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Korean Job Discussion Forums
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OiGirl
Joined: 23 Jan 2003
Location: Hoke-y-gun
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 Posted: Mon May 14, 2007 5:11 am Post subject: |
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| Whirlwind wrote: |
| You get the visa on arrival in Korea, so why waste $45 dollars by getting one at the Houston embassy. |
Because on arrival from the US you get 30 days and with a C-3 you get 90. |
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gyopogirlfromtexas
Joined: 21 Apr 2007
Location: Austin,Texas
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| Posted: Mon May 14, 2007 11:51 am Post subject: |
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I think I might just come on a oneway, but have a fake roundtrip/(one that is cancellable) in case they want to not let me on my way to Seoul from LA. That's what I'd really like to do.
What I was told by the travel agent is that, since I'll be going with Singapore Airlines,( they will be the one not letting me off the plane because they'll pay a fine for letting m e off without a visa).
Yea, I really don't even want to drive to Houston, the traffic is always a nightmare over there. Plus a total cost of $125 for the visa when I can just pay 60,000 wons in Korea. Half price. Anyone know where I can buy a refundable airfare , like what online site? I am also thinking of buying a one way first, and then buying a way back to TX from Seoul , but cancel it , but print it before I cancel it. I wish I could succeed at that part. This whole visa thing is really annoying.
So, if I succeed in coming to Seoul on a oneway without a visa, will I have to leave the country in 30 days, even if I get a f-4 during those 30 days? Will I get in trouble with immigration for that? |
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gyopogirlfromtexas
Joined: 21 Apr 2007
Location: Austin,Texas
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| Posted: Mon May 14, 2007 12:33 pm Post subject: |
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| ella wrote: |
| If you're going through LAX, it's not the check-in agents you need to be wary of. It's a good bet you're going to lose a few, if not many, items out of your luggage, courtesy of TSA. |
Like what? I am bringing clothes, high heels, shoes, tennis shoes, paperwork, blowdryer, ceramic hair straightener, perfume, bodyspray, laptop in laptop backpack with portable hard drive, lots of burned dvds, hairspray and some hair dyes.
I'm scared that they might take away the hairspray for aerosol, hair dyes because of peroxide, maybe bodyspray too. I hope they don't though. Becuase I'm particular about those things usually.
I guess I'm worried more about the dvds, I was thinking of turning them inside out to the purple area on my dvd case, so they can't see the title I've written for the movie that way, and hopefully not take them all out and look to see what kind of dvd's they are. Especially porn, since it's illegal. Lol, so I'm labeling them as "discovery channel" or "special movies."  |
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Lateralus
Joined: 12 May 2007
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| Posted: Mon May 14, 2007 3:43 pm Post subject: |
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you're not gonna lose anything from your luggage. all that bodyspray stuff just make sure it's in your check-in luggage. TSA isn't going to take any of that stuff and Korean customs almost never checks anything, you literally fill out a card and give it to a customs officer as you walk by him. I've been in and out of Korea many times and have only been stopped once for a customs check and it was very quick and casual. and when you book your flight, get a non-stop from dallas to incheon or houston to incheon (trust me).
The Korean Consulate in Houston is actually very easy to find, it's right by the Galleria. Leave in the morning and you'll avoid the traffic also. If you have all your paperwork, you'll be in the Consulate, 5 minutes tops, with plenty of time to leave that cement jungle of a city hassle-free. |
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gyopogirlfromtexas
Joined: 21 Apr 2007
Location: Austin,Texas
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| Posted: Mon May 14, 2007 5:23 pm Post subject: |
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| Lateralus wrote: |
get a non-stop from dallas to incheon or houston to incheon (trust me).
The Korean Consulate in Houston is actually very easy to find, it's right by the Galleria. Leave in the morning and you'll avoid the traffic also. If you have all your paperwork, you'll be in the Consulate, 5 minutes tops, with plenty of time to leave that cement jungle of a city hassle-free. |
Well , all the affordable flights around 600-670 range is all Austin to LA or San Francisco on United Airlines, and LA or SF to Seoul(Incheon) on Singapore Airlines. Everything else, especially direct Austin to Seoul or Dallas to Seoul are well over 1000 bucks, even up to 7600 . That's crazy. All the Korean Airlines ones are over 1000 most of the time. Seems like Singapore Airlines is the affordable way to go. Never been, but it makes no sense for me to fork over 500 or 1000 more to go KAL. |
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gyopogirlfromtexas
Joined: 21 Apr 2007
Location: Austin,Texas
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| Posted: Mon May 14, 2007 5:26 pm Post subject: |
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| Lateralus wrote: |
you're not gonna lose anything from your luggage. all that bodyspray stuff just make sure it's in your check-in luggage. TSA isn't going to take any of that stuff and Korean customs almost never checks anything, you literally fill out a card and give it to a customs officer as you walk by him. I've been in and out of Korea many times and have only been stopped once for a customs check and it was very quick and casual. and when you book your flight, get a non-stop from dallas to incheon or houston to incheon (trust me).
The Korean Consulate in Houston is actually very easy to find, it's right by the Galleria. Leave in the morning and you'll avoid the traffic also. If you have all your paperwork, you'll be in the Consulate, 5 minutes tops, with plenty of time to leave that cement jungle of a city hassle-free. |
It's still $125 right? Will they let me have the F-4 that same day? Or will they only let me have a c-10? or c whatever? I've read on lot of websites, you get the f-4 when you arrive in Korea and not before. |
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ella
Joined: 17 Apr 2006
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| Posted: Mon May 14, 2007 10:17 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| you're not gonna lose anything from your luggage. |
There's a good chance you will if you go through LAX. TSA workers there are notorious for stealing from passengers' luggage. They "screen" it out of your sight and won't let you see, touch, or open it again before it's loaded on the plane, so you won't know if anything's missing until you reach your destination. It's a perfect opportunity for thieves and travelers heading overseas are favorite targets. What do they steal? Anything they want. All they get is a slap on the wrist and sent home - to enjoy all the stuff the stole.
If it's important to you, put it in your carry-on. |
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Lateralus
Joined: 12 May 2007
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| Posted: Tue May 15, 2007 6:25 am Post subject: |
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| gyopogirlfromtexas wrote: |
| Lateralus wrote: |
get a non-stop from dallas to incheon or houston to incheon (trust me).
The Korean Consulate in Houston is actually very easy to find, it's right by the Galleria. Leave in the morning and you'll avoid the traffic also. If you have all your paperwork, you'll be in the Consulate, 5 minutes tops, with plenty of time to leave that cement jungle of a city hassle-free. |
Well , all the affordable flights around 600-670 range is all Austin to LA or San Francisco on United Airlines, and LA or SF to Seoul(Incheon) on Singapore Airlines. Everything else, especially direct Austin to Seoul or Dallas to Seoul are well over 1000 bucks, even up to 7600 . That's crazy. All the Korean Airlines ones are over 1000 most of the time. Seems like Singapore Airlines is the affordable way to go. Never been, but it makes no sense for me to fork over 500 or 1000 more to go KAL. |
I've flown to Korea from the U.S. with United, American, Korean Air, Asiana, and Singapore Air and to be honest it was all the same with the exception of American (some air hostess dude gave me an attitude when i asked him for some chopsticks, screw American). Singapore Air was actually really nice, had a great selection of movies to choose from, great service too. |
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Lateralus
Joined: 12 May 2007
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| Posted: Tue May 15, 2007 6:28 am Post subject: |
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| gyopogirlfromtexas wrote: |
| Lateralus wrote: |
you're not gonna lose anything from your luggage. all that bodyspray stuff just make sure it's in your check-in luggage. TSA isn't going to take any of that stuff and Korean customs almost never checks anything, you literally fill out a card and give it to a customs officer as you walk by him. I've been in and out of Korea many times and have only been stopped once for a customs check and it was very quick and casual. and when you book your flight, get a non-stop from dallas to incheon or houston to incheon (trust me).
The Korean Consulate in Houston is actually very easy to find, it's right by the Galleria. Leave in the morning and you'll avoid the traffic also. If you have all your paperwork, you'll be in the Consulate, 5 minutes tops, with plenty of time to leave that cement jungle of a city hassle-free. |
It's still $125 right? Will they let me have the F-4 that same day? Or will they only let me have a c-10? or c whatever? I've read on lot of websites, you get the f-4 when you arrive in Korea and not before. |
not sure what it costs anymore. you won't get an f-4 on the same day, they need to send all the crap to Korea i think (which is why it's quicker to just do it in Korea). when i went to the consolate it was actually for a c-3 and my options were to pick it up the next day or get it shipped to me at my expense. |
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Lateralus
Joined: 12 May 2007
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| Posted: Tue May 15, 2007 6:35 am Post subject: |
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| ella wrote: |
| Quote: |
| you're not gonna lose anything from your luggage. |
There's a good chance you will if you go through LAX. TSA workers there are notorious for stealing from passengers' luggage. They "screen" it out of your sight and won't let you see, touch, or open it again before it's loaded on the plane, so you won't know if anything's missing until you reach your destination. It's a perfect opportunity for thieves and travelers heading overseas are favorite targets. What do they steal? Anything they want. All they get is a slap on the wrist and sent home - to enjoy all the stuff the stole.
If it's important to you, put it in your carry-on. |
in the past year, i've travelled extensively, even in and out of the U.S. and i've never had any problems at all with things getting stolen. at one point in a span of 2 months i flew the U.S.-Korea round trip three times. not a single pair of socks missing. one trip, i even had three very expensive watches and half a dozen silver cufflinks all in my check-in, again, no worries, nothing missing. but then again, i never flew through LAX. |
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gyopogirlfromtexas
Joined: 21 Apr 2007
Location: Austin,Texas
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| Posted: Tue May 15, 2007 8:50 am Post subject: |
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| ella wrote: |
| Quote: |
| you're not gonna lose anything from your luggage. |
There's a good chance you will if you go through LAX. TSA workers there are notorious for stealing from passengers' luggage. They "screen" it out of your sight and won't let you see, touch, or open it again before it's loaded on the plane, so you won't know if anything's missing until you reach your destination. It's a perfect opportunity for thieves and travelers heading overseas are favorite targets. What do they steal? Anything they want. All they get is a slap on the wrist and sent home - to enjoy all the stuff the stole.
If it's important to you, put it in your carry-on. |
Well, I only plan on having my laptop backpack and a luggage bag with rollers. I guess I shoul d put all the really important stuff into my purse and hold onto it as if my life counts on it.
When I was moving to TX from Korea in the 80's as a kid, lot of things went missing. I think stolen. I lost a lot of dresses, mimi's playhouse and all the mimi dolls(they look like barbie but has japanamation faces). Lot of the really cute stuff and anything sanrio was missing. I don't thiink they just got lost. I think there had to be a thief. I was so angry. |
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wanderingsalsero
Joined: 23 Dec 2006
Location: Houston, TX.
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| Posted: Sun Jun 03, 2007 9:11 am Post subject: Houston isn't so bad......and a question of my own. |
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If this info will help.....
I am just now leaving Houston to travel to my high school teaching job in Namyang-ju......I know something about Houston 'cause I've lived there since 80.
It's OK (especially for salsa dancing)....really. The consulate is easy to find (1990 Post Oak Blvd, 12th floor) I've called them several times and they always answer for me. I went into it once to do..something....and they were OK with me.
Houston isn't a bad place ot live although it does have it's share of lower socioeconomic level minorities and white-trash.....but what big city doesn't nowadays.
There's lots of places to shop, lots of movies, lots of clubs, lots of both high end and discount stores, there's lots of other neat places withing a few hours drive time.
I hope that helps or you've already got your problem solved.
Myself, right now......I'm trying to figure out how many sticks of deodorant I can take on my NW flight next week. I saw something on their site about everything having to fit into a quart baggie so it seems it'll be difficult to take several months supply like I've seen recommended here.....not to mention the cold remedies and other toiletries I might want to take. Do they really limit you to a quart baggies? |
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OiGirl
Joined: 23 Jan 2003
Location: Hoke-y-gun
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| Posted: Sun Jun 03, 2007 12:27 pm Post subject: Re: Houston isn't so bad......and a question of my own. |
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| wanderingsalsero wrote: |
| Myself, right now......I'm trying to figure out how many sticks of deodorant I can take on my NW flight next week. I saw something on their site about everything having to fit into a quart baggie so it seems it'll be difficult to take several months supply like I've seen recommended here.....not to mention the cold remedies and other toiletries I might want to take. Do they really limit you to a quart baggies? |
Why don't you put your year's supply of deodorant and cold medicine in your checked luggage? |
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gyopogirlfromtexas
Joined: 21 Apr 2007
Location: Austin,Texas
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| Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2007 4:01 am Post subject: |
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I got my passport in the mail from the Korean Houston Consulate. I didn't know a visa was just a stamp. But I have another problem. Found out that I have to apply for "official proof of residence" before I come to Korea to not get taxed by the American IRS for the next 2 years, which takes 30 days. I guess I'm stuck in TX for another month.  |
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merkurix
Joined: 21 Dec 2006
Location: Not far from the deep end.
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| Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2007 4:13 am Post subject: |
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| gyopogirlfromtexas wrote: |
| I got my passport in the mail from the Korean Houston Consulate. I didn't know a visa was just a stamp. But I have another problem. Found out that I have to apply for "official proof of residence" before I come to Korea to not get taxed by the American IRS for the next 2 years, which takes 30 days. I guess I'm stuck in TX for another month. |
When did this law come into effect? As far as I know the IRS will not tax your overseas income as long as you file yearly and your gross income does not exceed $75,000. I know Canada has that rule, but now the U.S.? |
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