Korean Job Discussion Forums

[gjk08]

I need a little advice. I was hired by a learning center in mid August. i sent my documents for the visa very promptly and was told it would take 2-3 weeks. 2-3 weeks later i was told in a couple more weeks. The center was going through some changes and additions and had to work with the Immigration office before Immigration would issue my visa. So then finally they said "by the end of the week" well at the end of the week i got a message saying Immigration wanted my offical transcirpts. I had sent my unoffical, fully aware it could delay the process. So, i scrabbled some money together, paid a huge bill to my old uni sent my transcripts. I was told at this point Immigration would issue my visa within a few days. That was on Oct. 20th. My transcripts arrieved in Seoul at their office on the 23rd. On the 29th I got a message saying it was being taken to Immigration. I have not heard back. In the beginning my contact person was very helpful and answeerd my emails in a very timely manner. Now, i send an email and I have not gotten responses. What should I do? I can't really apply for a nother job, or can i? This place has my offical dipolma. I'm tired of waiting, but can't afford to go without the visa and do a visa run. I also can't afford to have my life put on hold. Granted, I know it's partly my fault for not sending in all the correct documents in the beginning. Sorry to ramble. Does this situation sound suspiscous?

[buddy bradley]

Well, I don't know. Can you bribe?

Bribing is sexy.

[lawyertood]

I think at this point I would ask them to return your documents promptly and look somewhere else for a teaching job. Unless there is something hinky about your documents it shouldn't have taken this long.

For future reference:

If you are not in Korea, I seem to recall, you don't need to send your official diploma as long as you have the Korean Consulate in your home country validate a copy of the diploma. This validated copy then can be sent along to immigration. I would advise bringing your diploma with you to Korea as every time you change jobs immigration wants to see the real thing or a recently validated copy.

Should you not get your diploma back you can always shell out more money and have your university send you another. Good luck.

[FUBAR]

The same sort of thing happened to me when I first came. Not really problems with the visa. But it seemd like forever getting a response from the school about my visa issuance.

In the end, I just called her and spoke to the director. Everything was straightened out pretty quickly. I suggest you do the same. Sometimes, they just won't reply b/c they dont have any news to tell you. It only costs $1 or two for the call. Make the call take a huge weight off you.

But, I dont think you can just applly for another job. Once the visa issuance has been processed, you cannot apply for another job until the issuance expires, which is after 90 days.

Edit: I should mention that once I arrived at the school, there were no problems whatsoever.

[Derrek]

You need to call immigration yourself and see where your documents are. It may very well be that your school hasn't done a darn thing.

I worked at a school for 2 days without a Visa and got busted on my 2nd day! I was supposed to go to Japan the following week, but the school hadn't turned in a darn thing to immigration. They lied about the whole thing. Immigration raided my school. I got fined 500,000 won. I had to leave Korea on my own dime (but could return).

If they are this late, I'd assume they are full of @*#($.

[gjk08]

Well, here's an update. Sent another email and was basically told my visa was still in the process of getting approved and that i would have to wait until January to start. And neither was guarenteed. so, i called the school. I was toldbecause I had to resend my transcripts, the visa process had to bascially be started over. And thye did not have a demand for new instructors until the new year. So, now i have to keep waiting. I was told chances were pretty high that my visa would be issued by the end of November. What I didn't ask was if my visa valid from the date of issuance from the Korean Immigration or from the date I get it stamped by the Korean Consulate? I still feel very wary, but my family says this is how things work in Korea and i should wait. any thoughts?

[Juggertha]

Honestly man, sounds abit fishy. maybe cuz its late in the year or something.. but all i've ever had to do was hand in my degree... and 3 weeks later.. insta visa. lmao.

[Canuckophile]

Sorry - you may have mentioned this but if so, I missed it. If you are teaching at the school without a visa, STOP - today! It's simply illegal and will get you deported with a fine (and a fine for the school)

I heard of a case in which a teacher did not have all the docs together (also waiting for school transcripts, I think) - took 2 months to schlep off to visa office with the docs.

The visa people sent a staffer to the teacher's school WITH A PHOTO OF THE TEACHER and asked the little kiddies, "do you know this man?" When they said, "yes, that's TeacherTom (or whatever", you know the rest of the story - a 5 MILLION won fine and deportation - school got 10 mil won fine.

My guess is you should bail from Korea -slow ferry to China is fine - and either get a job with another school for a fresh visa appln (being careful to get it completed before you set foot in a classroom) OR go to another country to teach.

I have heard of other cases, BTW - the above was just the closest to yours.

G'luck.

[J.B. Clamence]

[J.B. Clamence]

duplicate (sorry)

[J.B. Clamence]

[gjk08]

I am still in the states!!!