What's in this guide
- Quick checklist (at‑a‑glance)
- What is an apostille and when is it needed?
- Which documents teachers are usually asked to apostille
- How to get your degree apostilled (step‑by‑step)
- How to get your criminal‑record check apostilled (step‑by‑step)
- Country exceptions and programme examples
- Translation, notarisation and sequence best practice
- Timeline & costs (how long to expect)
- What if your destination is NOT an Apostille Convention member?
- Checklist: what to send to an employer
- Sources & further reading (consulted 27/09/2026)
- What we don't know
This guide explains how to get a degree and a national criminal‑record check apostilled when you prepare to teach abroad. Last checked: 27/09/2026. Before you sign a contract or book travel, confirm rules with the embassy or official programme listed in the sources below.
- Quick checklist (at‑a‑glance)
- What is an apostille and when is it needed?
- Which documents teachers are usually asked to apostille
- How to get your degree apostilled
- How to get your criminal‑record check apostilled
- Country exceptions and programme examples
- Translation, notarisation and sequence best practice
- Timeline & costs (sourced examples)
- If your destination is not an Apostille Convention member
- Templates & checklist to send to an employer
- FAQ
- Sources & further reading
- What we don’t know
Quick checklist (at‑a‑glance)
Use this checklist to prepare a folder for an employer or programme. Verify each item with the embassy or the programme before you submit documents.
Mandatory caution: Visa, work‑permit and apostille/legalisation rules change often and differ by employer, province and your nationality. The facts and links below were checked on 27/09/2026 against the official sources linked. Before you sign a contract or book a flight, confirm current rules with the embassy or consulate of the country where you will work, and with the official programme if you apply through one.
Warning: Teaching on a tourist or visa‑exempt entry is illegal in most countries covered here. Consequences include fines, deportation and re‑entry bans. A legitimate employer arranges the work visa or work permit before you start.
What is an apostille and when is it needed?
The Apostille Convention (Hague, 1961) replaces embassy/legalisation for documents exchanged between member states. An apostille is a single certificate issued by the competent authority in the document’s origin country that certifies the signature, capacity and seal of the issuing official. See HCCH for the convention text and the member list (checked 27/09/2026).
An apostille suffices only when both origin and destination are parties to the Hague Apostille Convention. When a destination is not a member, the embassy/legalisation route applies instead. The HCCH member list and country checker clarify which route is required for each destination.
Important limitation: an apostille certifies the authority of the signer, not the content or academic authenticity of the document itself. The HCCH explanatory notes state that apostilles do not validate the factual content of diplomas or certificates.
Which documents teachers are usually asked to apostille
Programmes and employers typically request a subset of these documents for visa or hiring files. Confirm the exact list with the programme or embassy.
Example note: EPIK lists degree and criminal check apostille requirements in its documentation; follow the programme instructions exactly.
How to get your degree apostilled (step‑by‑step)
Processes differ by origin country. The steps below align with the sources cited and should be checked against the issuing authority for your document.
Step 1 — Obtain the original or a certified copy from your issuing institution. Some jurisdictions require an institution’s certified copy rather than a simple photocopy.
Step 2 — Notarisation if required. In some countries a notarised copy of the diploma is required before the apostille authority will accept the file. Confirm whether your state or national rules require a notary.
Step 3 — Apply to the competent apostille authority. In the United States, degree apostilles are handled at state level (Secretary of State); guidance varies by state. Other countries use a national ministry or a central office. Use the HCCH pages and the FederalApostille resource for country‑specific pointers.
Step 4 — Arrange certified translation where the destination requires translated documents. Some programmes require the translation to be completed after apostille; others accept translations submitted together — check the destination programme instructions.
Practical tip: keep originals and certified copies, and keep a dated record of each step and receipt from the apostille authority.
How to get your criminal‑record check apostilled (step‑by‑step)
Origin‑country criminal‑record procedures differ. The following describes common routes documented in the sources; verify the precise steps for your country.
U.S. example: request an FBI Identity History Summary Quote. Fingerprinting and channelers are often used to obtain the FBI record; after you receive the issued summary, follow the FederalApostille guidance to have it authenticated or apostilled as required for your destination.
Timing windows: commercial guides commonly cite 3–6 months as a typical currency window for background checks, but programmes differ. Use the programme’s requirements rather than an assumed global window. See PremierTEFL and ApostilleCheck for these common practice notes (both consulted 27/09/2026).
If a destination accepts a local police check rather than a national one, confirm with the employer which check they require. When in doubt, ask the programme which issuing body and which dates are acceptable.
Country exceptions and programme examples
This section gives illustrative examples drawn from primary programme pages and the sources cited. It is not exhaustive. Always check the official programme or embassy page linked in Sources.
South Korea — EPIK: the programme documentation explicitly lists degree and criminal‑record apostille steps; follow the EPIK Required Documents page for the precise checklist and any translation or notarisation instructions (EPIK ReqDoc04, consulted 27/09/2026).
Japan — JET and other programmes have their own background‑check and document rules; consult the official programme pages for instructions. If the programme does not request apostilles, follow the programme guidance.
China and other destinations: some embassies prefer consular/legalisation routes or have embassy‑specific instructions. Check the destination embassy or consulate guidance cited in Sources.
These examples are illustrative. Confirm with the embassy or the official programme before you submit any documents.
Translation, notarisation and sequence best practice
Sequence matters because of dating and currency requirements. Commercial guidance and country‑specific pages suggest a logical order: secure original degree documentation first, apostille it according to origin rules, then obtain the criminal‑record check close to application time to meet currency windows cited by programmes.
Notarisation and translation requirements vary. Some destinations require notarised translations. Others accept certified translations submitted with apostilled documents. Follow the destination programme or embassy instructions exactly and retain dated copies of every certification and translation.
Timeline & costs (how long to expect)
Processing times and fees vary widely by issuing authority and by whether you use expedited or channel services. There is no single global figure. Use the issuing authority’s published schedules for accurate timelines and fees.
Expedited channelers exist for criminal checks and apostilles, but they carry higher fees and different verification steps. Review the risks and the official authority’s acceptance policy before choosing an expedited service. See FederalApostille, ApostilleCheck and the issuing authority pages for options and cautions.
What if your destination is NOT an Apostille Convention member?
If the destination is not a Hague Apostille Convention member, the embassy/legalisation route applies. That typically means a sequence of notarisation, national authentication, and consular legalisation at the destination’s embassy. The HCCH pages explain the differences between apostille and consular legalisation and should be consulted for the correct route.
Checklist: what to send to an employer
Use this short checklist when you email HR or a programme contact. Attach scans of originals and indicate the last‑checked dates for any background checks.
- Original degree or certified copy — apostilled (or note if in process)
- National criminal‑record check — apostilled (or note issuance date)
- Certified translations where required
- Passport copy
- Any signed employer forms notarised as requested
Email template to HR (copy‑ready):
Subject: Documents required for my work visa — confirmation needed
Dear [Name],
I am preparing my document packet and would like to confirm exactly which documents you require apostilled and the currency window for any background check. Can you confirm the issuing body and the latest acceptable issuance date for each required check? Thank you.
Do I apostille my transcript or degree?
Follow the employer or programme instructions. Some programmes explicitly request the diploma; others accept the transcript. EPIK, for example, lists degree apostille requirements in its documents. If the programme is unclear, ask them which item they prefer and whether a transcript alone is acceptable.
How recent must my background check be?
Programmes differ. Commercial guides mention common practice windows such as 3–6 months, but you must follow the programme or embassy requirement. Do not assume a universal window—check the official requirement cited by your employer or programme.
Can I apostille an online TEFL certificate?
That depends on the issuer and the issuing country. Some online certificates can be apostilled if they are issued by an authority recognised in the issuing country. Confirm acceptance with the destination programme and check whether the issuer’s signature and seal meet apostille criteria.
What we don’t know
The following are not asserted as facts here because they vary by programme, issuing authority or country:
- No single global validity period for criminal checks applies to all destinations.
- No exhaustive list in this guide declares, for every country, which documents require apostille versus embassy legalisation; check the HCCH member list and the destination embassy.
- No universal price or fixed processing time for apostilles is given here; fees and turnaround times differ by authority and service choice.
- No assurance is given that a particular private TEFL provider’s online certificate will be accepted for visa purposes without explicit confirmation from the programme or embassy.
- The apostille does not prove the academic content or authenticity of a degree; it certifies signature/authority only.
Keep reading in this section
Elena Vogel
Elena worked for six years as a paralegal on work-visa and immigration files before switching to writing full-time. She covers the paperwork side of teaching abroad — apostilles, background checks, health insurance and the…
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