Korean Job Discussion Forums

Aussiekimchi · Joined: 21 Apr 2006 Location: SYDNEY

Immigration have confirmed this with my office 3 times last week.

You do not have to do a visa run if:

* you have been working at your current job for more than 9 months
* Your current visa has been cancelled by your current employer
* you have a signed contract with a new school and visa docs are ready to go
* The new school is ready to apply for a new visa with their paperwork.
* that new visa will have enough time to be processed before those 14 days have elapsed.

I don't believe much of what Immigration tells me but 3 different officers, all of whom gave us their names, confirmed this was true last week.

I was wondering if anyone had ACTUALLY experienced this. I am told this is a new rule brought in by Immigration.
If it is true, there certainly would be huge ramifications....yearly visa runs could become unnecessary for one!

I know visa runs are sometimes not enforced in the public school sector, that is not what I am talking about. This is between hagwans and teachers finishing contracts with schools and seeking employment elsewhere in Korea.
The last officer at Immigration actually told my secretary that "airlines will be angry as teachers do not have to do the visa run every year now"
I will believe all this when I see it, or hear from someone that has experienced it.
So please, let us know.

Ya-ta Boy · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: Established in 1994

Other people have said the same thing as the OP.

Dawn · Joined: 06 Mar 2004

I'll be switching from an E2 to a SOFA visa in a few weeks and have been assured by both immigration and the legal personnel on post that it is no longer necessary to leave the country to change visa status.

chaz47 · Joined: 11 Sep 2003

Hmmmm.... more information on this please.

jewelz · Joined: 25 Sep 2006

Ok, so why is my new employer stating, " you need to do a visa run to Japan." I am finishing with my boss and going to immigration Thursday to get my exit order etc. I have already been supplied a new visa number by the new employer. So if I do not have to go to Japan then why are they saying the contrary. Are they not keeping up with these new rules ? It would save me a lot of time and hassle to avoid going off to Japan...
Please clarify so I can make them clarify it as well...

chaz47 · Joined: 11 Sep 2003

EFLtrainer · Joined: 04 May 2005

A. News travels slowly.

B. Your immi people don't like you.

C. Just because.

teachingld2004 · Joined: 29 Mar 2004

I got a release letter on December 22nd. My new job started January 15th.

My current smoloyer asked imigration about this. She was told Ihad to go out of the country to get a new visa. I got my visa number, she called again.

Nope, they said Ihad to go out of the country. I did. I went to get the new E-2 processed. I read on the wall that the visa could just be transfered.

Depends. Who knows? If you have a new visa number, just go and try and get the visa here.

Whe worse that can happen is that you are told to go out of the country.

VanIslander · Posted: Tue Jan 30, 2007 3:51 pm Post subject: Re: NO VISA RUNS???????

Aussiekimchi · Joined: 21 Apr 2006 Location: SYDNEY

it was confusing for us too, so I wanted to know if anyone had experienced anything like it.
It seems as though it is the old case by case thing.
Today a teacher was told by immi that he had to do a visa run even though his current visa will be cancelled by the current employer (a university) which also had given permission for him to transfer to a public school.
The public school requested the transfer and it was then turned down by one guy, but when we called again, the next officer said maybe... if both bosses come to the immi office in person.
The thing is though, that at the same school last year, our teacherwas told by the same Immi office, that the teacher did not have to do a visa run as he was transferring to a public school. This year...rule changes..maybe

A few days ago we had called the Seoul Immi many times. We had 3 confirmations for situations when teachers need not do the visa run. See original post.

If you leave your job before 9 months or do not get your visa cancelled by your current employer, Immi told us that you MUST do a visa run.

Those doing runners run the risk of the employer making a complaint against them to Immi. But we were told today that in some cases, (not hagwans or public schools) your visa is automatically cancelled when you hand in your ID card. So your new employer is free to apply for a new visa for you. This new visa will be granted if no complaints have been made against you.
If that is the case, you may have problems getting back in.

For those finishing contracts, my understanding of it was.....If you finish your contract and remain in Korea, your current employer must still cancel your visa. You should then be sent a letter by immi saying you have 14 days to leave the country. This will give you enough time to get a new visa number and do a visa run. BUT...today we were told that technically you do not have to do a visa run if you finish a contract and have a visa cancelld allowing you to apply for a new visa.
Now this may be another chunk of misinformation that Immi. throws around and it may be another immi officer simply not knowing his job, but again, if anyone has experienced this it would be good to know.

Wouldn't it be great if there was a simple list of 20 odd rules that was published for us all to follow? Or better still, those same rules published for the immi officers to follow rather than just making them up as they go!

ajuma · Joined: 18 Feb 2003 Location: Anywere but Seoul!!

I think that I would get the full name and direct phone number of the person at immigration who is giving this information. That way if the s**t hits the fan, you'll know who to go back to!

I did the "no visa run" about 6 years ago when the uni I was working for gave me a LOR so I could come to the uni where I am now...but I don't know if/how this works between hagwons and unis or hagwons and public or any other combination.

jewelz · Joined: 25 Sep 2006

I think it depends on how nice you speak to them and how chummy your employer is with the immigration officials. I am going with my new employer to immigration, he said there is a way he can transfer my visa from a hagwon to a university. I though I had to go with my old employer to do this. My new boss said no. He is also quite on good terms with his immigration office, which I think has something to do with it. So I do not reccomend screaming and crying at them, but using any 'connections' your employer may have will work. I am suppose to do this 'transfer' in the next couple of weeks. I will write an update on the outcome.

OiGirl · Joined: 23 Jan 2003 Location: Hoke-y-gun

There seems to be a difference between coming to Korea on a tourist visa or visa waiver and then getting a work visa, and switching between different employers on a work visa.

It's always been possible to switch between different types of (usually non-work) visas without leaving the country. (i.e., tourist visa to Korean study visa to general study visa.)

And as usual, what one immigration office and agent tell you may not apply elsewhere.

jewelz · Joined: 25 Sep 2006

Well I had to do a visa run to Japan. Transferring from a hagwon to a University. We tried every angle and I had to leave the country ...