Criminal Record Check?

[bogaty]

I'm a Canadian currently working in Japan and I'm planning to move to Thailand at the end of March.

According to the Thai consulate in Osaka's website, when I apply for a non-immigrant B visa, I need the following:

Verification stating that the applicant has no criminal record issued from police head office and should be leagalized by Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan.(issued within 3 months)(effective from: May 2007)

It says effective from May 2007. Does this mean if I'm going prior to May, 2007 I needn't bother getting this form? I tried asking the consulate but, as they state on their webpage, they will not answer questions regarding visas via email. I can't make personal calls from work and their offices are closed by the time I get home.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

I'm a Canadian currently working in Japan and I'm planning to move to Thailand at the end of March.

According to the Thai consulate in Osaka's website, when I apply for a non-immigrant B visa, I need the following:

Verification stating that the applicant has no criminal record issued from police head office and should be leagalized by Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan.(issued within 3 months)(effective from: May 2007)

It says effective from May 2007. Does this mean if I'm going prior to May, 2007 I needn't bother getting this form? I tried asking the consulate but, as they state on their webpage, they will not answer questions regarding visas via email. I can't make personal calls from work and their offices are closed by the time I get home.

Are you planning to teach in Thailand ?

[zhudi]

I'm a Canadian currently working in Japan and I'm planning to move to Thailand at the end of March.

According to the Thai consulate in Osaka's website, when I apply for a non-immigrant B visa, I need the following:

Verification stating that the applicant has no criminal record issued from police head office and should be leagalized by Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan.(issued within 3 months)(effective from: May 2007)

It says effective from May 2007. Does this mean if I'm going prior to May, 2007 I needn't bother getting this form? I tried asking the consulate but, as they state on their webpage, they will not answer questions regarding visas via email. I can't make personal calls from work and their offices are closed by the time I get home.

Voip is almost as cheap as a regular local call these days. This is usually only required for teachers. If you get one I guess its valid for three months. If I were you I'd get one yes before you come. We are living under a military installed government so who knows what the rules are from day to day Good luck

[mopenyang]

A very informative albeit confusing thread at times regarding police checks for Thailand:

http://ajarnforum.net/vb/showthread.php?t=16928

[bogaty]

Are you planning to teach in Thailand ?

Yes, I am.

A very informative albeit confusing thread at times regarding police checks for Thailand:

http://ajarnforum.net/vb/showthread.php?t=16928

Thanks. That was most discouraging and somewhat confusing. I'm unclear if I require a CRC from my home country of Canada or my current country of residence, Japan now.

[PeaceBlondie]

I've followed that thread on ajarnforum, and similar ones on ThaiVisa, but they are very confusing. The UK citizens talk their terminology, the Canadians talk RCMP, the Americans FBI, etc., and nobody knows. Some Thai consular/embassy websites say one thing, other sites say diffeently, or not at all. It may be wiser or safer not to come to Thailand. Maybe China, Tuvalu, Lithuania. Not Thailand. We're not in the real world.

I'd love to keep saying, as we so often said, "Oh sure, come on over to the wild wild east, beyond law and order," but we don't know if there might be a law that says we can't be here after all, or we can't work. Try Uruquay, which is round now; or Cuba.

[Ijustwannateach]

^Agree. One of the problems for the Americans is going to be multiple jurisdictions- does a police report mean one from the local police in the place where you last lived? Or all the places you lived for a period of 10 years? State or city? FBI would only have jurisdiction over federal (interstate) crimes, so does that really cover the kind of crimes the process would be looking to avoid? Who knows?

I agree with PB that Thailand is not the best country to be planning to start work in for the next year or so.

"Steven"

[mopenyang]

I agree this can turn out to be a huge hassle for U.S. citizens not presently living in the U.S.

At the same time, though, it is not really a question of "jurisdiction" per se as the FBI record should capture some arrests and all convictions submitted to them by local, state and federal authorities.

Until Thailand clearly spells out exactly what kind of criminal record check it wants, it may be that one or none of the above will satisfy what they are seeking.

One of many issues up in the air at the present time.

[PeaceBlondie]

I agree this can turn out to be a huge hassle for U.S. citizens not presently living in the U.S.

At the same time, though, it is not really a question of "jurisdiction" per se as the FBI record should capture some arrests and all convictions submitted to them by local, state and federal authorities.

Until Thailand clearly spells out exactly what kind of criminal record check it wants, it may be that one or none of the above will satisfy what they are seeking.

One of many issues up in the air at the present time.

I agre, mopenyang, and thanks to you for the links you've provided for the police check discussions. I believe all local crimes are reported to the FBI. But as you say, the problem is that THAILAND does not clearly spell out exactly....anything about criminal checks, degree requirements, visas, etc. You can ask 3 experts and get 7 opinions.

Even if you had sufficient information to know how the authorities require checks, work permits, visas, etc., you have no assurance the employer would do his part to assist an employee.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Are you planning to teach in Thailand ?

Yes, I am.

A very informative albeit confusing thread at times regarding police checks for Thailand:

http://ajarnforum.net/vb/showthread.php?t=16928

Thanks. That was most discouraging and somewhat confusing. I'm unclear if I require a CRC from my home country of Canada or my current country of residence, Japan now.

If you have worked in Japan for a period of up to 12 months the Consulate/Embassy will accept a Japan clearance for the issuance of your Non-Immigrant visa

[grtaylor]

It would be very difficult for Thailand to specify exactly what it wants in the way of a CRC, as (and this has been said a number of times in other threads) all countries do it in different ways. For example, a UK check with the Police National Computer does not involve giving fingerprints as identification, whereas a check with the Aussie Federal Police does. Thailand cannot dictate what another jurisdiction will or will not provide.

If I were coming here to work now from another country other than my home, I would get checks from both places, to be on the safe side. One thing which is usually the case here is, the one document you don't have is the one document they insist on Better safe than sorry.

Cheers,

G

[bogaty]

It would be very difficult for Thailand to specify exactly what it wants in the way of a CRC, as (and this has been said a number of times in other threads) all countries do it in different ways. For example, a UK check with the Police National Computer does not involve giving fingerprints as identification, whereas a check with the Aussie Federal Police does. Thailand cannot dictate what another jurisdiction will or will not provide.

If I were coming here to work now from another country other than my home, I would get checks from both places, to be on the safe side. One thing which is usually the case here is, the one document you don't have is the one document they insist on Better safe than sorry.

Cheers,

G

Unfortunately, the civil servants in Canada state in bold on their web page that a criminal record check will take 120 days and that's from the time they receive a set of my fingerprints from a police office here in Japan. Bastards.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

It would be very difficult for Thailand to specify exactly what it wants in the way of a CRC, as (and this has been said a number of times in other threads) all countries do it in different ways. For example, a UK check with the Police National Computer does not involve giving fingerprints as identification, whereas a check with the Aussie Federal Police does. Thailand cannot dictate what another jurisdiction will or will not provide.

If I were coming here to work now from another country other than my home, I would get checks from both places, to be on the safe side. One thing which is usually the case here is, the one document you don't have is the one document they insist on Better safe than sorry.

Cheers,

G

Unfortunately, the civil servants in Canada state in bold on their web page that a criminal record check will take 120 days and that's from the time they receive a set of my fingerprints from a police office here in Japan. Bastards.

You apply IN Japan for a Police clearance in Japan. FA to do with Canada.

[bogaty]

It would be very difficult for Thailand to specify exactly what it wants in the way of a CRC, as (and this has been said a number of times in other threads) all countries do it in different ways. For example, a UK check with the Police National Computer does not involve giving fingerprints as identification, whereas a check with the Aussie Federal Police does. Thailand cannot dictate what another jurisdiction will or will not provide.

If I were coming here to work now from another country other than my home, I would get checks from both places, to be on the safe side. One thing which is usually the case here is, the one document you don't have is the one document they insist on Better safe than sorry.

Cheers,

G

Unfortunately, the civil servants in Canada state in bold on their web page that a criminal record check will take 120 days and that's from the time they receive a set of my fingerprints from a police office here in Japan. Bastards.

You apply IN Japan for a Police clearance in Japan. FA to do with Canada.

Yeah, but if I want a criminal record check from Canada, I have to get my fingerprints done here in Japan, have them sent to Canada and then have the results sent to the Thai consulate. The Canadian government says that will take 120 days minimum.

[bogaty]

AAAARRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHH!

F@#king bureaucrats!

So, as usual they have their heads up their asses and no one seems to know exactly what documents I need to apply for a visa. They mention this little ditty in their Osaka consulate website.

Verification stating that the applicant has no

criminal record issued from police head office and

should be leagalized by Ministry of Foreign Affairs of

Japan.(issued within 3 months)(effective from: May

2007)"

So, I take a half day off work and call them up to ask if I apply prior to May, 2007, does that mean I don't need a criminal record check?

If I do need a check, am I required to get one from Canada or Japan? They aren't sure and ask me to call back. One person says I don't need any check before May.

I'm happy with that, but a day later, I get an email responding to the same question but the email says I do need to have one from Canada. I call back, ask the question again and this time I'm

told that, as I've been in Japan for more than 5 years, I need to get a Japanese criminal check, not a Canadian one. I figure I'll play it safe and get both. The Japanese one was pretty hassle free. A few forms filled out, some fingerprinting, a $25 fee and I had it in 2 days. I call the Canadian embassy in Tokyo and they put me in touch with the RCMP liason guy. He proceeds to tell me that this is a pretty normal request and all I need to do is go to a Japanese police station, get fingerprinted, have the prints sealed in an envelope, have it notarized by the cops and have the cops mail it to the RCMP in Canada. Then he tells me that the minimum time required is 120 days. 120 days!!! Are they going back to 1892 to check these records? I tell him I'm supposed to be in Thailand within 60 days and he tells me I'm screwed. I fire a few emails off to the RCMP criminal record check office and they tell me that due to the backlog of requests from the US, 120 days is wishful thinking.

Bastards!

[dr_Pat_Pong]

The Japanese police certificate is going to solve your immediate problem.

[grtaylor]

The Japanese police certificate is going to solve your immediate problem.

Agreed. I'm sure that'll get you your visa. The other one may be needed for the Work Permit, but there is probably time for that if you apply to Canada now.

G

[PeaceBlondie]

boarty, as Dr. PatPong says, the Japanese certificate should make lots of Thai officials happy (it should, but you never know). That cert may help you get your visa, your work permit, your Teacher License, your free somtam card at the cafeteria (I got a free pass to the natatorium!). If you're being courted by a real international school (the kind that really make you have a real B.Ed. and pay over 100,000 baht every month, plus benefits), they can get you sorted out just fine. Otherwise, you're likely to get screwed around so badly that you'll think those RCMP folks were the most efficient civil servants this side of Hokkaido.

[wonderment]

Hello!

I am going to be in almost the same situation next year, but I am American and living in the Tokyo area. I have time to get my FBI criminal check and my Japanese criminal check, but I wonder if I need to get them notarized. The bureacracy to work in Thailand seems daunting compared to Japan, and everyone is asking why the hel_l I would leave a good job here. But I guess I am like you: I desperately need a change (for at least a year).

I was checking the Thai Embassy in Tokyo website and it said that foreigners living in Japan CANNOT apply for a non-immigrant working visa at the Tokyo Thai Embassy unless they have permanent residency. We have to go back to our home countries to apply. Has anyone had experience getting a Thai visa in Japan? I hope I don't have to go back to the USA to take care of all this....is the Osaka Thai Consulate different?

Thanks!

[bogaty]

Hello!

I am going to be in almost the same situation next year, but I am American and living in the Tokyo area. I have time to get my FBI criminal check and my Japanese criminal check, but I wonder if I need to get them notarized. The bureacracy to work in Thailand seems daunting compared to Japan, and everyone is asking why the hel_l I would leave a good job here. But I guess I am like you: I desperately need a change (for at least a year).

I was checking the Thai Embassy in Tokyo website and it said that foreigners living in Japan CANNOT apply for a non-immigrant working visa at the Tokyo Thai Embassy unless they have permanent residency. We have to go back to our home countries to apply. Has anyone had experience getting a Thai visa in Japan? I hope I don't have to go back to the USA to take care of all this....is the Osaka Thai Consulate different?

Thanks!

I certainly hope so. When I talked with them on the phone, they said I didn't need a criminal record check so I'm just waiting for all my other documents to get here and I'll go try it out. However, the email I wrote to them earlier (and which went unanswered for days) told me that I had to have a criminal record check from Canada, due entirely to Mark Karr. I suspect that the email I sent to the Osaka consulate was forwarded to the Thai consulate in Vancouver though.

This is getting ridiculous.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Hello!

I am going to be in almost the same situation next year, but I am American and living in the Tokyo area. I have time to get my FBI criminal check and my Japanese criminal check, but I wonder if I need to get them notarized. The bureacracy to work in Thailand seems daunting compared to Japan, and everyone is asking why the hel_l I would leave a good job here. But I guess I am like you: I desperately need a change (for at least a year).

I was checking the Thai Embassy in Tokyo website and it said that foreigners living in Japan CANNOT apply for a non-immigrant working visa at the Tokyo Thai Embassy unless they have permanent residency. We have to go back to our home countries to apply. Has anyone had experience getting a Thai visa in Japan? I hope I don't have to go back to the USA to take care of all this....is the Osaka Thai Consulate different?

Thanks!

Go to Thailand through Australia, and apply for a visa there.

[wonderment]

It does seem a bit ridiculous with so many obstacles. But one of the reasons I got into ESL is to see the world and I want the next place that I see to be Thailand.

One part of me actually likes the paperwork challenges. Granted, I have a year to work things out, I am single, debt-free, and I COULD fly to Australia to get my visa if need be. I could consider it a vacation. But what if I were married, if I had dependents? Well, if that were the case I probably wouldn't be wise to EVEN consider working in Thailand. Anyway, it's all part of the journey, and I've always been one to enjoy the ride.