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Visa Runs...Fukuoka
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cruton1



Joined: 29 May 2007
PostPosted: Wed Jan 21, 2009 5:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Rapture wrote:
Quote:
You can no longer do visa runs unless you have previously held an E-2 visa. They did them prior to a bunch of rule changes in July. Hagwons are, unfortunately rarely up to date on these changes as they just take everything on faith and what they have done before. I would not recommend coming to Korea from the US on a traveler's visa since a visa run to Japan will only get you turned down or an offer of short renewal of your traveler's. Also- if they find out you have been working on a traveler's they will not allow you to return to Korea. They are getting much stricter on these rules.


My school are sending both me and my girlfriend to Japan on Visa runs next Thursday. We had our degree certificates verified by the KCUE so we did not have to return home to get our visa's issued. Is anyone up to date on the what the legal situation is with visa runs at the moment as this previous comment has worried me slightly... It would be good if any UK citizens who have recently done a visa run could help me out as I belive it is sometimes different rules for UK and US Nationals?

Also if anyone who has been recently could recommend any good and cheap places to stay/eat in Fukouka that would be great, the won is pretty shit against the yen at the moment and I don't want to be eating a hole in my wallet

Thanks Very Happy


I just got back from my visa run yesterday. I ended up flying there for 380,000 on Japan Air booked through Top Travel in Chongno. I stayed at a hostel called Khaosan Fukuoka. It's by far the cheapest place around and it was very clean. They have free internet, a kitchen and a TV on the third floor where you can hang out and meet other people. http://www.khaosan-fukuoka.com/005rate/ There were quite a few other people staying there who were doing the visa run as well. It's within walking distance of the Hakata subway station (two stops from the airport and 6 from the Korean consulate.
I bought the all day subway pass for 600 yen and was able to move around very easily. The signs are in English and if you ask people on the street for help they are very kind. One guy walked us all the way to the museum we were looking for.
For cheap eating a girl and I went to the canal district (it's on the tourist map you pick up at the airport). They have tons of little restaurant/food stands that are cheap and fun. Then the next day we went to Tejin station and walked around until we found a great ramen restaurant where you pick what you want from a machine, pay your money and then give your ticket to the waiter. That was 680 yen.
With the cost of the visa 5400 Yen, one night in the hostel 2000 Yen, two days of unlimited subway 1200 Y, and food, I spent 230,000 won!!! It's very expensive and on top of that the conversion rate is horrible. So be careful.
You can eat even cheaper if you get packaged meals at convenience stores.
For more info on the consulate rules, I would just call them up and ask. I called Fukuoka and they were very knowledgeable and helpful (even more so than Osaka and other places). (092) 771-0461
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SeoulMan6



Joined: 27 Jul 2005
Location: Gangwon-do
PostPosted: Tue Jan 27, 2009 2:59 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
I've been to Fukuoka about 5 times so here's my two cents:


Khaosan hostel is the cheapest place in town for a single traveler. It's not very close to the consulate, but near the subway.

Rakuten is the best website to book your own hotel. It was cheaper than what I got through a Korean travel agent, though I didn't get the free breakfast. Here's the website:

http://travel.rakuten.co.jp/en/

Both Hakata Station area and Tenjin area have hotels. Tenjin is a little closer to the consulate and good for eating, drinking, and shopping.

Hotels REALLY close to the consulate:
Heiwadai: (affordable) 5 hotels under one name. The closest to the consulate are FIVE and ARATO.
http://www.heiwadai-hotel.co.jp/en.html

JAL Resort (very close, semi-expensive):
http://www.hawkstown.com/hotel/english/index.html

Hyatt Residential Suites (semi-expensive):
http://hyatt-rsf.co.jp/contents/english/index.html



SLOW FERRY: http://www.koreaferry.co.kr/
If you have more time than money, take the overnight slow ferry. I did and enjoyed it more than the fast one. The ticket is cheaper and you pay far less in surcharges. The downside is that you have to check-in and go through immigration by about 7pm even though the ferry doesn't leave until 10:30pm. You arrive in Japan about 6am but cannot disembark until about 7am, probably because of immigration again.

But the ferry is rather large, comes with an assigned room with a sleeping mat (pay more for a cabin), coin lockers (in yen), free bath, restaurant, vending machines (yen again), smoking area, etc. And you can go outside if the weather is ok.

Even with the long travel time, I took a good book and relaxed. In the morning, I cleared immigration, grabbed a coffee, leisurely made my way to the consulate and was the first one in as the doors opened at 9am. Then I had all day to sightsee in Fukuoka. The next day I was back there at 10am, got my passport, and headed straight to the terminal for the ferry back. It arrived right on time in Busan at 6pm.
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watergirl



Joined: 01 Jul 2008
Location: Ansan, south korea
PostPosted: Tue Feb 24, 2009 2:35 am    Post subject: Embassy from Hakata station? also no exit order. Reply with quote
Hi
Doing the japan run. I lost my acr card and don't have an exit order.
But I do have a multiple entry/exit in my visa. Will that be oK?


Also, anyone know where the embassy is from Hakata station?
Thanks,
By the way should be fun. seems like loads of people going.
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Draz



Joined: 27 Jun 2007
Location: Land of Morning Clam
PostPosted: Wed Feb 25, 2009 9:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Whirlwind wrote:
By the way, there is a capsule hotel close to the Popeyes which is next to Canal city. The name of the capsule is Wellbe and is about $40 a night. Myself, I just did the pc rooms and it worked out quite well.


Wellbe is for non-tattooed men only if anyone not fitting into that category was thinking about trying it out. Confused

The PC rooms allow women though!
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kiknkorea



Joined: 16 May 2008
PostPosted: Thu Feb 26, 2009 12:23 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Where exactly is the Korean consulate? I think it's in the vicinity of the Fukuoka Dome but what's the best way to find it? Anyone have directions?
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cangel



Joined: 19 Jun 2003
Location: Jeonju, S. Korea
PostPosted: Thu Feb 26, 2009 5:08 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
It's on the main road, Yokatopia Dori, just after passing Hawk's Town, the next corner.
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kiknkorea



Joined: 16 May 2008
PostPosted: Thu Feb 26, 2009 8:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Thanks!
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roadballmint



Joined: 09 Jan 2009
Location: Seoul, Korea
PostPosted: Mon Mar 02, 2009 7:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Has anyone gone very recently (within the last 2~4 weeks)? What exactly is the deal with getting a new E-2 visa in Fukuoka? I do not have a current E-2 and I'm kind of freaked out by some of the posts. If anyone has successfully obtained a new E-2 visa from the consulate in Fukuoka within the past few weeks, I would greatly appreciate a confirmation post or PM. Likewise, if anyone has tried and failed I would like to know that as well.

Thanks! PS- I'm a US citizen, if that makes a difference. I know sometimes rules get applied to certain nationalities and not others.
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mnhnhyouh



Joined: 21 Nov 2006
Location: The Middle Kingdom
PostPosted: Mon Mar 02, 2009 9:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
roadballmint wrote:
Has anyone gone very recently (within the last 2~4 weeks)? What exactly is the deal with getting a new E-2 visa in Fukuoka? I do not have a current E-2 and I'm kind of freaked out by some of the posts. If anyone has successfully obtained a new E-2 visa from the consulate in Fukuoka within the past few weeks, I would greatly appreciate a confirmation post or PM. Likewise, if anyone has tried and failed I would like to know that as well.

Thanks! PS- I'm a US citizen, if that makes a difference. I know sometimes rules get applied to certain nationalities and not others.


Have you had an E-2 before?

h
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roadballmint



Joined: 09 Jan 2009
Location: Seoul, Korea
PostPosted: Tue Mar 03, 2009 7:12 am    Post subject: