Korean Job Discussion Forums

[World Traveler]

You have to repeat the whole thing (50 hours in your case) and then take another crack at the test. I got a perfect attendance award in level three, but was told if I didn't pass the final test I'd have to repeat the whole one hundred hours. I passed the test thank God, but it was NOT easy. The tests are timed which requires super fast reading. Don't feel bad man. All you have to do it repeat fifty hours (plus pass the test). One hundred hours is killer. Fifty hours: not so bad. Which part of the 종합시험 did you do bad on: the written or the interview? They are both hard, so I feel you on that one.

[PigeonFart]

I'm a slow reader so i was under pressure trying to read not only the questions but all 4 possible answers. I'd say i'd need a good 2 hours to pass it, 55 minutes for the written test wasn't enough. Yes, 50 hours to do over again isn't so bad.

[t-hype]

Hey, do any of you guys know what the registration period is for the first 2014 term and/or when that term starts?

I don't really know how to register. Can I just go to one of the Global Centers?

[coralreefer_1]

As I was told in the end of the last session, the next round of classes wont start until March 2014. The teacher explained this had something to do with the government fiscal budget and such.

My level 4 class ended in Septmeber, but we wont take the final exam until this weekend. And then, everyone has to wait until March for the next level (or to repeat level) begins.

As far as registering, yeah I would suggest checking with te local global center, but dont rely on them. Go to the site, and if needed get a Korean to help navigate it and register/join

[Daniel1981]

Hey guys, I mentioned I would update the thread with my experience.

I applied for the F-Series Points Visa on December 4th.. It was approved on December 9th, and they sent my updated ARC card to the local immigration office by December 23rd. It expires on December 4th, 2016. So, 3 years.. I could have had my ARC sent to my home address, but I thought it safer to just send it to the immigration office.

The Visa costed me W50,000 (using the stamps at the immigration office) *plus* W20,000 for the updated ARC card, paid to the lady processing my application in cash.

This visa is not applied for many times, so it is entirely possible that the person processing your application at the immigration office does not know all the details. My recommendation is to come in VERY prepared. I had all of my required documents in a plastic file, along with the point sheet printed, and a circle around the points I thought I was eligible for, and what I thought my total was at the bottom. Underneath this points sheet were all the supporting documents.

1) University degree - I brought a) original degree b) apostilled copy and c) regular photocopy of the apostilled copy. She took c), the regular photocopy of the apostilled copy.

2) Income and tax statements - I provided two income statements from my school. a) all of 2012 and b) the most recent 12 months.. She took them both... I also provided my 2013 tax statement from the tax office at which I filed my taxes. The tax office can provided this document to you, I think it was free. I also provided the detailed income tax return that my accountant used when submitting my taxes. Many people won't have this, and it is probably not needed, but I wanted to show why my taxable income was not the same as my reported income from the school. Basically, a breakdown of my tax deductions that the accountant used.

3) I had an original Criminal Background Check, an apostilled copy, and a photocopy of the apostilled copy.. She took the photocopy of the apostilled copy. Note - that I had not been out of country at all since arriving in 2010.

4) For Korean Language and KIIP points, I did not yet have my official certificate but a) There is an eletronic version of the graduation certificate on the socinet site, I provided a printout of that.. I also provided a printout of the test score page that is on the socinet site. I also provided a printout the main 'My Page' that showed Level 4 complete and Level 5 complete.

5) I also provided the regular Hakwon papers I use when extending my E2 Visa (business license and MOE registration I believe is what they are).

6) I also provided an original, and a photocopy of my Hakwon work contract. She only took the photocopy.


Of course I provided my ARC and Passport. She photocopied my passport and kept my ARC. I also provided 2 passport-sized photos. Nothing special about these, no signatures on the photos, just 2 photos I got done at Homeplus.


One thing I did *NOT* have prepared was a proof of residency. Fortunately, she gave me a fax number, and I went home and faxed her my officetel rental agreement (in my name) right away. This is now being required for other visa extensions, perhaps as a way to make sure foreigners are keeping immigration up to date on change of address.. Fortunately, I had updated this at my local Gu office when I moved so it was all good.



Once I handed over all of these files, the lady brought up some information on her PC, and printed her own points checklist. She went through the points categories, and checked the supporting documentation I had for each category and verified how many points I should receive for each. Then she totaled the points up, it matched what I thought I had (in my case 83) and that was that. A few people nearby were surprised as I was apparently the first person they saw that had the proper amount of points for the visa (in Busan), so it was kind of a jovial atmosphere for all of us.


You'll see in the list above that I brought a LOT of documents. I brought every variation of original+apostilled+photocopy I could think of. I printed everything I could from the socinet My Page site... Etc... I think that this let the lady know that I had done my research and preparation, and that she could have a little more confidence that the application should be successful. My recommendation is to go there fully prepared, and organized (have everything in a nice file) and be confident and polite.


Any questions, please ask~~ I'm also anxious to learn more about people who renew the Visa (what documents are required, and if they recalculate the points all over again, and so we might lose Age points... ). I don't know about this yet..

[IlIlNine]

Just a quick note : After having been on the points F2 for 3 years, I have successfully transitioned to the F5. Hang in there guys!

[Daniel1981]

[IlIlNine]

[alongway]

[IlIlNine]

[Daniel1981]

[Zyzyfer]

Was browsing through this to quietly cry about not having enough points to qualify for the F2-7. Then I realized while searching for more information that KIIP offers Sunday classes, and is also free.

Now I am considering signing up for KIIP anyway. Free language education woo!

I do have a couple of questions, however.

1) I should go to the immigration office in order to begin the registration process, correct?

2) At what point does the social integration course become available within the language component? At what point is it advisable to do the social integration course (I am assuming it is conducted in Korean)?

3) Is the age category based on the Western or East Asian system?

(edit: Upon further reading, I realized the answer to the second question. It makes the third question kind of irrelevant but I am curious nonetheless.)

[waseige1]

[spaceman82]

In regard to #3, they use the international system for determining age.

You can move onto the Social Integration course itself after completing level 4 of the language classes, or after demonstrating that your Korean is good enough for the course through the placement test.

I'm curious how people found the instruction for the Korean classes. I've heard from friends that their classes were unhelpful and entirely in lecture format, and I'm sorry to say I had a similar experience in the Integration course. (The teacher might as well have read straight from the book.) I don't know if this is the style the program has dictated that teachers use, however, or if my friend and I just had bad luck.

[Zyzyfer]

Thank you both for your responses.