Korean Job Discussion Forums

[gojulie]

I have a friend who found our that her school never actually go her an E-2 when she flew here, only the initial visitor visa to fly her over from the USA.

I'll spare you the details of how crappy the school actually was, but the short story is that the school went out of business leaving her in Korea without valid visa, which she finds out that, not only has she been illegal for 8 months, but working illegally too.

Anyways, she is not sure what to do. Any ideas/advice would be awesome. She wants to stay, and find another job but wants to make sure she is legal first.

Shoudl she go to Japan to try to sort it out at the KOrean Embassy there? ASAP advice would be awesome.

Thanks!

[schwa]

8 months overstay plus working illegally? Your friend is going to face serious consequences.

No way she'll just waltz through immigration & onto a plane. She can expect to be apprehended by immi officials at the airport & subjected to major fines. Once all thats sorted I'd say theres about zero chance she could ever set foot in Korea again.

Others might be better able to offer suggestions regarding her next step. I really dont know. Maybe approaching an immigration office in the company of a lawyer?

[i]

Hindsight is 20/20, but doesn't she have a computer to know about an ARC card, taxes, insurance, etc? How can someone work illegally for 8 months without knowing something is wrong? I agree with the last poster. She needs a lawyer. Unless she can slip out of here undetected. Find a half-asleep immi worker and come back. She might want to become friends with some captains of some fishing vessels.
I feel bad for her, but she's in quite a hole.
Maybe visit her embassy.