Korean Job Discussion Forums

nevermindb · Joined: 13 Oct 2007

I have so many questions about this hojok. Please help me! I'm a native Korean-American and both of my parents are naturalized Americans.

1. My parents don't have their hojok. So I need to get it in Korea. Do I need to go to the city my father was born and raised in? Do all cities have a "local immigration office?"

2. I've read in this forum that if you go to a Korean Embassy, they'll help you with getting your father's hojok in Korea. Is that absolutely true? The nearest korean embassy from me is 5 hours away which is Houston. I'd love for someone to be able to get my father's hojok for me. I don't know how I can get it myself in Korea.

3. To get an F-series visa, do I have to, first, find a hakwon to work at before I go to the korean embassy to get my visa?

4. This might be a dumb question...but I know I'm not going to be on my father's hojok. Is that okay and is that correct?

5. So you know my situation. I have to find my father's hojok in Korea somehow. I have to have that sent to me from Korea, then go to the Korean Embassy in Houston to apply for an F-series visa (which people approx. 3 days). About how long do you think it'll be altogether before I can actually get my visa? I'm really hoping I can leave to teach in Korea somewhere ASAP.

That's all for now. If anyone can help, that'd be great! Thanks a lot! Very Happy

ttompatz · Joined: 05 Sep 2005 Location: Kwangju, South Korea

This may sound like a strange question... have you read the FAQs (frequently asked questions) yet??

http://forums.eslcafe.com/korea/viewtopic.php?t=20648
scroll down for:

F4 Visas

1. Visa Question ?F4 & E2 at the Same Time?
2. Ethnic Koreans Not As Desirable?
3. Korean Australian
4. Documents needed for the F-4 VISA?
5. F4 Visas For US Citizens

kalkamagi · Joined: 17 Jul 2006 Location: Seoul

ok, i know that information in the f4 faq can be hard to find, misleading, incorrect, so:

1. My parents don't have their hojok. So I need to get it in Korea. Do I need to go to the city my father was born and raised in? Do all cities have a "local immigration office?"
-any "gu office" can pull your parents' hojuk, including the one across the street from the seoul immigration office. just give them his info- they'll do it in 5 minutes

2. I've read in this forum that if you go to a Korean Embassy, they'll help you with getting your father's hojok in Korea. Is that absolutely true? The nearest korean embassy from me is 5 hours away which is Houston. I'd love for someone to be able to get my father's hojok for me. I don't know how I can get it myself in Korea.

call the embassy and ask. do you have relatives in korea that can pull them for you? makes it a whole lot easier

3. To get an F-series visa, do I have to, first, find a hakwon to work at before I go to the korean embassy to get my visa?

no.

4. This might be a dumb question...but I know I'm not going to be on my father's hojok. Is that okay and is that correct?
it's ok. as long as you can prove you're your father's son <ie your birth certificate> you should hope that you're not on the hojuk b/c they'll pull you in to military service.

5. So you know my situation. I have to find my father's hojok in Korea somehow. I have to have that sent to me from Korea, then go to the Korean Embassy in Houston to apply for an F-series visa (which people approx. 3 days). About how long do you think it'll be altogether before I can actually get my visa? I'm really hoping I can leave to teach in Korea somewhere ASAP.

my advice: talk to the embassy, get assured that you do indeed qualify (they tightened restrictions on f4s a few years back). come to korea (enter on tourist visa) with your birth cert, parents' naturalization certs, and then pull your hojuk and turn them into the immigration office. pick up your visa (they stamp an ammendment in your passport) & arc 7-10 days later (without having to leave the country). in the meantime, search for a good job.

so in principle, you can leave tomorrow and work everything out here. oh, and if you forget something, immigration will take scanned docs.

CeleryMan · Joined: 12 Apr 2007 Location: Seoul

3. To get an F-series visa, do I have to, first, find a hakwon to work at before I go to the korean embassy to get my visa?

no.

If I understand you correctly, you can get an F-series visa regardless of having employment? I thought one needed an Employer to sponsor an F-series designation?

kalkamagi · Joined: 17 Jul 2006 Location: Seoul

CeleryMan · Joined: 12 Apr 2007 Location: Seoul

Would you kindly provide a credible source or link? I've good several times with no luck.

If this is indeed true, I submitting my resignation today. Somehow, I though gaining and retaining an F-4 visa was contingent upon proof of employment.

So, in essence as a Gyopo, I'm entitled to an F-4 and qualify for a business lic.? Sounds way too good to b e true!

kalkamagi · Joined: 17 Jul 2006 Location: Seoul

nevermindb · Joined: 13 Oct 2007

Yeah...some of the questions I asked is because I'm confused. I'm getting different answers from different forum topics. All of your answers have been very helpful. Thanks!! Now, I'm still confused though if I need employment in Korea to get an F-4 visa.

FUBAR · Joined: 21 Oct 2003 Location: The Y.C.

Freakstar · Joined: 29 Jun 2007

nevermindb · Joined: 13 Oct 2007

I do have relatives in Korea but they're all on my mother's side. If I wanted to get my father's hojok, could they still get it or does it have to be someone from my father's side?

Johnwayne · Joined: 28 Jun 2007

You or your dad could just call the -gu office where your dad used to live and he could ask them how to get a copy of his hojeok. I know you can request it in writing from the -gu office. I don't know if you mom's relatives can request a copy of your dad's hojeok, although I am inclined to say no.

You can always get a copy of your mom's hojeok too, as that works for F-4. Although you would probably want to make sure you aren't on your dad's hojeok as well for the reasons already mentioned.

Once I had all the actual paperwork together and sent it off, it took about a week to get my visa, including transit time. I think it took about a week to get the hojeok sent from Korea.

No, you don't have to have a job already to get the visa, at least I didn't and I just got my visa last month.

nevermindb · Joined: 13 Oct 2007

nevermindb · Joined: 13 Oct 2007

kalkamagi · Joined: 17 Jul 2006 Location: Seoul

F2 is for foreigners married to koreans. F4 is for kyops.

actually, you just need one grandparent on the register to qualify. (halfies like me get the same as kyopos.)

someone told me it depends on whether your parents naturalized before/after you were born. have i confirmed this? no. like i said, the best way is to call the embassy- they will ask the questions and confirm based on your answers.

good luck