship proof drives most of the apostille load here.

For teachers specifically, the two anchor documents are almost always the national-level criminal record check and the degree. "National-level" matters: a city or county police letter is usually not accepted — you need the country-wide check (see the issuing authorities below).

Step-by-Step: United States

Get the right source document. For the criminal check this is the FBI Identity History Summary (the national check), not a state police letter. For your degree, get an official copy and, if your visa office wants a notarized copy apostilled, have it notarized first.
Identify the correct authority. Per the US Department of State apostille guidance, federal documents (like the FBI check) are apostilled by the US Department of State, Office of Authentications. State-issued documents (most diplomas, birth certificates) are apostilled by the Secretary of State of the issuing state.
Submit and pay. Federal apostille fees and state fees vary; budget roughly $5–$20 (about KRW 7,000–28,000) per document, plus mail/courier costs. In-person service at some state offices can be same-day; mail-in is slower.
Build in time. The FBI check itself plus the federal apostille can take several weeks; many teachers report a total of 4–12 weeks end to end, so start early.

Step-by-Step: United Kingdom

Get the source document. The UK national criminal check is the ACRO Police Certificate. Degrees may need to be notarized or solicitor-certified first, depending on the receiving Korean office.
Use the single national authority. The UK has one issuer: the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) Legalisation Office. This is simpler than the US — there is no state-by-state split.
Pay the standard fee. The FCDO standard apostille fee is £45 (roughly USD 57 / KRW 80,000) per document for the standard paper-based service (verified on GOV.UK), plus courier or postage. Registered businesses can use a premium next-working-day paper service for £40, and a pre-approved restricted urgent same-day service costs £100; an e-Apostille option (not available for police certificates) is £35.
Plan the timeline. The standard FCDO paper service can take up to 25 working days once they receive the document, so the premium next-day business service or the e-Apostille route is worth considering if you are in a hurry; either way, the bottleneck is often getting the ACRO certificate first.

Step-by-Step: Canada

Confirm you are post-2024. Since the Convention took effect for Canada on 11 January 2024, apostille — not the old "authentication + consular legalization" — is the current route. Older guides may still describe legalization; treat anything pre-2024 with caution.
Pick federal vs. provincial. Federal documents (e.g., the RCMP criminal record check) go through Global Affairs Canada. Provincial documents (many diplomas, vital records) are apostilled by the competent provincial authority (for example, Ontario's Ministry of the Attorney General).
Budget the fee. Provincial apostille fees vary; a common range is about CAD 35–65 (roughly USD 26–48 / KRW 36,000–67,000) per document, plus courier.
Allow for two timelines. You need the RCMP check (fingerprint-based checks add weeks) and the apostille. Plan several weeks minimum, more in busy periods.

Fee & Timeline Comparison at a Glance

Country	Issuing authority	Approx. fee/document	Typical end-to-end time
US (federal)	Dept. of State, Office of Authentications	~$8–$20 (KRW ~11k–28k)	4–12 weeks (incl. FBI check)
US (state)	Secretary of State (issuing state)	~$5–$20 (KRW ~7k–28k)	Same-day to a few weeks
UK	FCDO Legalisation Office	£45 (USD ~57 / KRW ~80k) standard; £40 next-day (business)	Up to 25 working days standard, after ACRO check
Canada (federal)	Global Affairs Canada	varies	Several weeks
Canada (provincial)	Provincial authority	~CAD 35–65 (USD ~26–48)	1–3+ weeks

Figures are indicative ranges as of June 2026 and are converted at approximate mid-2026 exchange rates; always check the live fee on the issuing authority's own page before paying.

Print-and-Tick Apostille Worksheet

Copy this and fill it in per document. Do not apply for a visa until every box is checked.

[ ] Document name: _________________ (e.g., FBI check, bachelor's diploma)
[ ] Is a notarized copy required first? (yes / no) — if yes, notarized on: ______
[ ] Correct authority identified (federal / state / provincial / FCDO): ______
[ ] Document is recent enough (e.g., criminal check within 6 months of start date)? (yes / no)
[ ] Apostille fee paid, amount: ______ / date sent: ______
[ ] Apostille received, date: ______
[ ] Certified Korean translation required and obtained (if applicable)? (yes / no)
[ ] Copy/scan kept for your records before mailing the original to the visa office

Common Mistakes That Get a File Rejected

Wrong level of check. A local/state police letter where a national check (FBI / ACRO / RCMP) was required.
Expired check. Criminal checks are usually accepted only within ~6 months — getting the apostille is slow, so the underlying check can "age out" if you stall.
Apostilling the wrong copy. Original vs. notarized photocopy: match exactly what your visa office wrote.
Assuming consular legalization for Canada. That changed in January 2024; using outdated instructions wastes weeks.
Forgetting the translation step. The apostille is not a translation; Korea may still want a certified Korean version.

FAQ

Does South Korea accept apostilles? Yes. The Apostille Convention has been in force for the Republic of Korea since 14 July 2007, so Korean immigration accepts an apostille in place of embassy legalization for documents from other member countries, including the US, UK, and Canada.

Who issues the apostille — Korea or my home country? Your home country issues it. The apostille is added by the competent authority where the document was created (e.g., US Department of State, FCDO, Global Affairs Canada), not by a Korean consulate.

Do I need an apostille and a translation? Often yes. They are separate steps: the apostille certifies the document's authenticity, and Korea may additionally require a certified Korean translation of the underlying document.

How long does the whole process take? Plan generously. Because you usually need the source document (e.g., a criminal check) and then the apostille, many applicants report 4–12 weeks total for US documents, with the UK and Canada also taking from days to several weeks depending on the source document. Start before you book anything.

Can I apostille a regular photocopy myself? No. A plain photocopy is not a public document. You typically must have it notarized or officially certified first, then apostille the certified version.

Related Guides

Once your apostilled documents are ready, the next step is the visa file itself:

E-7 Skilled Worker visa — the work route many degree-holders use after teaching; degree apostilles overlap heavily. See: Korea E-7 Skilled Worker Visa: A Practical 2026 Guide.
F-6 Marriage visa — uses the same national criminal-check apostille as E-2. See: The Korean F-6 Marriage Visa: A 2026 Step-by-Step Guide.
E-2 Teaching visa for US citizens — the most common reason people apostille an FBI check and diploma. See: How a US Citizen Gets a Korean E-2 Teaching Visa: 2026 Guide.

How This Guide Was Verified

Written and fact-checked by: WCS Editorial — Korea relocation & visa desk. Every dated claim in this guide is sourced to a primary official authority rather than a third-party summary. Specifically: Korea's and Canada's entry-into-force dates were checked against the HCCH Apostille Convention status table; the US federal-vs-state issuing-authority split was checked against travel.state.gov; and the UK fees were checked against the live GOV.UK legalisation page. Fees and timelines change, so always confirm the live figure on the issuing authority's own page before you pay.

Updates / Changelog

2026-06-14 — Initial publication. Confirmed Korea entry-into-force (14 Jul 2007) and Canada entry-into-force (11 Jan 2024) against the HCCH status table; verified US issuing-authority split against travel.state.gov. Fee ranges stated as of June 2026.

Sources

WCS

By WCS · Woochinso

Korea relocation & expat-finance writer

Practical English guides to living, working, studying, and moving money in South Korea, written for foreigners and expats. Every guide is researched against official Korean government sources, fact-checked, and kept up to date. About the author.

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