Korean Job Discussion Forums

rayjoy · Joined: 19 Jan 2008 Location: Dynamic Busan

Due to applying for an ARC, immigration is holding my passport hostage over Choseuk. Can I travel within Korea, like by train? I could offer a driver's license for ID. I hate that I have 5 days off in a row and might be stuck home.

cazzy3 · Joined: 07 May 2008 Location: kangwon-do

shouldn't be a problem traveling...but the bigger question is why you gave up your passport??? usually getting an arc card (at least for me) only took 20 minutes to do.

even if you had to wait for an hour or two, i think that would be better than leaving your passport w/ someone for a week especially if you needed it for some emergency situation.

what if you had to go home for an emergency??

i'd try and go back to immigration to get your passport and arc card on the spot.

seoulsucker · Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2008 6:13 pm Post subject:

Korean DL?

I flew to Jeju with nothing but a Korean license last month. You shouldn't have any problems whatsoever.

IncognitoHFX · Joined: 06 May 2007 Location: Yeongtong, Suwon

ttompatz · Joined: 05 Sep 2005 Location: Kwangju, South Korea

The receipt that you got from immigration is valid until you get your ARC and passport returned from them.

You usually do NOT need ID for domestic travel in Korea. Any foreign ID will usually suffice if you are asked (but in the last 7 years I have never been asked).

To the user who suggested that he got an ARC in 20 minutes...
You must have been thinking about an extension or something or perhaps you were out at some very rural office somewhere.

Most offices (ALL that I am aware of) require 4-7 WORKING days to process an ARC. They DO hold your passport during the registration process.

.

jvalmer · Joined: 06 Jun 2003

cazzy3 · Joined: 07 May 2008 Location: kangwon-do

my bad for the city folks!!

in donghae, getting your arc card (original or extension) can be done in a matter of minutes. sorry to hear you guys have to wait 4-7 days!!

IncognitoHFX · Joined: 06 May 2007 Location: Yeongtong, Suwon

Binch Lover · Joined: 25 Jul 2005

rayjoy · Joined: 19 Jan 2008 Location: Dynamic Busan

Actually, I don't know if it's just the influx of teachers + the holidays but it was turned in on the 3rd and told I'd get it back on the 23rd.

Bummer. I would've loved to go to Japan. I will probably attempt some in-country travel though.

jvalmer · Joined: 06 Jun 2003

IncognitoHFX · Joined: 06 May 2007 Location: Yeongtong, Suwon

Ut videam · Joined: 07 Dec 2007 Location: Pocheon-si, Gyeonggi-do

If you go anywhere by ferry (domestic ferry), you're supposed to have ID. Supposedly it's a police regulation.

marckot · Joined: 16 Jan 2007 Location: Mokpo

Yeah getting asked for an ARC when taking the KTX is strange. The guy might have been a newbie like you said. Do not worry about travelling around Korea without and ID. I have never been asked for an ID in 5 years while travelling around. If you do take a ferry to an island you need to fill out your ticket with your name, address, passport or ARC number. This is just to have a record of all the passengers incase the boat goes down.

OiGirl · Joined: 23 Jan 2003 Location: Hoke-y-gun

I have never been asked for ID on the KTX.

A passport (or sometimes passport number) is officially required on all ferries out of Mokpo, for example, but I have never seen this enforced.

You should be fine. Carry your Immigration receipt. Do you have a Korean DL? Koreans I travel with use that for ID rather than their ID card all the time.