Korean Job Discussion Forums

[guava]

[Young FRANKenstein]

[ttompatz]

[I-am-me]

I have met 2 other couples including myself and our wifes all came on C-3 visas. We had to go to immigration and change them within 90 days to F-3s. Not sure how Tompatz got his wife an F-3? A little detail might make all the difference.

To make things easier...have wife call korean consulate and ask what exactly you need to do to get her to korea. I am American so I know what I needed. Not sure about you guys.

[TheUrbanMyth]

[I-am-me]

Yes.

[guava]

[depth]

My wife got her F3 visa today. We are so glad the ordeal is finally over! She was given a C3 tourist visa from the Korean embassy in manila and then she applied to change it from C3 to F3 spouse visa at our local immigration office in busan.

Here is a run down of our experiences.
We tried to apply for a F3 visa issuance number at the busan immigration office but were told it was not possible because we weren�t applying for both my E2 visa and her F3 visa at the same time (I had renewed my contract 2 months prior). Immigration confirmed it is only possible to get an F3 visa if your employer applies for both your E2 visa and your wife�s F3 visa at the same time (ie when u start a new job or renew your contract).

So we had to apply for a visa at the korean embassy in manila. We tried to apply for an F3 visa in manila but the embassy told us it was not possible. They said we can apply for a C3 tourist visa and then get it changed over to a F3 visa once my wife arrives in korea. C3 tourist visa is valid for 60days (no fee) or 90 days (1500 peso).

Here are the documents we submitted to successfully receive a C3 tourist visa:

1) Visa application form
2) Photocopy of NSO marriage certificate
3) Wife�s passport
4) Photocopy of wife�s passport
5) CFO Certificate photocopy (as you will need to give original certificate back to CFO when getting CFO sticker)
6) 2 passport size photos (white background)
7) Photocopy of my passport
8 Photocopy of my Korean alien ID card
9) Photocopy of my employment certificate
10) Photocopy of my bank account bank book
11) Photocopy of my employment contract
12) invitation letter from employer
13) Invitation letter from me
14) proof of my tax payments in korea (my workplace produced this document)

My wife lived 4 hours by bus so we used a Visa agent. Their fees were about the same costs that would have been for my wife�s travel and accommodation to manila. We used Global Tours Consultancy. The manager�s name is Kay and she did a good job. Her details - Unit 253 Cityland Pioneer Condominium , 128 Pioneer St., Mandaluyong City. Email: [email protected] Ph- (02) 7467935 mobile ph: 09995605980. We wrote a letter of authority giving Kay permission to act on our behalf and submit documents to the embassy.

My wife also got her CFO certificate. But she did not get the CFO sticker (placed in her passport) because the Korean embassy only gave her a tourist visa which didn�t require the CFO at all. (immigration in Korea didn�t ask to see the CFO certificate when we applied to change from C3 visa to F3 visa). But we took the green and yellow copies of the CFO certificate and the CFO payment receipt to the airport as a precautionary measure. Some people have reported problems with the airport immigration about fake CFO certificates so we were advised to also bring the CFO payment receipt.

We were also advised that my wife required a return ticket back to the Philippines because she only had a C3 tourist visa. That the immigration officials at manila airport would not let her leave the country without a valid return ticket back to the Philippines. So we purchased a return ticket and are now applying for a refund for the return leg of the journey.

When my wife arrived in Korea we went to the local immigration office in Busan. Here are the documents we submitted to successfully receive a F3 spouse visa:

1) wife�s passport
2) color photo 3 or 4 inch
3) original and photocopy of marriage certificate
4) my alien card
5) 60,000 won application fee
6) application form

We were able to keep our original marriage certificate, immigration just wanted to sight the original document. They also asked if we could register the marriage in Australia (as im an aussie) but the Australian government doesn�t register overseas marriages (same with USA, UK & Canada) because they accept the philippines marriage certificate as a legal document (per the Hague convention). So we told them this wasn�t possible and the immigration official said she would call the Australian embassy in seoul to confirm.

After a 10 day wait we went and picked up my wifes new alien card and her passport. Her alien card expiry date is the same as mine. Just as a side note, there no longer is a fee for multi entry within sojourn period and E2 visa�s are now valid for 13 months (and so will the F3 spouse visa).

[paldal]