Korean Job Discussion Forums

[samd]

When I started a new job (after school program) last year I got in just before March 15th when the laws changed. Even though I brought my apostilled criminal record check with me when I got my visa transfered, they didn't need it, and therefore didn't record having seen it, as I just found out.

When I signed a new contract with my school in January I asked the company I work for whether I needed a new criminal record check and health check, and if they could find out for me before my visa expired on March 19.

They told me that I didn't need any of it, and sent me to immigration the day before my visa was due to expire. I wasn't too happy about this but there wasn't much I could do without the documents they were dragging their feet assembling, and due to the fact that the woman from the company who was taking care of me was in a car accident and was hospitalised for a couple of weeks.

I wasn't too surprised then when the immigration officer, who was actually pretty nice about it, told me I couldn't extend my visa without a criminal background check and a health check. He said my old background check was no longer valid because it is over 6 months old. He said he understood personally that since I haven't been home the results would be the same, but that the rules are the rules.

They extended my visa for two weeks and told me to come back with all the required documents, which is impossible for me, simply because of the length of the application and Apostille process.

The company assured me that they will give me another extension if my documents haven't arrived yet, but I don't have much faith in them.

I'm assuming that if my documents don't arrive and I don't get another extension that I will have to go to Japan and come back on a tourist visa until I can apply for a new E2.

In that case, I feel that the company should have to pay for my expenses. It seems to me that it is their responsibility to sort out my visa for me, and that they failed and have caused me a lot of stress.

Anyway, what do you think, are they responsible, or should I have done more research and figured the whole thing out myself?

[cruisemonkey]

You should have known you need a new CRC - a simple look at the Immi website would have told you this.

[moosehead]

or you could have done what I did - take responsibility for my visa as it's ultimately me who will pay the price for errors made - I went down to Kimmi a month before my visa was to expire and ask all the qs I had - and btw, I did post here so perhaps you missed it? we discussed the docs - she looked on the computer and was able to see right then what I had on file as they scan the docs and put them on the computer.

it's easy to blame other people when we ourselves should be more pro-active - step up to the plate, my friend, you are living overseas, it's a big deal, you have to be on the ball 110% of the time to make out ok.

chalk it up to a learning process and be more conscientious next time around.

cheers!