Korean Job Discussion Forums

ConquerYourself · Joined: 11 Jul 2007

Please don't ask why or how, but a friend of mine has overstayed in Korea for 6 years after his visa had expiried. He's an American citizen who once held an F-1 visa.

He was out of town and found himself in a situation which required him to show his identification to local authorities. Since he didn't have any identification on him at the time, the authorities threatened to hand him over to immigrations and ,out of fear, he had a family member forge the visa period dates and then faxed a copy of his alien card to the authorities holding him.

He was released shortly there after, but will be summoned to court for some minor offense shortly. Obviously, he's in deep potty when they figure out that he's illegally in Korea and mislead local authorities by having his visa period forged and the inevitable deportation factor will come into play.

Yes, he's an idiot for overstaying and has made his bed to lay in.

My question is

1. Will they make him pay a fine. If so, how much?

2. He lied about his visa status being current, will he have to go through legalities for forgery or will they just give him the boot out of Korea?

3. He is considering every avenue to get out of this mess.
Including changing his citizenship to Korean, which I know isn't possible to get out of this mess his gotten himself into, but thought I add that to show how desperate he is.

Would appreciate some info on friend's fate.
Thanks!

seoulshock · Joined: 12 Jul 2005

is he a kyopo?

ConquerYourself · Joined: 11 Jul 2007

By ethnicity he's Korean and American, half and half.

jajdude · Joined: 18 Jan 2003

Post in the general discussion forum for more replies.

tzechuk · Joined: 20 Dec 2004

$$$$.

Chances are they will let him off with a hefty fine.

He is 1/2 a kyopo. They will be lenient.

normalcyispasse · Posted: Mon Sep 10, 2007 2:56 pm Post subject:

If he's half Han then he has a better chance of being let go with just a fine, but it may be a very stout one. Of course, I'm not a lawyer (Korean or otherwise), so don't take my opinion as gospel.

A six-year overstay. . . criminey. Doesn't Korea have pretty strict rules about not overstaying one's visa? Can your friend just jump ship and run?

Young FRANKenstein · Posted: Mon Sep 10, 2007 3:01 pm Post subject:

Beej · Joined: 05 Mar 2005 Location: Eungam Loop

He should go back into hiding until the next amnesty period, If they still have amnesty periods. I knew a guy that overstayed two years, and just walked out scott free during an amnesty period. He was probably the only white guy doing so.

ED209 · Joined: 17 Oct 2006

There hasn't been an amnesty period in years, doubt there will be one any time soon. Has he contacted the American Embassy? Is his passport up to date? Maybe chuck some Chinese cargo captain a few dollars and head for Shanghai (that's what many Korean businessmen do when they raid the company safe).

spliff · Joined: 19 Jan 2004 Location: Khon Kaen, Thailand

I guessing his ARC is not current...I say he takes a boat back to the US. He'll probably have to pay a little, but that's life. Have the boat drop him near a beach in a dingy.

SuperHero · Joined: 10 Dec 2003 Location: Superhero Hideout

isn't the overstay fine 100,000 per day?

CentralCali · Joined: 17 May 2007

mercury · Joined: 05 Dec 2004 Location: Pusan

Did you ever see the movie The sound of music?

The Von Trapp family singers were in a similar situation. They made a plan that saved their lives. They made a show, in front of the nazi
troops. Then, later that night, they walked over the alps, and found freedom.

I propose that we do the same thing for this young man. We can have
a talent show. We invite all of the immigration officials, and the police who know him and who are watching him to the show.The illegal dude can practice some kind of hip hop routine, and
practice it good. Then, when we award prizes, we make sure he wins. While the immigration police are waiting for him to come out and accept his prize, he slips out, and walks across the KUMCHON mountains, right into north Korea. Then he can walk to China, take a train to Moscow, take a bus to Paris, and fly United airlines back home.

normalcyispasse · Posted: Mon Sep 10, 2007 4:29 pm Post subject:

mole · Joined: 06 Feb 2003 Location: Act III

I've posted many times of my overstays. Never more than a month or two.
I've never paid a fine, but have been detained and reprimanded and made to sign documents I couldn't read.
They always mention 'amnesty.' Maybe I've just got good timing.
Or maybe their way of seeing that I'm not making a scene and just trying to calmly work out the problem.

Six years, though. Wow. Good luck, and keep us informed.