Korean Job Discussion Forums

[cherrymandy84]

You can get your first E-2 visa in Fukuoka. I did. Simple as can be. I'd only had a Tourist Visa before.

[SeoulESLteacher09]

I'm going to Fukuoka very soon. Possibly this week. If anyone else is there I'd love some company!

send me an email or reply to this thread.

[Janny]

A definitive guide to a Visa run to Fukuoka....

What you need to bring:
--passport
--one passport photo (if you forget, there is a photo booth in the Embassy, cost 500yen, fast and easy. There is also a photo booth in Tojinmachi station. Also one inside the Hawk's Town mall, across the street from the Embassy, but it opens at 11)
--6000 yen fee, bring cash, Im not sure about credit cards etc
--E2 Visa application, obtained from the Korea Immigration (this is what requires the diploma, photo, transcripts, criminal record check, and employment contract). Easy to fill out yourself.
--another piece of paper from immigration, all in Korean, with a digit that looks like this: SUB009002245 and all sorts of Korean text (about one paragraph) that I can't read. Some sort of access / confirmation number

Change your won into yen IN KOREA. For two nights stay, I had 400,000 won. I wished I had more, but it was adequate. Take more. The clothes are way cooler in Japan and there's a big mall just across the street from the Embassy: "Hawk's Town". Plus one movie ticket costs like 20 bucks (at the Mall). And then two doors down is the Hard Rock Cafe with the BEST caesar salad I've ever had and a killer drink menu. BRING as much money as you can people!!!

When you get off the airplane, you need to take a shuttle bus (free) to the Domestic terminal. This is where the subway station is. It's a 10 minute ride. The buses arrive in 10-15 min intervals.

When you get to the Domestic terminal, buy a subway ticket for 290 yen. You will be taking the train to Tojinmachi station. You don't have to worry about which direction you're going. The train departs in one direction and you will not transfer. The announcements are in English. Get a map at the Domestic terminal counter to be safe. The ride to Tojinmachi takes about 15-20 minutes. (It's sooo nice to NOT be stared at as you ride *personal observation*)

Also note- your Korean phone will not work in Japan, and there are very few public phones. I didn't use my phone in the hotel room for fear of cost. There was wireless internet access in the room but it was complicated, costly and instructions were confusing. Most of the English I saw everywhere was not clear.

Get off at Tojinmachi station. Leave from Exit 2. As soon as you get onto the street, go straight. In about one minute you will see the hotel on your left. It's called Heiwadai Hotel Five. I didn't see any other hotels in the vicinity, between the station and the Embassy so it might be your best bet if you're on a time crunch like I was.

You can look it up on Google Earth or Google maps. Easy to find. You don't need a reservation. You don't need a credit card. One night, single room cost 6000 yen (about $65US). Good deal. The room is small but private, with wake-up call / fridge / toothbrush and a cute little pajama shirt. DO NOT get the 1000 yen TV movie card, unless you want to watch bad porn. There is NO English programming at all. Bring a book or two.

It's about a 10 minute walk to the Embassy. Again, use Google Earth to figure it out. Leave the hotel front entrance and turn left. Go straight about 2 minutes walk to the big intersection. There's a gas station, turn right and cross the street. Walk about 10 minutes. You'll pass mostly houses / apartments. Cross the street when you get to the big intersection. There's another gas station and a 7-11. You will see the Embassy, it stands out as Korean. Look for the Korean flag and traditional Korean architecture. Concrete gate surrounding and a guard standing at the entrance. Across the street is the Hawks Town mall. Beyond this is the Yahoo Dome, also easy to see. Good landmarks.

The Embassy opens at 9 weekdays. The guy at the front entrance didn't let me sit on the gate to wait (jerk). I had to stand. lol You fill out a little form telling your business and he lets you through. I also had an embarrassing moment with the guard. I assumed he was Korean and said "annyaseyo", which was met with a bemused glance and reply in Japanese. Cool. I then said "sorry, thought you were Korean" and he just looked away, annoyed. Cool again.

There was no line-up, I was the only one there at 9 am. I handed in my documents and she told me to come back at 10 am the next day. PANIC, because my flight was at 10:30. (My school admin made me a stellar itinerary, assuring me that "others have done it". Yes...pick up documents at 9 and make my flight at 10:30....SMAAAARRRT) So I told her this and she said, OK come back tomorrow at 9. She will give you a receipt with your name / country on it. You need that to get your passport back the next day. It's also your ONLY form of ID until then, so don't lose it!

You probably have the whole day to kill in Fukuoka. I shopped at the Mall, caught Valkerie at the cinema, and walked to Nishi Park, about 20 min walk from the Embassy. Awesome Monday, to say the least.

The next morning, check out at the hotel was nothing more than handing over my key. I was at the Embassy at 9 again, and she had my passport all ready to go. Outta there in 5 minutes. Again, no line up or waiting. Thank god it was a different guard, no awkwardness there.

Hightail it to the airport, in manner opposite as described above. In my case, I had the stupidity of a 10:30 flight. As I predicted, there was a veeerry long security line-up. I was late-ish arriving, so was at the back of the line. I would have missed my flight if they hadn't walked me to the front of the line ahead of everyone else. (I had to initiate that, waving my boarding pass at several JAL attendents walking around the line-up area.) People, don't underestimate the possibility of line-ups.

And there it is. You have 90 days to get your health check and go to the nearest gu-office (not sure about this...gu (district) office or Immigration...?) to get your Alien Registration Card. Also...Canadians, don't forget you should get a Multiple Re-entry Permit the next time you go to the airport. Give yourself an extra 45 minutes to do that before you go through security, on your next flight outta Korea. You can get it all done at the special little (crowded and annoying) Immigration office in the airport, no extra documents required, although it costs about 70 bucks or something. You can also get this done at the big Seoul Immigration office in Mokdong. You need this Permit to leave and come back from Korea on holidays during your year's contract.

Hope I didn't leave anything out. Give me a PM if you have any questions. And try not to think TOO much about how much cooler Japan is...remember the money!) **cheers!

[SeoulESLteacher09]

[Janny]

Yes, this is the procedure for a brand-new Visa. You will need that criminal record check from your home country before you can get that Visa application paper from Immigration.

I had to go back to Canada for a week to get my crim. check. Luckily it took 15 min at the RCMP office. All you need is passport and 50 bucks. Don't forget to specify the VSS portion of the check. (Vulnerable Sector Search)

Im not sure about getting a crim. rec. check while here in Korea. I tried sending in my fingerprints and all that to the RCMP, but they denied it, sent the entire application / request back to me in Seoul. So I took a little holiday back to Van.

btw...if you are applying for a new E2 Visa, your old ARC card is probably defunct. New Visa, new ARC...I'm not 100% sure about this though.

Who the hell REALLY knows the facts about immigration in this country anyway???

About your expired passport...not sure about that either, but good luck.

[SeoulESLteacher09]

I'll be arriving in Fukuoka on Wednesday April 8th.....

If anyone will be there I'd love some company.

[ppcg4]

Here's my guide to the Fukuoka Korean Consulate for anyone who's interested:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/13912184/Korean-Consulate-Directions

Also check my blog http://mikeinkorea.wordpress.com if you're interested in my experiences there. I want to go back.

[dimnd]

You don't go through all that if you have had an e-2 visa before. Just passport, photo, visa app with your confirm number on it and the yen that you give in cash to the window.

[dimnd]

They were great in the consulate office there. Was never treated better than in Fukuoka. Must go, if you need a visa, to Fukuoka

[i_teach_esl]

just putting in my vote for khaso-whatever its called Hostel, i stayed there whilst in fukuoka and it was the nicest cleanest hostel i've ever been in. and SO affordable. thank you davesters for posting the info. very cool.

[crossmr]

[mishko]

You can now "whale away" those 3 hours to Fukuoka. The ferry slows down to avoid whales en route, and they even have a notice in the terminal warning of these possible diversions.

When I went the other day we veered to port to avoid denizens of the deep while passing Daemado. I had camera at the ready to capture flailing flukes, but unfortunately all I got was a lot of dirty seaweed. Took some detailed shots of it just in case.

I asked the stewardess if she'd ever seen a whale (or "big fish" as I put it) and she replied "Very dangerous!" Make of that what you will.

But potential Captain Ahabs be warned - you are not allowed on deck, so all your shooting must be with a good lens down below.

I was a little disappointed that none of my fellow-passengers seemed to share my excitement at the prospect of seeing what many pay an arm and a leg to see off the North Atlantic seaboard.

Maybe they have to be literally tossed out of the water by one of these lurking leviathans before they respond with due enthusiasm.

[muffintop]

One thing though...cheaper to buy an all day subway pass than spend 290 for a one=way subway ticket when you get off the shuttle bus at the airport.

[Proustian]

Super best price on Fukuoka run at the moment is through Hongik travel Agency. Seoul Station, 02 717 1002. Englishee speakee ok, ok!
216,000 Won for an all inclusive travel ticket: return travel on the beetle, return ktx tickets from Seoul and travel on the subway in Japan.
Accomodation not included. But, as mentioned here the cheapest accomodation seems to be Khasosan Hostel at 46,000 a night (single) or the Welbe capsule Hotel at 51,000.

The only rub is that the beetle schedule means you spend 4 days in Japan .
Example: I arrive Monday arvo, lodge papers on Tuesday, pickup Visa on Wednesday and travel back early on Thursday - 3 nights in Fukuoka, which suits me but may be a drag for others.

[crossmr]

The hostel is cheaper isn't it? 2500 yen a night whatever that works out to in W. Less than 46000 I'm sure.