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reactionary
Joined: 22 Mar 2008
Posts: 60
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 Posted: Mon Jul 25, 2011 7:01 am Post subject: applying for a Z-visa in korea? |
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Has anyone done this before?
My school is having me "try" to do this, but says if they reject it I'll have to go to my home country and apply...which would be a major bummer as it would entail buying a last minute plane ticket!
So...how likely is this to go through without a hitch? |
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askiptochina
Joined: 26 Feb 2010
Posts: 488
Location: Beijing
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reactionary
Joined: 22 Mar 2008
Posts: 60
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| Posted: Mon Jul 25, 2011 9:18 am Post subject: |
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sorry if i was unclear. yeah, i know there is a lot of hoopla surrounding tourist visas from south korea to china...
i meant a work visa, though. my school in china is in the process of getting me a work permit (i think they got this already??) and now an invitation letter. i may have those terms mixed up... china's a confusing process.
if i have the necessary documents and i go to the chinese embassy in korea, will that get processed without undue hassle? the z visa, i mean.. |
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askiptochina
Joined: 26 Feb 2010
Posts: 488
Location: Beijing
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| Posted: Mon Jul 25, 2011 9:34 am Post subject: |
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| i meant a work visa, though. |
Yes, I understand that. I posted 2 links and mentioned Soho Travel which I used to get a tourist visa to Shanghai, I think near Hongdae station (Hongik University), line 2 (green), center left. You should ask them about a work visa. If they have done it before then they can do it.
I also used Hanatour specifically for a work visa, but like I said I didn't do it by myself and they didn't seem to speak English. I had a Korean relative of the owner of my school do all the processing.
I am pointing you in the direction, just not able to walk you all the way. Ask the travel agency about a work visa.
Soho Travel Info:
"We are on the 17th Fl. of Seokyo Tower Subway Line 2 : HongIk University Station Exit 1 Tel 02-322-1713 Address Room 1712 Seokyo Tower, 353-1 Seokyo-Dong"
Email
Jongho: [email protected]
Last edited by askiptochina on Mon Jul 25, 2011 9:46 am; edited 2 times in total |
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reactionary
Joined: 22 Mar 2008
Posts: 60
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| Posted: Mon Jul 25, 2011 9:44 am Post subject: |
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| askiptochina wrote: |
| Quote: |
| i meant a work visa, though. |
Yes, I understand that. I posted 2 links and mentioned Soho Travel which I used to get a tourist visa to Shanghai, I think near Hongdae station (Hongik University), line 2 (green), center left. You should ask them about a work visa. If they have done it before then they can do it.
I also used Hanatour specifically for a work visa, but like I said I didn't do it by myself and they didn't seem to speak English. I had a Korean relative of the owner of my school do all the processing.
I am pointing you in the direction, just not able to walk you all the way. Ask the travel agency about a work visa. |
OK, I have just never heard of travel agencies sorting out work visas, that's all. I suppose once my school has sent all of my documents, I'll give them a call. Does using a travel agency for a WORK visa somehow increase the likelihood of the embassy accepting it?
Why is that? |
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askiptochina
Joined: 26 Feb 2010
Posts: 488
Location: Beijing
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| Posted: Mon Jul 25, 2011 9:51 am Post subject: |
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| I suppose once my school has sent all of my documents, I'll give them a call. Does using a travel agency for a WORK visa somehow increase the likelihood of the embassy accepting it? |
I don't think it will increase or decrease. My understanding is we cannot go to the Chinese consulate by ourselves in Korea. We have to go through a travel agent. This is how it has been explained to me, and after doing it twice at both levels (tourist and work), I am not questioning it.
If my old school didn't have to do it through a travel agency in Korea, they wouldn't have. The owner has family from Korea, and they could have just taken me to the Chinese consulate. Instead they went through a travel agency. They paid for it also.
I recommend you call NOW. Don't wait for the documents. Ask them if the invitation letter has to have "Chinese Embassy in Korea" in it. If you take the documents to the travel agency and it doesn't show that, then they are likely to reject it and say you have to do it in your home country.
Call or email the travel agency, don't be shy, ask them. |
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askiptochina
Joined: 26 Feb 2010
Posts: 488
Location: Beijing
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| Posted: Mon Jul 25, 2011 9:55 am Post subject: |
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I looked up some additional info that might help.
From http://www.chinese-embassy.info/asia/visa-kor.htm#648
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Notice on visa application
1. From Sep. 1, 2007, the Consular Office of the Chinese Embassy in South Korea (ROK) will no longer accept individual applications for L (Tourist) Visa, F (Business) Visa, X (Student) Visa, Z (Work) Visa, G (Transit) Visa and so on. Therefore, citizens of ROK and other aliens in ROK have to apply for China visa (Hong Kong Visa is not included) through travel agencies authorized by the Embassy. List of the designated travel angencies: www.chinaemb.or.kr/chn/lsqz/ls_qz/ls_qz_13/t229558.htm
2. The Consular Office of Chinese Embassy in South Korea still accept the individual applications of the following people. (They can also apply for visa by the designated travel agencies)
(1) Diplomatic, service passport holder of South Korea;
(2) Ordinary passport holder with note issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of South Korea;
(3) Personnel and their relatives of other countries’ diplomatic missions, international institutes or organizations in South Korea;
(4) Correspondent visa applicants. |
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reactionary
Joined: 22 Mar 2008
Posts: 60
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| Posted: Mon Jul 25, 2011 10:09 am Post subject: |
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Wow, that last link was very informative thanks.
Last I dealt with the Chinese embassy was in 2007 when I went in and got my tourist visa myself. A lot has changed!
Thanks again, I'll call Soho tomorrow. |
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reactionary
Joined: 22 Mar 2008
Posts: 60
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| Posted: Tue Jul 26, 2011 10:30 pm Post subject: |
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OK, well, as a service to anyone who finds this thread in the future:
-The visa must be obtained through a travel agent.
-65,000 won or 195,000 won if you're American (lucky me!)
-You must get a health certificate in Korea to turn in with the application. The Chinese embassy has a list of hospitals.
I'll update with anything else I find out in the process. |
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reactionary
Joined: 22 Mar 2008
Posts: 60
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| Posted: Wed Aug 10, 2011 5:00 am Post subject: |
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| The embassy rejected my visa for applying within korea. reason stated, not having 6 months validity left on my ARC. |
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askiptochina
Joined: 26 Feb 2010
Posts: 488
Location: Beijing
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| Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2011 6:59 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| You must get a health certificate in Korea to turn in with the application. The Chinese embassy has a list of hospitals. |
Why didn't you do it in China? 
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| The embassy rejected my visa for applying within korea. reason stated, not having 6 months validity left on my ARC. |
You don't need to have an ARC. If you aren't in China, you apply for a tourist visa. Then, you come to China HANDING IN YOUR ARC TO IMMIGRATION AT THE KOREAN AIRPORT, and you get your health check in China. Then, you go to Korea, go through the travel agent. There should be no ARC issue because you handed it in to immigration at the airport before coming to China the first time.
I went last year and did this after the July 1, 2010 rule and got a Z visa issued on July 26, 2010
Everything I have read online where people were denied was due to them still having an ARC card when they applied. The rule posted on Soho's site says, "If you have visited China within past 2 years and there is an entry record to China on your passport: you are eligible to apply for a new visa to China" - http://sohoholiday.com/soho/visa-information/
I guess you could test the waters and see if you can still hang onto your ARC, but why bother? So, you can return to Korea and transfer to another school to avoid all the new documents? Up to you. |
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