Korean Job Discussion Forums

[winterwawa]

The guide book is not on the G4 website. The link to the guidebook for Guidebook for Foreign spouses of Korean nationals is at

http://www.immigration.go.kr/HP/COM/bbs_03/ShowData.do

[Young FRANKenstein]

[ttompatz]

I was specifically told that it is 5 years with NO CHANGE in your visa status (no visa run).

IF you make a visa run the residency clock starts again.

IF you change employers without making a visa run (add employer, change sponsor from 1st to 2nd employer = visa transfer) then the clock continues.
(this was my case).

Then they have you by the balls on the "positive contribution to society" requirement. A convenient catch all to deny you anyway (unless you are a famous Dutch soccer coach or US football MPV.)

.

[Young FRANKenstein]

[winterwawa]

I have been here since June 1998. but if the information in this thread is true, I can't qualify for an F5 because I changed jobs last year. What a bunch of crap.

[Young FRANKenstein]

[kprrok]

I'm going to apply next week here in Jeju. Hopefully it won't be too painful. I've read that having a baby helps speed things along since it's obvious you're not faking the marriage. Hopefully that's true!

Wish me luck, and I'll let everyone know how it goes!

[komtengi]

I got mine today...
took 3 months..
during the interview I had to complete a written Q&A in Korean, not that difficult for myself but if others have to go through this it could be an uphill battle...
the missus had a 30 minute interview, and me about 10
money in the back is a non issue as I had stuff all in the account I took along

[tob55]

Went to a local SK shop with a friend who was looking for a cellphone for he and his wife. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the F5 visa holders can have a contract phone without the need of a co-signer, i.e. spouse or other Korean. All was well until the shop owner started doing the hmmm, uh, oh, "I'm sorry" business. It appears that all is well with immigration, and as an F5 holder I am entitled to the same contract privileges as Korean buyers, BUT SK has no system in place to work with foreigners. they "claim" that even though everything is cool with immigration they have no record of me in their system, which is a lie. (BTW even E2 visa holders can get a contract phone with a deposit)

They told my wife "sorry," and I said this time "I'm sorry" isn't going to cut it. For the 3 years I have been married I have consistently attempted to get some accounts that as an F2 - F5 visa holder I should be entitled to get, but in every case all I got was "I'm sorry" we can't do that. I could understand if it was once or twice during the three years, but it has been more than dozen times in the three years, and each time all they could come up with was some flimsy "I'm sorry" excuse. It is nothing less than discrimination in several forms. Therefore, I have begun the process of a law suit against SK and am contemplating adding a number of the businesses which have refused service to me as a legal, permanent resident of the country. Enough is enough, and it is time someone did something to try and stop this idiocy.

If you have experienced any difficulties as an F2 - F5 visa holder specifically, including any job related concerns that fall within the category of discrimination even though you are given additional rights as an individual with greater ties to Korea, feel free to mention it to me either in this post of in a PM. I truly love living here and enjoy my life, but the blatant discrimination is going to stop as far as I am concerned. People will either change the system to accommodate some common requests that are not asking more than what is expected, or they will have to answer for it to someone will ask the questions other than me in court.

BTW, I will have no problem with the legal assistance side of things, as an attorney has already agreed to take on the case, and is reasonably sure that at the very least we will gain the attention that has long been needed to bring the discriminatory practices of Korean businesses, commonly dealing with expats, to light. Some may feel this is overboard, but to help make my life better here for my family I have no other choice but to take this action.

[losing_touch]

[saw6436]

I changed jobs without a visa run (never had to do a visa run before). Changing jobs had NO effect on the time frame for getting my F-5.

[tob55]

losing_touch, the $1000 figure was calculated simply by looking at the fee schedule and the document processing fees that are required to get it all done here in South Korea. Got the figures directly from the US Embassy website. Thanks for asking though.

[ttompatz]

[Cheonmunka]

[kprrok]