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crlb2006
Joined: 03 Mar 2008
Location: Seongbuk-gu, Seoul
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 Posted: Thu Jul 30, 2009 4:56 pm Post subject: Arriving in Korea w/o NOA (SMOE Question) |
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I've been hired to teach for SMOE and have (just today) sent in all documents for my visa. I booked a flight for August 11th (13 days before orientation) to give myself some time to hang out with old friends and have fun in Seoul before I start focusing on work.
There's a good chance I won't get my official NOA in the mail until a few days after August 11th. Could I have a friend send the NOA to me in Korea at some time prior to the start of orientation, or would that not work? I may need to change my flight, but would prefer not to. This will be my 2nd e-2 visa, if that matters.
Any information on this situation is hugely appreciated. I'd like to be prepared, as I have read on this board that SMOE can be very slugish in sending it NOAs.
Thanks again |
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t1m1ty
Joined: 24 May 2009
Location: Bundang
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| Posted: Thu Jul 30, 2009 5:00 pm Post subject: Re: Arriving in Korea w/o NOA (SMOE Question) |
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| crlb2006 wrote: |
I've been hired to teach for SMOE and have (just today) sent in all documents for my visa. I booked a flight for August 11th (13 days before orientation) to give myself some time to hang out with old friends and have fun in Seoul before I start focusing on work.
There's a good chance I won't get my official NOA in the mail until a few days after August 11th. Could I have a friend send the NOA to me in Korea at some time prior to the start of orientation, or would that not work? I may need to change my flight, but would prefer not to. This will be my 2nd e-2 visa, if that matters.
Any information on this situation is hugely appreciated. I'd like to be prepared, as I have read on this board that SMOE can be very slugish in sending it NOAs.
Thanks again |
I think I said this before (but not sure) I'm in the same situation you are. I too am planning on leaving early (on the 12th) so I can meet with some family and friends before starting. I still haven't received my NOA yet so I can't apply for my visa. If you hear anything, let me know haha. That would be awesome |
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amoonbot
Joined: 29 Jul 2009
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| Posted: Thu Jul 30, 2009 7:31 pm Post subject: |
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| In my opinion, I think you should wait till you are sure you have a NOA. I first applied with EPIK and found out way later that all the positions filled up. Luckily, I was able to transition from EPIK to SMOE quickly and finally got word today that I would be getting my official NOA sometime next week. |
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crlb2006
Joined: 03 Mar 2008
Location: Seongbuk-gu, Seoul
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| Posted: Thu Jul 30, 2009 10:24 pm Post subject: |
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| amoonbot wrote: |
| In my opinion, I think you should wait till you are sure you have a NOA. I first applied with EPIK and found out way later that all the positions filled up. Luckily, I was able to transition from EPIK to SMOE quickly and finally got word today that I would be getting my official NOA sometime next week. |
thanks, i think this is sound advice.
on the other hand, i'm thinking worst case scenario I could just do a run to japan or something with my NOA and reenter Korea on an e-2 visa, right? |
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winterfall
Joined: 21 May 2009
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| Posted: Fri Jul 31, 2009 7:55 am Post subject: |
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| crlb2006 wrote: |
| amoonbot wrote: |
| In my opinion, I think you should wait till you are sure you have a NOA. I first applied with EPIK and found out way later that all the positions filled up. Luckily, I was able to transition from EPIK to SMOE quickly and finally got word today that I would be getting my official NOA sometime next week. |
thanks, i think this is sound advice.
on the other hand, i'm thinking worst case scenario I could just do a run to japan or something with my NOA and reenter Korea on an e-2 visa, right? |
E-2 Visas take time though. To be on the safe side give yourself a 2 week cushion if your gonna do a run to Japan. The minimum time is a week. Anything shorter is really pushing it. |
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laoshihao
Joined: 05 Feb 2007
Location: I'll take the ROK, Alex, because that's where my stuff is.
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| Posted: Fri Jul 31, 2009 8:08 am Post subject: Home Embassy |
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| Have you checked to make sure whether you need to obtain your visa from your "home" embassy? When I applied the regulation said first-time visa applications had to interview at the nearest embassy to your home address. Turns out that I could have mailed it into New York City to get it. However, lots of Canadians got held up by the interview process at the embassy/consulate in Toronto. Some even missed orientation because of it. It all depended on the whim of the embassy. I would make sure you can apply for the visa at a non-home embassy. You wouldn't want to have to go all the way back to your home just to get the visa. |
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ramen209
Joined: 14 Apr 2009
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| Posted: Fri Jul 31, 2009 10:25 pm Post subject: |
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| Unfortunately we found out today that even those who were accepted and signed the contracts and sent documents may still be rejected unless they have received their offical NOA and visa numbers. Apparently both SMOE and EPIK overbooked this year due to the abundance of applicants and high rate of teachers re-signing with schools. |
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t1m1ty
Joined: 24 May 2009
Location: Bundang
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| Posted: Sat Aug 01, 2009 1:14 am Post subject: |
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| ramen209 wrote: |
| Unfortunately we found out today that even those who were accepted and signed the contracts and sent documents may still be rejected unless they have received their offical NOA and visa numbers. Apparently both SMOE and EPIK overbooked this year due to the abundance of applicants and high rate of teachers re-signing with schools. |
Yup, I am one of those that was rejected even after signing the contract and sending my documents. Apparently some of the applicants were put onto a waitlist while other (like me) were denied. They gave no reason as to why I was denied also. I am now in a hurry to apply for private schools. EPIK/SMOE has really put me in a difficult situation... |
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TheMoon
Joined: 29 Jul 2009
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| Posted: Sat Aug 01, 2009 5:16 am Post subject: |
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I think this is just wrong. I feel like the contract should be in effect as soon as you sign it. (Since the other party sends it to you signed)
I am waiting for my NOA as well and hearing this makes me a bit nervous. My recruiter told me to wait and I am but stories like this... |
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winterfall
Joined: 21 May 2009
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| Posted: Sat Aug 01, 2009 5:45 am Post subject: |
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| t1m1ty wrote: |
| ramen209 wrote: |
| Unfortunately we found out today that even those who were accepted and signed the contracts and sent documents may still be rejected unless they have received their offical NOA and visa numbers. Apparently both SMOE and EPIK overbooked this year due to the abundance of applicants and high rate of teachers re-signing with schools. |
Yup, I am one of those that was rejected even after signing the contract and sending my documents. Apparently some of the applicants were put onto a waitlist while other (like me) were denied. They gave no reason as to why I was denied also. I am now in a hurry to apply for private schools. EPIK/SMOE has really put me in a difficult situation... |
Does this mean that SMOE and EPIK are running through their stacks of accepted applicants and cherry picking? |
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alphakennyone
Joined: 01 Aug 2005
Location: city heights
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| Posted: Sat Aug 01, 2009 8:36 am Post subject: |
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| winterfall wrote: |
| t1m1ty wrote: |
| ramen209 wrote: |
| Unfortunately we found out today that even those who were accepted and signed the contracts and sent documents may still be rejected unless they have received their offical NOA and visa numbers. Apparently both SMOE and EPIK overbooked this year due to the abundance of applicants and high rate of teachers re-signing with schools. |
Yup, I am one of those that was rejected even after signing the contract and sending my documents. Apparently some of the applicants were put onto a waitlist while other (like me) were denied. They gave no reason as to why I was denied also. I am now in a hurry to apply for private schools. EPIK/SMOE has really put me in a difficult situation... |
Does this mean that SMOE and EPIK are running through their stacks of accepted applicants and cherry picking? |
I'd say nothing is definite until you have your visa in your passport. |
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winterfall
Joined: 21 May 2009
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| Posted: Sat Aug 01, 2009 9:07 am Post subject: |
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| alphakennyone wrote: |
| winterfall wrote: |
| t1m1ty wrote: |
| ramen209 wrote: |
| Unfortunately we found out today that even those who were accepted and signed the contracts and sent documents may still be rejected unless they have received their offical NOA and visa numbers. Apparently both SMOE and EPIK overbooked this year due to the abundance of applicants and high rate of teachers re-signing with schools. |
Yup, I am one of those that was rejected even after signing the contract and sending my documents. Apparently some of the applicants were put onto a waitlist while other (like me) were denied. They gave no reason as to why I was denied also. I am now in a hurry to apply for private schools. EPIK/SMOE has really put me in a difficult situation... |
Does this mean that SMOE and EPIK are running through their stacks of accepted applicants and cherry picking? |
I'd say nothing is definite until you have your visa in your passport. |
Seems like EPIK & SMOE favors F-4's. They can get their visas before they have an interview and everything's set to go. |
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nyla54
Joined: 17 Jun 2009
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| Posted: Sat Aug 01, 2009 1:35 pm Post subject: |
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| winterfall wrote: |
| alphakennyone wrote: |
| winterfall wrote: |
| t1m1ty wrote: |
| ramen209 wrote: |
| Unfortunately we found out today that even those who were accepted and signed the contracts and sent documents may still be rejected unless they have received their offical NOA and visa numbers. Apparently both SMOE and EPIK overbooked this year due to the abundance of applicants and high rate of teachers re-signing with schools. |
Yup, I am one of those that was rejected even after signing the contract and sending my documents. Apparently some of the applicants were put onto a waitlist while other (like me) were denied. They gave no reason as to why I was denied also. I am now in a hurry to apply for private schools. EPIK/SMOE has really put me in a difficult situation... |
Does this mean that SMOE and EPIK are running through their stacks of accepted applicants and cherry picking? |
I'd say nothing is definite until you have your visa in your passport. |
Seems like EPIK & SMOE favors F-4's. They can get their visas before they have an interview and everything's set to go. |
I disagree. I myself am interested in getting a F-4, and have contacted many bloggers with a F-4. It turns out, most usually got their F-4 without even telling their schools.
Also, when I had my interview, there was absolutely no mention of what visa I would get, and we spent a large chunk of the interview discussing my Korean heritage and its relevance to the position.
I was unsure if I'd be able to get a F-4, and asked my recruiter if I needed to tell my school. I was told that I didn't--after the NOA/Visa Issuance # is sent, the visa process is left up to me, i.e. the school has done what it needs for you to come to Korea at that point. They will continue up with their responsibilitites once you're in Korea. |
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laoshihao
Joined: 05 Feb 2007
Location: I'll take the ROK, Alex, because that's where my stuff is.
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| Posted: Sat Aug 01, 2009 1:39 pm Post subject: Could be |
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| Quote: |
| Does this mean that SMOE and EPIK are running through their stacks of accepted applicants and cherry picking? |
This wouldn't surprise me with SMOE. Just had a friend who was told in their exit evaluation that they would be re-contracted. They just found out that they were not going to be re-contracted. Now they have to haul ass to find another job because they have to be out of their school's flat in time for the new teacher to come in. So you folks at home aren't the only ones getting screwed over in this process. |
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nyla54
Joined: 17 Jun 2009
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| Posted: Sat Aug 01, 2009 1:40 pm Post subject: |
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| alphakennyone wrote: |
| winterfall wrote: |
| t1m1ty wrote: |
| ramen209 wrote: |
| Unfortunately we found out today that even those who were accepted and signed the contracts and sent documents may still be rejected unless they have received their offical NOA and visa numbers. Apparently both SMOE and EPIK overbooked this year due to the abundance of applicants and high rate of teachers re-signing with schools. |
Yup, I am one of those that was rejected even after signing the contract and sending my documents. Apparently some of the applicants were put onto a waitlist while other (like me) were denied. They gave no reason as to why I was denied also. I am now in a hurry to apply for private schools. EPIK/SMOE has really put me in a difficult situation... |
Does this mean that SMOE and EPIK are running through their stacks of accepted applicants and cherry picking? |
I'd say nothing is definite until you have your visa in your passport. |
I would echo what someone else said: the green light for you're IN at SMOE is that NOA or Visa Issuance#--although, I think SMOE usually sends the NOA. The other posters are right: all the public school programs do overaccept applications. For the first time in a long while--someone mentioned 10 years or so--the public school programs have received more applications than available positions so the competition is definitely more intense.
However, if you really want to teach in a public school, all is not lost--there is always the March 2010 term to apply for. Applications are being accepted now, so it's best to start now. In fact, since you already passed most of the interview process, you may be able to bypass it this time. |
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