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Immigration changed health form, $50 to send new one

 
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pianowill



Joined: 11 May 2009
Location: Bundang

PostPosted: Mon Jul 20, 2009 3:38 pm    Post subject: Immigration changed health form, $50 to send new one Reply with quote

I sent all my Visa documents to Korea a few weeks ago. My recruiter e-mailed me last week with a new health form attached. She said the immigration office has a new health form so the school can't use my first health form. She also requests that I only send it via UPS or FedEX as regular mail is too slow. I haven't checked with FedEX yet, but UPS charged me $50 for my 40+ page stack of papers for my initial Visa document, and they want to charge me $50 for this single piece of paper as well.

Now I know the school has to submit the correct form, but am I being unreasonable in my belief that I shouldn't have to pay $50 to send a single sheet of paper to Korea? I offered to send it by fax or e-mail, but the recruiter says it must be mailed. She won't settle for regular mail because the school wants to get my Visa before they go on vacation.

So should I just bite the bullet and plunk another $50 down because the immigration office won't accept a form they accepted up until a mere week ago?
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pianowill



Joined: 11 May 2009
Location: Bundang

PostPosted: Mon Jul 20, 2009 3:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Here's a comparison of the two forms:

http://i30.tinypic.com/23trw5f.jpg

Some questions are different, but it's generally the same. It really just seems irrational to have to send another form.
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andrewchon



Joined: 16 Nov 2008
Location: Back in Oz. Living in ISIS Aust.

PostPosted: Mon Jul 20, 2009 3:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

That is utterly unreasonable. Tell the recuiter/school to get their bloody acts together.
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oskinny1



Joined: 10 Nov 2006
Location: Right behind you!

PostPosted: Mon Jul 20, 2009 4:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

pianowill wrote:
Here's a comparison of the two forms:

http://i30.tinypic.com/23trw5f.jpg

Some questions are different, but it's generally the same. It really just seems irrational to have to send another form.


Which is the new one? I have to get this done and want to make sure I am given the correct form.
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pianowill



Joined: 11 May 2009
Location: Bundang

PostPosted: Mon Jul 20, 2009 4:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The one on the left with the E-2 at the top is the new one.

I've read on here that I should get off to a good start with my employer. Would it negatively impact their impression of me if I sent it through regular mail?
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Theo



Joined: 04 Jul 2009

PostPosted: Mon Jul 20, 2009 4:44 pm    Post subject: Re: Immigration changed health form, $50 to send new one Reply with quote

pianowill wrote:
I sent all my Visa documents to Korea a few weeks ago. My recruiter e-mailed me last week with a new health form attached. She said the immigration office has a new health form so the school can't use my first health form. She also requests that I only send it via UPS or FedEX as regular mail is too slow. I haven't checked with FedEX yet, but UPS charged me $50 for my 40+ page stack of papers for my initial Visa document, and they want to charge me $50 for this single piece of paper as well.

Now I know the school has to submit the correct form, but am I being unreasonable in my belief that I shouldn't have to pay $50 to send a single sheet of paper to Korea? I offered to send it by fax or e-mail, but the recruiter says it must be mailed. She won't settle for regular mail because the school wants to get my Visa before they go on vacation.

So should I just bite the bullet and plunk another $50 down because the immigration office won't accept a form they accepted up until a mere week ago?


Like a never-ending absurdist drama, Korea keeps upping the ante on E-2 visa requirements. They (immigration, recruiters, employers) care not a whit how costly, time-consuming, inefficient, and annoying it is for you.

I can't see these insane shenanighans improving anytime soon; at least not until a great many FTs are willing to say, I'll pass, and seek work elsewhere.

If you think all of this is unreasonable now, wait until AFTER you arrive. After you think you've satisfied everyone, the games will really begin! Oy.




..and a passing "Shout out" to good ol' oskinny1!
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pianowill



Joined: 11 May 2009
Location: Bundang

PostPosted: Mon Jul 20, 2009 4:57 pm    Post subject: Re: Immigration changed health form, $50 to send new one Reply with quote

Theo wrote:
Like a never-ending absurdist drama, Korea keeps upping the ante on E-2 visa requirements. They (immigration, recruiters, employers) care not a whit how costly, time-consuming, inefficient, and annoying it is for you.

I can't see these insane shenanighans improving anytime soon; at least not until a great many FTs are willing to say, I'll pass, and seek work elsewhere.

If you think all of this is unreasonable now, wait until AFTER you arrive. After you think you've satisfied everyone, the games will really begin! Oy.




..and a passing "Shout out" to good ol' oskinny1!


Initially, my frustration almost led me to just flat out saying, "If I MUST send this form for $50, then you can count me out." But then I thought, no, no, I'll send the form. But I'm not doing UPS.

Well the recruiter just e-mailed me again. She said I can send it non-UPS/FedEX as long as it's there early next week. Thank you!
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Theo



Joined: 04 Jul 2009

PostPosted: Mon Jul 20, 2009 5:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yeah, pianowill, you see... If the recruiter thinks there's a reasonable chance she'll lose you (and therefore, her commission) suddenly things become a bit more flexible.

Hope it's all worth it for you in the end. It certainly wasn't for me.

Good luck.
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polonius



Joined: 05 Jun 2004

PostPosted: Mon Jul 20, 2009 7:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have had people scan and email the old form to me. I don't think that is a problem. But, then again, it depends on which immigration officer you get. I think I submitted the old statement last week for some new teachers without problems.
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polonius



Joined: 05 Jun 2004

PostPosted: Mon Jul 20, 2009 8:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

andrewchon wrote:
That is utterly unreasonable. Tell the recuiter/school to get their bloody acts together.


It could also be that immigration changed the policy without notifying people.
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Straphanger



Joined: 09 Oct 2008
Location: Chilgok, Korea

PostPosted: Mon Jul 20, 2009 8:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ask the recruiter to provide you with their third-party FedEx account number and you'd be happy to forward the docu