Korean Job Discussion Forums

superaley · Joined: 17 May 2006

a stupid question perhaps but am i ok to arrive in korea with no visa and get approved for a tourist visa when i arrive or do i need to make prior applications

in_seoul_2003 · Joined: 24 Nov 2003

Doesn't it depend on what passport your holding?

kiwiduncan · Joined: 18 Jun 2007 Location: New Zealand

I think Canadians get 6 month tourist visas, all us others get three months. They'll just stamp your passport with a tourist visa then you'll have a leisurely three months to check out the country and line up a job. I'm not totally clued up on the details myself though - perhaps a search on the job discussion thread will give you more details.

superaley · Joined: 17 May 2006

i have a uk passport. i just spent a year on a working visa but want to line up my own job this time when i return

just to confirm it is perfectly ok for me just to arrive at the airport?

makemischief · Joined: 04 Nov 2005 Location: Traveling

UK passport: you�re all set for an auto 3 month tourist visa when you arrive. no worries. Smile

huffdaddy · Joined: 25 Nov 2005

FWIW, when I flew back to Korea last week, the automatic flight check-in machine flagged me. I had to show them my ARC to check in. I'm not sure what they would have done if I didn't have my ARC card though. This was on United.

behindtheveil · Joined: 19 Sep 2006 Location: Gimpo

Also it's probably a good idea to not tell them you'll be looking for a job. Most tourist visas have a restriction against this.

mrsquirrel · Joined: 13 Dec 2006

What is the automatic flight check in thing?

huffdaddy · Joined: 25 Nov 2005

huck · Joined: 19 Jan 2003

it's because the US airlines have been told that they can't allow passengers with one-way tickets to fly to Korea, unless they have a work visa.

lastat06513 · Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2007 9:24 pm Post subject:

o???
So someone with a C-3 tourist visa can't go on a flight either with a one-way ticket huh?

huck · Joined: 19 Jan 2003

aigo...some kind of visa...

But most US airlines have strict rules against letting people fly to Korea w/o a return ticket, unless they already have 'some kind of' preapproved visa...

PeteJB · Joined: 06 Jul 2007

What about a D4 visa (6 month renewable student visa)? Still need a return ticket?

tzechuk · Joined: 20 Dec 2004

If you have a visa given to you by the Korean government, then you are OK with a one way ticket.

The thing about one way ticket is for people who don't have a pre-approved visa, making you just a tourist with no aim. Then they want to know why you are here in Korea without an ongoing plan.