The degree verification nobody tells you to do until it's too late
Most E-2 applicants apostille their degree first, then learn their consulate also requires verification from the university registrar—a separate document that can add two weeks you didn't budget for.
Park English · Published 2026-08-22 · Updated 2026-08-22 · 3 min read
The apostille gets all the attention. Every visa guide leads with it. But a meaningful number of Korean consulates, particularly in the US and Canada, also require a separate degree verification letter from your university's registrar, and almost no one finds this out until they are holding an apostilled diploma and booking their consulate appointment.
We have watched this happen enough times to write it down.
What degree verification actually is
An apostille certifies that the signature on your diploma is real. Degree verification certifies that you actually graduated. They are not the same document.
The verification is a letter, on university letterhead, signed by the registrar or their office, confirming your name, degree title, major, and date of graduation. Some consulates accept a standard transcript in place of this letter. Others do not. The variance is by consulate, not by country, and the website language is often vague enough that applicants assume the apostilled degree is sufficient.
It usually is not.
Which consulates require it
We cannot give you a universal list because consulates update their requirements without announcing it broadly. But as of early 2025, these consulates have asked applicants for separate verification within the last twelve months:
| Consulate | Accepts transcript? | Typical processing note |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | Yes | Explicitly lists it as alternative to letter |
| New York | Sometimes | Inconsistent; call ahead |
| Toronto | No | Requires registrar letter, will not take transcript |
| Vancouver | Yes | Accepts official transcript mailed direct |
| Chicago | Yes | Added requirement mid-2024 |
If your consulate is not on that table, do not assume you are exempt. Call them, or check the current document checklist on their site under E-2 visa requirements. The phrase to look for is "verification of graduation" or "confirmation of degree conferral."
The order that works
- Request the verification letter from your university registrar before you apply for the apostille. Most universities produce this in 3–10 business days. A few take three weeks.
- Apostille your diploma through your state's Secretary of State office (US) or Global Affairs Canada.
- If the consulate requires the verification letter apostilled as well—some do—send that letter for a second apostille. Not all states charge the same fee for a letter as for a diploma, but some do.
- Submit both documents with your visa application.
The mistake people make is apostilling the degree, then learning about verification, then waiting two weeks for the letter, then discovering that letter also needs an apostille, then waiting another week for that. You have just added a month to a process that already runs six to eight weeks.
What if you already apostilled the degree and only just learned about this
Request the verification letter now. Ask your university registrar whether they can produce it as a notarized document—if they can, you may be able to apostille it faster through a private service rather than waiting in the state queue again. This costs more, but it is usually faster.
Some consulates will accept a verification letter that is notarized but not apostilled, if your degree itself is apostilled. Some will not. You are going to have to ask them directly.
One thing we do not know
We do not know why this requirement is not standardised, nor why it appears on some consulate sites and not others. Our best guess is that it spread as a response to diploma mills, but that is a guess. What we do know is that it catches people late in the process, when they have already bought plane tickets.
Check early. If your consulate's website does not mention it, email or call them with the explicit question: "Do you require a separate degree verification letter from the university registrar, in addition to the apostilled diploma?" Write down the name of the person who answers. If they say no, take a screenshot of the email or note the date and time of the call.
If they say yes, add two weeks to your timeline and start the request today.