Criminal background check?

Hi everyone,

I’m planning on heading over to Taiwan in about a month and am now freaking out. Korea requires an FBI background check but I have heard countless times that I will not need one to work in a buxiban or apply for an ARC in Taiwan. But then again I’ve also heard rumors that maybe I do need one?

I don’t have any marks on my record (at least i shouldn’t!) but I’m wondering if anyone has any insight on this? I’m supposed to head over in about a month and am now freaked out that if I do need one it’ll be too late.

Thank you!

There’s a plan to require a “good behavior certificate” (i.e. criminal record check) in the future, but I just checked law.moj.gov.tw and don’t see anything new there.

We’ve had some discussions about this recently.

http://tw.forumosa.com/t/fire-breaks-out-at-hess-english-cram-schools-hq/160798/6

Congratulations, you’re freaking out over nothing. For a basic ARC, you do NOT need one, although certain schools may ask for one. The vast majority don’t though.

If you get married and want an APRC though, then you’ll need one. So heads up for the future.

Awesome. Thank you! Now I just hope they don’t change the law before I’m able to get an ARC . : p

oh geez.

i just found this:

does anyone know if (or where to look) if this has taken effect yet??

Aghh. And I’m wondering if it hasn’t taken effect yet if I should scramble and try to get one just in case? (just expensive. and very time consuming which might put me back weeks upon weeks.) :confused: ???

You’re worrying way too much. Even if a law is passed, nothing is going to go into effect between now and when you get here. And despite what you read most cram-schools don’t want to deal with that shit. They just want a warm foreign body in a classroom now. They’re not going to wait 3 months for an official FBI clearance of your record. And the few that do, well, just try different places. Far more don’t than do.

For sure. Thanks. I suppose I’m more worried about a possible change in requirements for an ARC rather than a buxiban job. I’d hate to slip through the cracks by getting there, and then having some random new law pass.

Thanks again :slight_smile:

In theory the place to check is law.moj.gov.tw, but I reckon it will be in the news and also at this site.

Right on. And yeah I looked at that but it seemed like it was all in Chinese. Will have to see if there’s a way to translate. And yeah just from all the weird law-related horror stories I’ve read on here I wouldn’t be surprised if they change that and then poof suddenly I can’t get an arc type of thing. We shall see :slight_smile:

That’s what the “English” button at the top is for (if you’re willing to trust the government to translate better than google). :slight_smile:

I swear the Supplementary Education Act hadn’t been updated on the MOJ’s site when I checked nine days ago. I’ve just checked again, and apparently the amendment came into effect on June 14th.

Wait. what. what. what.

This is in effect now? My flight is in 3 weeks. What do I do?!
Does it have to be an FBI background check? Can I do a state background check? I’m panicking now.

literally panicking right now. klsafjklasjdfklajdklfjasldkfjkladsjklfjakldfjkalsdjflkasjfklasjckl

Stay calm, Mr. Green! Speaking in tongues could get you on a naughty people list… :no_no:

Roger dodger. Sorry about that :frowning:

Do you think I should contact the consulate to find out whether or not Ill need FBI check or a local check or should I just go ahead and expedite an apostilled FBI check and push back my flight?

I had a feeling this would happen :confused:

They (probably) wouldn’t know, but you can ask if you want.

The WDA’s site has not been updated about this, but they have received a formal inquiry, and I’ll let you know as soon as I know.

You are so helpful. Really. Thank you. And thank you for updating me on this.

I’m going to ask, but regardless I think I’m going to shell out the $ and get started on the FBI check as soon as possible. I’d hate to get over there and then suddenly I’m out of luck.

Hello, everyone. I am new on here.

Anyways, as relates to the topic at hand:

The other day, I happened to come across a job advertisement for a Taiwanese buxiban. It stated very clearly that you would need a “good conduct certification” for all ACRS issued from June 14, 2017 (I believe that was the date). What that means - I do not know. Is that a formal FBI criminal background check for Americans, to include fingerprinting? Or does it mean something a bit less complicated? Anyways, if you were to come to Taiwan on a visa and convert to an ACR, (now possibly requiring a FBI formal check), the process could take a few months, considering the fingerprinting involved, etc. I cannot see impatient, run-of-the-mill buxibans being this stringent. But it does appear to be the new rule. To what degree it will be enforced - no clue.

Interestingly enough, it doesn’t seem that this new rule will apply to those teaching adults or university students. It only seems to be applicable to teachers working with students aged 18 and under. And naturally so, if you come to Taiwan to work in another profession (translator, etc.), I highly doubt you will ever need to get such a certificate, unless your employer requires it of you.

This is all “political”, in the hopes of quashing fears over “dangerous” overseas teachers.

The only other change I saw in the new ACR regulations was the elimination of HIV verification in the medical blood test (can no longer test for HIV). I reckon that was abolished two years ago, or something like that.

But, I must say in finishing up: getting fingerprinted with a full FBI criminal background check is a real headache, especially when doing it from overseas (which is often the case for those who come to Taiwan on a whim to teach English).

Seriously about to freak out. I’m at an FBI channeler here in the states. I was hoping I could get the process expedited as they are offering to livescan fingerprints. But now they’re telling me that live Scan won’t work if I want it to get apostilled. Taiwan doesn’t accept an apostille but does have a process similar (getting it legalized/authenticated through sec of state in DC). Which takes months they say.

Now the question is… Is Taiwan going to require a potential FBI check to be authorized.??? I have no idea and no idea where to look now. I don’t want to pack up and fly all the way over with my expensive/expedited FBI check only to not be granted an ARC because it wasn’t authenticated…
So lost on this. Do I cancel all my plans to come over due to the risk of this?