Korean Job Discussion Forums

[egrog1717]

Anyone in Ontario looking to get their E2 visa... Be forewarned and take heed... Stay as far away from the Toronto Consulate as possible...

I submitted my visa application more than a week and a half ago... I was told that while all of my documents were in order, I would have to have an interview as this is my first E2 visa... From everything I've been told, Toronto is the only Consulate currently asking you to have this interview... I said fine, okay, but can it please be soon as I need to fly out on Saturday (this was Monday)... I was told so sorry, you will have to rebook as the earliest interview date is next Friday (today, the 29th)... Despite repeated attempts to talk, argue, beg and plead with the lady at the visa kiosk she would not listen... My requests to speak to someone other than her were also denied on two seperate occations...

I was ticked, but what ever... I talked to some people on line in the same boat, and at least two people told me that they were able to have their visas stamped the same day as their interview... My interview was today, and so sorry we cannot stamp your work visa for 2-3 working days... We have no idea where you're coming up with crazy stories about people getting it the same day as we cannot do that... The interview itself was a waste of time... 25 of us each asked the same one or two questions... Less than 3 minutes long... How they expect to weed out poor teachers by asking us why we want to come to Korea is beyond me...

Now I'm stuck again, waiting for a simple piece of paper... The same one I'll have been waiting for for over two weeks by the time I'm finally on my way... So if you can manage it, take the drive to Montreal... No interview, and from what I've heard they can stamp your passport within a day or two. no problem...

*deep breath* *end rant*

[cdninkorea]

Consider it an initiation into the culture.

[egrog1717]

"Korea - Sparkling!"...

[Mr. Pink]

[KoreanAmbition]

I dealt with the Toronto Consulate and did not have any problems whatsoever; neither did all the other dozen people interviewing the day I went there. Every single person understood we would get it back over a week later.

One person got his visa the day of the interview, and that was because he sent in all his documents over 1 week beforehand and had already explained his situation. He was coming from a city quite a distance away and he didn't want to make 2 trips. However, as I said, he contacted them well ahead of time to arrange all this.

Instead of complaining about how they didn't issue you a visa within 1 week, maybe ask yourself why it took you so long to deal with this issue. If I read your post properly, you were planning to leave on Saturday and only went to them on Monday. Wouldn't you say you are acting rather late? It might be your recruiter or new employer who is at fault here, and not the Toronto Consulate. Or, not trying to be mean here, but it might even be possible that the mistake was by you in not doing all this sooner.

As for the issue of needing an interview, it's just a formality. Why does everyone make a big deal and comment that it won't weed out the bad seed? The interview is just a way for them to see you in person and make sure everything appears to be in order with your documents.

I can tell you that when I got my French Visa in Toronto last year it was anything but friendly. You would be praising the Korean Consulate if you saw how some other consulates act. The French Consulate operated like an assembly line, and you had to have an appointment registered online beforehand, and it could take weeks at times. They were cold in person and very intolerant. I found none of those things at the Korean Consulate.



I think it's going to be hard to blame the Toronto Consulate since all of their rules and regulations are clearly posted online and they don't change any of them.

[ckub]

Yeah, I was in the same boat at the Korean Consulate three months ago. Now that you had your interview, they probably told you to check online for the status of your visa. In my case, it never showed up online, and when I called them on Wednesday (my interview was the previous Friday), they said it was ready and I could pick it up. So make sure to call, twice a day, asking if it's ready. And I know for a fact that they can do it the same day, as they did it for a girl the day of the interview as she was supposed to fly on Sunday.

Good luck!

[justaguy]

Government offices all over the world do not respond to consumer demand. The OP was demanding customer service. They don't do that.

[johnny_larue]

I went through the consulate in Vancouver and they were helpful and fairly quick. They took told me it would tax six business days instead of five, but I couldn't pick it up within five business days anyway. They told me what was needed and I gave it to them.

The girl at the desk even wished me a happy birthday because she noticed the birth date on my application form.

[Draz]

So the OP lives close enough to the consulate that he can easily travel there, but he's still whining about having to do an interview? Was it a surprise or something somehow?

[egrog1717]

[egrog1717]

[KoreanAmbition]

When I went at the start of June, I did my official visa application in the morning on whatever day, and submitted it just before noon, which is the closing time.

When they handed me back my "receipt" it said that my interview was "that same afternoon" at 2pm.

To be honest I didn't know that would be the case and I was expecting to go back to Niagara Falls.

Anyways, I'm guessing that back at that time there wasn't the massive influx of visa applications as there is for the September start. Hence, you get put into a backlog.


OP,

I have to say one thing though. You're dealing with the government. I can give you one piece of advice that will help keep you "happier" through the rest of your years. Don't expect them to change their policies for you. Even if it's simple and makes total sense, it will rarely happen. I've dealt with several governments through the years, and it's the same for them all. If you think it's just South Korea, then you're going to be in for a surprise at all your subsequent government interactions.

Best of luck getting to Korea. Hopefully all goes well from here on in.

[genezorm]

i wonder if this is a response by the Korean consulate in Toronto to the uselessness of the staff at the Canadian embassy in Seoul

i did a few trips to the Korean Consulate in Toronto, and only had a bit of a problem once, the woman at the counter was fairly helpful, but some of the other staff was not.....but every time i have been to the Canadian consulate in Seoul.....the staff have been unhelpful, arrogant and rude.....

[skconqueror]

[denverdeath]

OP, they likely would've sent you to the Toronto consulate anyway if you had've tried to process things in Montreal. From what I know, it depends on where you live(unless they've changed those rules, too).

Anyway, hopefully it all works out for you.