Korean Job Discussion Forums

[harryh]

I finished my first year contract on 5th October. But, I am working this week until the new foreign teacher arrives. My current E-2 expires 2nd November.

Today, I signed a contract agreement with a new school. The new school will be going to immigration to make an application for a new E-2 visa (they have a copy of my finished contract). I believe this process will take 7-10 days, in order to get the 'blue paper?'.
Then I will travel to Japan to get the visa.

I will perhaps, not start my new employment until the 20th or 27th October.

Is it ok to work this week?

What checks will immigration carry out after they receive the new application for a visa? Basically, what do immigration do when they receive an application in this situation?

I find visa and contract questions so difficult to understand. Sorry!

Thanks in advance

[prairieboy]

Immigration won't issue a blue paper until one of two things happens.

1. You get a letter of release from your current hagwon releasing you to the new hagwon.

2. Your current E-2 expires.

I've just been through a similar situation. I'll be starting shortly with a new hagwon, but I'm waiting on the blue paper.

I had extended my E-2 by 2 weeks because my contract expired 2 weeks after my E-2 so I needed to ensure I wasn't working illegally for my last 2 weeks. I took my plane ticket with me and got my final extension stamped on my card and "used" written across my visa stamp in my passport.

I then went back to immigration a week before I was to leave Korea for a vacation and before starting at the new hagwon, to get the blue paper approval started.

The immigration officer after making sure the paper work was done properly checked my status on the computer system and found out I was still sponsored by my soon to be former hagwon. He could not go any further until my current E-2 expired or I got a release letter.

When we told him I would be leaving the country before my exit date, he said it would be ok to submit the paper work the day after I left the country and handed in my Alien Card. He could then get to work on the blue paper necessary for getting my Visa at a Korean embassy.

So, you'll have to get a release letter or at the very least leave the country and turn in your Alien Card before you can get the blue paper.

Hope this info helps. I'm hoping that the immigration officer fast tracks my application as he promised he would, but either way, I've got plenty of time before I'm scheduled to start my new job.

[wylde]

Point of interest...

My boss and I applied for the "blue paper" at an immigration office at 3pm Tuesday and I picked it up 12pm Wednesday (the next day).

Mind you... He went armed with 2 boxes of So-Ju.

Your E2 does not need to expire first. You must have a letter of release though.

I never had to hand in my old Alien Card so now I have 2.. Could be handy.

Funny old country this... Good luck!

[harryh]

Thanks for the info.
My soon to be new boss went to immigration and provided them with my completed contract from the job I've just finished. It's basically 'wait and see' time.

It seems that I'll probably start my new job later than I had hoped.