Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Hank the Iconoclast]

Well, I am getting married soon (this August) and I already know the F2 visa process through the valuable stickies here. However, I need to know the lowdown when it comes to apartments after I get my F2. So does the school provide a place for my wife and I? Or in this case would they provide an allowance and I would have to look for one myself?

I remember seeing that you had to prove your wife was living with you to get the F2. How do you do that when the school is paying for your apartment? I'm at a bit of a loss. Thanks for the help.

[NightSky]

[Ruraljuror]

Congratulations on your impending nuptials!

One thing to keep in mind, is that a marriage license to a Korean does NOT guarantee an F-2 Visa. They are seperate things. They don't just issue you an F-2 Visa when you register your marriage with City Hall. Getting an F-2 Visa can be rather tricky and unpleasant. If your mind has made the leap that marriage = F-2, then you are you are in for a shock.

It is quite possible to married for months (years?) and not be able to get an F-2. As you say, you need to provide proof your wife is living with you. And you are quite correct that showing that you stay rent free in someone else's apartment isn't going to impress Immigration. So you need to get a lease with your name or your wife's name on it. Goodbye free housing, hello housing allowance!

At least this was the case for me. As anyone will tell you, the requirements for acheiving an F-2 are a bit random, but when I went to get my F-2 (November of last year, less than 6 months ago) they needed to see that I had my own housing independent of my job. In fact, they pretty much insisted. Which makes sense...why would a country give partial resident status to someone who is essentially homeless? I mean, the free housing is a nice perk, but living in a house that can be yanked away from you at your bosses whim doesn't exactly show Immigration that you are a serious head of a household does it? It's time to stop thinking like an expat and start to put down roots. That's what the F-2 is for. It's not a "Private teaching license". Not even close. And trust me, you are going to be a husband soon -- NO ONE in your fiance's family (and believe me, this includes your wife) is impressed by living for free in hagwon housing. Good luck.

[Hank the Iconoclast]

[NightSky]

[bassexpander]

[eamo]

[Thunndarr]

I can't remember whether we had to prove we had the requisite 30 million, but I do remember my wife worrying about that question at the time. I'm not sure if this rule is still in effect, if it ever was in effect, or what, but I am pretty sure that at least some immigration officials *think* it's a current rule so I would plan accordingly.

[excitinghead]

I had the same experience as eamo. Getting my F2 Visa was the simplest of processes, all done with a couple of trips around Seoul in the space of a morning.


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http://thegrandnarrative.wordpress.com/

[cheeseface]

One more here with no hassles about getting the F2 visa, no questions about anything. This was last November.

[Hank the Iconoclast]

So did you guys have your own place before you went through the process?

[Mr Crowley]

I have to re-new my F2 next month. I got my F2 last year, when we lived in Ansan at the Incheon immigration office. Now, we live in Suwon, and we have to go to the Suwon immigration office to re-new it. Has anyone on here got their F2 and/or re-newed it at the Suwon immigration office ?

[caniff]

Why work at a school with an F-2? It's your ticket to freedom (no boss) and considerably greater earning potential.

(shrug)

[Hank the Iconoclast]

[Hollywoodaction]

The 30 million won thing is not true. All we had to provide was proof that either one of us was gainfully employed...and I'm not sure that's really necessary because I know a couple who were unemployed when the husband got an F-2.