Korean Job Discussion Forums

[murmanjake]

I'm planning on buying a one-way ticket to Korea.

I'll probably use Korean Air. I won't have a visa. I'm planning on finding a job when I get there(previous E-2).

I've read up on this, and it seems to be sort of a crapshoot whether you will be allowed to board your flight with a one-way ticket. But it also seems a number of people have done this successfully.

Is there a sure-fire method of ensuring that I are allowed to board my flight? Is it a simple matter of just requesting and signing that waiver of responsibility? Is there a chance that immigration will actually turn me away?

[littlelisa]

Just don't say anything and they will probably let you on the plane no problem. In case they make a fuss, look up (ahead of time) information about the ferry either to Japan or China and tell them you are planning to travel there next. If they see you have info for continuing to travel and a reason for a one way ticket, then they will probably have no issues.

[OiGirl]

You can't likely talk your way out of it. You should need a (refundable) onward ticket. Printing out an itinerary you didn't pay for (on another airline so they can't easily check it) could also work.

[samd]

I know people with E2s that got turned away for not having a return ticket. I don't like your chances for getting a tourist visa without proof of a flight out.

[murmanjake]

Thanks for your replies.

How can a person with an E2 visa get turned away? You mean by the airlines, right? Most people fly into Korea on one-way tickets with visas, don't they....?

What about that waiver I read about in another thread? Is that not an option?

I guess I could get a refundable ticket, but I'm not sure if I have enough money....

Has anyone had recent experience of being turned away? Or successfully traveled on a one-way ticket?

[samd]

Sometimes on co-share flights with Korean Air or Asiana the other airline staff are unfamiliar with Korean visas and think they can't let you on.

They tried it with me but I got them to cal the consulate. One friend of mine missed a flight from Sydney, another friend missed a flight from Boston. All with the E2 sticker/stamp.

You won't get in on a tourist visa with a one-way ticket either, unless Oigirl's suggestion of a itinerary printout from another airline works.

[Bucky]

I entered without a return ticket. The check-in agent for the airline in Vancouver had me sign a document saying that if Korean immigration refused me entry, I would have to pay for my own return trip back to Vancouver and the airline would bear no responsibility for the expenses. That was about it.

Korean immigration literally didn't say anything. Looked at the visa, looked at the photo page, looked at me, typed some stuff, stamped the visa, and waved me through.

[PatrickGHBusan]

Bucky....what visa did immigration look at if you had no E2?

If you had an E2 you missunderstood the OPs situation completely.

OP: you can roll the dice and try or you can buy a REFUNDABLE two-way ticket and be SURE they allow you to board and allow you entry in Korea....

If you go with the on-way ticket no visa route, you CAN be turned away the airport by the airline or you can end up being denied entry into Korea at Korean immigration and have to buy an outbound ticket then and there....

Save yourself the potential stupidity and buy a darn two-way ticket that is refundable....

[Welsh Canadian]

[Bucky]

[Drew345]

The US Embassy used to offer a C-3 tourist visa. It is an actual visa that you get from the embassy in the US before coming to Korea. It is different from the Visa Exempt tourist stamp that you get from Immigration after landing in Korea. With that C-3 tourist visa, I was able to board the plane for Korea with one way tickets. The airline checked, saw I had a visa, and all was good. You can call the Korean embassy and see if they still ussue C-3 tourist visas. They may have stopped issuing the visas when US got put on the 3 month visa exempt list (we used to get only one month on a visa exempt entry).

I have also read about signing the "waiver" at the airline check-in, releasing the airline of any obligation to fly you away should immigration not let you in. I have never seen this waiver, it seems to be something that the airline brings out after an hour of arguing, and may not be offered at all. I wouldn't count on this waiver.

[murmanjake]

Again, very helpful replies.

I've been looking around and I think my cheapest option may be to buy a ferry ticket to Japan. Looks like the slow boat from busan to fukoaka is 85 bucks. I'll have to check to see if it's refundable. It seems to be the cheapest way to indisputably prove that I am just a tourist. Anyone have cheaper/definitely refundable alternatives?

[Drew345]

If you are talking about the Beetle boat to Japan, you actually get your confirmation and then have 3 days to pay (or something like that). You can print your confirmation, then if you don't pay, your ticket drops out of the system. Airline checkin staff can't check if you proceeded on with the payment or not, so may as well just let the confirmation expire.
But you do need to give them your credit card info before making the reservation.
Again there is no way to be sure that the Airline staff will accept a boat ticket out as your proof of onward journey anyway, but I have read that it worked for people before. And it is one more thing working in your favor (boat ticket + knowledge about waiver = good chance to get on board).

[Mr. Pink]

I have so many stamps etc in my passport that the one time I went to Korea without a visa on a one way ticket they never said a thing. When I got into Korea the immigration guy thought I was still on my F2 visa, when in reality it had expired a month prior to me getting there.

A lot of times people just get the "wrong" person at the air line counter. I went to Manila and had only 5 months left on my passport. The supervisor at the airline counter didn't want to let me on the plane. I had to sign a paper saying I would pay all fees if they wouldn't let me back in...pretty dumb. When I got to Manila the immigration guy told me 3 months and a return ticket before then is good enough.

[PatrickGHBusan]