Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Aussiekimchi]

Why the VISA policies for Korean consulates are not standard worldwide I have no idea....however

this may help some people coming to Korea or thinking about it.

How does your country fare with getting E2 teaching visas?

CANADA:
1. Some police stations will not give you a vulnerable sector check...you may even get some grief from the RCMP..keep trying with them.
2. There is no apostille agreement between Canada and Korea so you must get docs and CRC's notarised.
3. You must get your degree and CRC ( including that VULNERABLE SECTOR CHECK ) notarised by a notary and then CONFIRMED by the Korean consulate before it can be sent to Korea.
4. The list of docs to submit AFTER you get your visa number to the consulates seem to be much longer than other countries.
5. Medical exams seem to be easier and cheaper to get in Canada for PUBLIC SCHOOL applicants.
6. Advice from one consulate seems to be different to the next.
7. Websites are usually up to date.

USA:
1. Besides the time factor (thanks to the FBI CRC), the USA seems to be pretty standard.. though the consulates have been less willing to give phone/webcam interviews , some have insisted on face to face for newbies.
2. Usually require only the basic docs AFTER you get your visa number.
i.e. passport, application form and that visa number. Much of the time, the consulates have not asked for copies of everything and an extra set of sealed transcripts.
3. Staff at the consulates love nothing more than to give the wrong or outdated advice..always call twice.

AUSTRALIA:
1. Pretty standard and happy to do phone interviews for newbies rather than face to face.
2. With only 3 embassies/consulates in the entire country and all of these in the South East corner, you would think so.
3. Website, (though confusing) is up to date.
4. Docs list to send to consulate AFTER you have your visa number is the longest.

UK.
1. Consulate will not notarise degrees. The Foreign Office will not apostille them without them being notarised by the Korean consulate. Applicants must send the orginal degrees to Korea with a DEGREE VERIFICATION form to have the degree authenticized ( is that a word?) in Korea.
2. The CRC can be apostilled in the UK.
3. CRC's are called Police Checks and sometimes applicants read that an EMPLOYER must request it on their behalf.
4. Some universities have no idea what you want when you request a set of transcripts.
5. Medical exams are almost impossible to get to Korean demands.
6. Those subject access documents take forever to get!

NZ.
1. Maybe the easiest country to get your E2 visa. About time the KIWIS won something. I have not heard from any KIWI that they were having huge problems..they might be out there..I just have not heard as yet.
2. NZ requires no juggling tricks to get any document and the offices you use seem to be minimal.
3. Ministry of Justice seems to be easy to deal with.

SA.
1. SLOW SLOW SLOW
2. CRC's are a nightmare to get through Pretoria
3. Transcripts regularly come back from universities without seals and numerous sets stuffed into 1 envelope.
4. For such a large area. SA has the fewest consulates.

IRELAND.
1. Similar to the UK however the consulate in Dublin will notarise the degrees so you can get them apostilled at the foreign office.

[Ut videam]

You mentioned the FBI criminal record check, but didn't mention the fact that an FBI check is not required. A state (or even local, depending on who you talk to) check is acceptable.

Also, the FBI check does not bear any signature, just a stamp saying "NO RECORD" and the date (for those with no record, that is). The lack of signature makes it difficult to get this check apostilled.

[passport220]

I do not think the nominal requirements of the new visa changes are not a problem; it is that the implementation was not thought through (like requiring public hospitals or clinics to do drug testing, when they had no such capability).

I also think the basic premise of your post is flawed. There is little to no demand for foreign teachers in Canada, US, UK, etc. There is a great demand for foreign teachers in Korea. If Korea as a country wants to meet its stated English speaking goals, they need to make some accommodation to attract foreign teachers, not frustrate them into seeking another teaching destination.

[Ut videam]

[ceesgetdegrees]

Passport...back to reading comprehension 101 for you. Another good post from aussiekimchi.

[Scouse Mouse]

[Otherside]

Just a few points on the SA post.

While there is only 1 korean consulate in the area, they are willing to notarize degrees etc. However, my previous experience of this was quite humourous. I was in Cape Town, and didn't have my degree with me and the consulate is in Pretoria (1500km) away, so I sent my brother off to get my degree notarized. He arrived at the embassy and asked for them to notarize it, they said it needed to be certified by a commissioner of oaths first (i.e. police station). So my brother went off to the police station, got it certified and came back to the Korean embassy. They needed 3 days to notarize it. Ironically, at no time did ANYONE at the korean embassy ask to see the original.

Im busy doing the process again, and it is exactly the same second time round.

[Manticore]

Otherside, perhaps you can help:

I post this in the hope that someone is really up to date on the latest E-2 visa regulations.

I am a South African citizen wanting to get my E-2 visa to teach in SK. I�m hearing conflicting stories from my agent, the local South Korean consulate, and other sources. My agent insists an apostilled degree is essential among the other normal documents.

Can anyone confirm this?

[Otherside]

Manticore,
According to the information pack from GEPIK (hiring for public schools), an apostilled degree is not necessary. You need to either a) send your original degree, or b) send a copy which has been EITHER apostilled or notarized by the Korean embassy.

For what its worth, no one in Korea has seen my original degree. I sent a notarized copy first time round, and I'm using another notarized copy second time round.