Certified Translation of the Korean Police Certificate (범죄경력회보서)
The 범죄·수사경력 회보서 is the Korean criminal records check report. Only one of its versions counts for an immigration application: the one whose scope expressly refers to entry and stay in a foreign country. Asiatis produces its certified translation into English.
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Get my quote onlineAlso known as
범죄경력회보서 — beomjoe gyeongnyeok hoeboseo · beomjoe gyeongnyeok hoeboseo · 범죄·수사경력 회보서 · 수사경력회보서 · 외국 입국 체류 허가용 · Criminal Investigation Records Check Report · casier judiciaire coréen · police certificate Korea IRCC
What is the beomjoe gyeongnyeok hoeboseo?
The report is issued by the Korean National Police Agency, and its content depends on the declared purpose: Korean law narrowly restricts what may appear on a report according to the reason for the request. That is why IRCC names not merely the document but the scope it must carry — "외국 입국 체류 허가용", issued for permission of foreign country immigration and stay. A report obtained for employment or an application will carry a different scope, and will not show the same items. The document is issued free of charge, and normally immediately for a Korean national.
Variants of the document
| Name | Type | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| 범죄·수사경력 회보서 (외국 입국 체류 허가용)beomjoe · susa gyeongnyeok hoeboseo | Immigration version | The only one that counts for a Canadian application. The scope must be visible on the document: it is the first thing an officer checks. |
| 범죄경력회보서beomjoe gyeongnyeok hoeboseo | Conviction record | Covers convictions. It is the part of the report most often referred to, but the document issued for immigration also covers investigation history. |
| 수사경력회보서susa gyeongnyeok hoeboseo | Investigation record | Covers investigation proceedings, including those closed without prosecution. Its issuance is more restricted, and also depends on the declared purpose. |
How to obtain the document in South Korea
- 1
Korean national: police station or online
The request is made at any police station in Korea, or online, with your passport or Korean identification card. There is no fee, and the report is normally issued immediately.
- 2
Foreign national who lived in Korea: the same document
If you lived in Korea for six consecutive months or longer since the age of 18, you must provide the same report. Bring your passport and a photo; there is no fee and it may take up to a week.
- 3
Insist on the right scope of reference
The scope of reference must indicate issuance for permission of foreign country immigration and stay — 외국 입국 체류 허가용. Say so at the counter, and check it on the document before you leave.
- 4
Send us the scanned document
A clear, complete scan is enough, scope and seal included. Keep the original: that is what you will attach, together with our certified translation.
What an acceptable translation requires
IRCC requires any document that is not in English or French to be accompanied by a translation into one of those two languages. Unlike the Japanese police certificate, for which IRCC expressly states that no translation is needed, its page for Korea provides for no such exemption: a report written in Korean therefore has to be translated. The translation must be complete — headings, scope of reference, number and police seal included — and may not be produced by the applicant, by a family member, or by a representative on the application. Asiatis assigns your report to a certified translator who is a member of a Canadian professional order: the translation carries that translator's signed and sealed declaration. For a Quebec immigration application, the MIFI admits French and English alike, provided the translator belongs to OTTIAQ, ATIO, STIBC or CTINB.
The pitfalls specific to this document
The wrong scope of reference invalidates the report
This is the central trap of the document. A report obtained for employment or an application does not show the same items as one issued for entry and stay abroad. IRCC names the expected scope explicitly: check it before you leave the police station.
Six months in Korea is enough to make it mandatory
The report is not reserved for Korean nationals. Anyone who lived in Korea for six consecutive months or longer since the age of 18 has to provide it — a university exchange or a teaching contract is enough.
Lapsed records are no longer required since 2022
Since 31 May 2022, IRCC no longer requires reports carrying lapsed records from Korean citizens or from those who stayed in Korea for more than six months. There is no point trying to obtain a broader version than the one issued to you.
The romanization of the name must follow the passport
The report carries your name in hangul. Its transcription must match the spelling in your passport exactly: a "Lee" that becomes "Yi" in the translation is one more identity for the officer to reconcile.
What you receive
- Complete certified translation, scope of reference rendered explicitly
- Name romanized identically to your passport and your other documents
- Report number and National Police Agency seal rendered faithfully
- Translator's signed and sealed declaration, meeting IRCC requirements
- PDF delivery — the digital format is enough for IRCC; paper copy on request
Pricing depends on the number of pages in your document. Get your quote online in a few minutes.
Get my quote onlineFrequently asked questions
Does my Korean police certificate need translating?
Yes, if it is written in Korean. IRCC expressly exempts the Japanese police certificate from translation, but its page for Korea provides for no equivalent exemption: the general rule applies, and any document that is neither in English nor in French must be accompanied by a translation.
How much does it cost to translate my 범죄경력회보서?
The price depends on the number of pages, and this report generally runs to one or two. Upload the document to our online quote form to get your price in a few minutes, with no commitment.
Get my quote onlineWhich version do I have to request?
The one whose scope refers to permission for entry and stay in a foreign country — 외국 입국 체류 허가용. IRCC names it explicitly. A report issued for employment does not show the same items and will not do.
I am not Korean but I lived in Korea. Does this apply to me?
Yes, if you lived there for six consecutive months or longer since the age of 18. You then have to provide the same report, with your passport and a photo. There is no fee and it may take up to a week.
How long does it take to obtain?
For a Korean national the report is normally issued immediately, at a police station or online, free of charge. For a foreign national who lived in Korea, allow up to a week.