Korean Job Discussion Forums

[joshuahirtle27]

In order to fulfill my contract I will have to extend my stay by about 24 days. This means I have to change the date on my ARC card and I will probably have to have my VISA extended too. The final entry date on my VISA is April something but it was stamped in Incheon on the 4th of March '08.

My question is; what kind of hoops do I have to jump through in order to stay here legally for those 3 weeks (that I'm super psyched about)?

[Chet Wautlands]

Others will be able to help you more, but it's not a huge hassle. You'll have to go to your closest immigration office and make the change. I think you can extend for 30 days.

[Chet Wautlands]

Here's a link:


http://www.hikorea.go.kr/pt/CvlapplInfoDetailR_en.pt?cvlapplCd=12700000095&locale=en&cvlapplGbSeq=

[farrepatt]

I think that link is just for extending the arc card. I don't think it applies to your visa.

[sobriquet]

[Chet Wautlands]

I've never had to extend my visa, but I've heard it's a much more complicated process and that it isn't worth a month's stay.

[joshuahirtle27]

[Chris_Dixon]

you'll get fined if you don't extend, its free to extend for 30 days anyway...your not wanting to extend your visa, a visa just gets you into the country....your wanting to extend your arc, the expiry date on the arc is the day you have to leave the country....so get the free 30 day extension, hassle free, you don't even need to go in person, i sent one of the school helpers (handymen) to do mine as he was bored and speaks better korean that me....

[mmstyle]

I have gotten a tourist extension easily, for 30 days (the full extension was added automatically). Brought my ARC card to immi and they wrote the extension on the back. No charge. However, it was made clear that I was not allowed to work during the extension. I had no intention of doing so, as I only needed the extension for 2 days, when my flight was scheduled. This was summer 2008.

However, my school had made a mistake when I renewed and my ARC expiry date fell short of my contract. The school did not want to pay to extend my visa for the extra time (days) and so I did not work that time. I was not willing to work illegally. That said, the relationship with my school had deteriorated and I was actually worried that someone there would report me just to be vindictive. Different story.

I did get the impression that a legal working extension would be possible for a charge, but have no experience to base this on, just what my a member of my school told me.

[joshuahirtle27]

Well I want to be working legally if I get an extension. There's no point in having my ARC extended if I can't work.

[esetters21]

I believe that in order to get a legal working extension your school has to provide immi with a new contract for that time period at a cost of 30,000w. I did this last year to stay at my old school for 2 months beyond my original sojourn end date on my arc.

This is only based on my experience. I don't know the exact rules. I do know that it is illegal, as you and others mentioned, to continue to work on the 30 day tourist extension.

[joshuahirtle27]

Well I'll tell them they can pay for my extension or they can send me home early cause I'm not working here illigally for any amount of money.

[OculisOrbis]

To stay and continue working, you need a new contract with the new end date (one page addendum to the original contract is usually sufficient), fill out the form and pay 30 000 won.

To stay and not work, you need an outgoing plane ticket to show immi and they will extend, for free, to the date of your outgoing flight (to a maximum of 30 days past the exit date on your ARC). You cannot continue working during this period.

[joshuahirtle27]

[OculisOrbis]

yes

and you might consider just paying the 30 000 won if your boss won't, otherwise he could claim you didnt finish your contract and try to withhold your severance and airfare. its not worth the aggravation over that small amount.