Korean Job Discussion Forums

anospi · Joined: 19 Jun 2009 Location: Suwon, South Korea

I'm an Australian, working in England over the summer. Can I get my E-2 Visa from the embassy in London, or will I have to travel back to Australia?

There is so much conflicting information on the web I'm just a little confused.

losing_touch · Joined: 26 Jun 2008 Location: Ulsan - I think!

Yes, you can get the E-2 visa abroad. Have you had an E-2 visa before? If so, and you have no black marks on your immigration file, you are good to go. If you haven't you will need to have your degree verified by the KCUE in Korea. When this is done, you are exempted from the interview in your home country. I did this in August.

allan of asia · Joined: 17 Mar 2009 Location: Here, there, everywhere

i have been told i can apply in a 3rd country, which i know is technically not within the rules but i know people who know people... and will wave it through as i am a resident of the 3rd country an have been for several years and can prove it, visa stamps, residency cards etc. Also it seems to make a difference if you are going for public school job. Like everything in Korea, no can always mean yes in certain circumstances!
still i have left enough time to apply in my home country should needs be as i want to go from working in one country direct to korea...

fingers crossed!

losing_touch · Joined: 26 Jun 2008 Location: Ulsan - I think!

anospi · Joined: 19 Jun 2009 Location: Suwon, South Korea

Thanks losing_touch, that is a little comforting to know. This will be the first time I've applied for an E-2 visa. I have a bit of time in the U.K. (8 weeks) to sort this out, but if I need to go home I'll have to break my summer camp contract, which I don't want to do.

allan of asia · Joined: 17 Mar 2009 Location: Here, there, everywhere

Never say never, what do you know about my circumstances? Nothing. I know what the website says and in theory you are correct. The whole applying in your home country should be totally unnecessary in my opinion.

they rules are indeed very clear and i have read it, hell I have even spoken to the staff at the foreign consulate and they have told me to my face that they will do it after they got a phone call from someone...

However, should it go t*** up, which it may well do ill just have to do the visa application by post to my home country - and ask my parents to post it with a postal order etc - time is getting tight though Sad

Basically, if that's the case Korea loses an experienced teacher, of which it needs many. Its the UK Govt. Apostille service that is slowing everything down Sad

and then i can just charge the dole to them for 6 months while I try and have my application done for the April 2010 intake.

losing_touch · Joined: 26 Jun 2008 Location: Ulsan - I think!

anospi · Joined: 19 Jun 2009 Location: Suwon, South Korea

Allan of Asia, what are your circumstances? i.e. what is your nationality, and in which country are you applying for the visa? Also, how much time have you got? I'm assuming 8 weeks is enough time Confused

Also, can I get my Aussie degree apostilled in the U.K? Or is that something the KCUE can do, from within Korea?

So confusing Sad

losing_touch · Joined: 26 Jun 2008 Location: Ulsan - I think!

allan of asia · Joined: 17 Mar 2009 Location: Here, there, everywhere

I am British, and how much easier would it have been if i was where you are!
I live in Japan at the moment and have been here since 2005.
I would imagine your aussie degree would have to be apostilled in Oz...as the British embassy in Japan or in Korea wouldn't touch mine and told me to send it all the way back to England.
Which is where the trouble has started...i hope 8 weeks is enough as thats all i have - it all depends how long it will take for them to send the paperwork back from korea once i send it - its starting to stress me out actually. As i know how last minute they leave everything.

I just have visions of going to the kr consulate in Japan and them telling me to go to London. Which as I said, im hoping doesn't happen but i want the time in case...i can see a lot of expensive couriers!!

As for the KCUE i have no idea - they weren't very helpful to me - maybe only if you are in Korea...

losing_touch · Joined: 26 Jun 2008 Location: Ulsan - I think!

blonde researcher · Posted: Mon Jun 29, 2009 2:47 pm Post subject:

The one great exception to leaving from a third country is if you are hired by EPIK, GEPIK or SMOE or any other office of education directly.
This means you get a 'letter of appointment' and contracts sent to you and NOT an immigration number.

If you have the letter of appointment then you can send your visa to any Korean embassy in any country. You do not have to get an interview , as is compulsory for a hagwon or any other job that gives you an immigration number to show the Korean embassy. This exemption is for your first E2 visa in Korea as well as any others.

Make sure that if you are accepting a position in a public school you ask for this clarification (immigration number or letter of appointment)

Not all public schools are direct through EPIK of other education offices like Gangwon and Gyeongnam and Chungnam. Many public schools hire directly especially iin Gyeonggi.
The schools that hire directly still will give you EPIK and GEPIK contracts [b]BUT they must use the immigration visa number process [/b]

I know of many public school teachers who have arrived from third countries and without embassy interviews.

If the poster wants to go to a job with an immigration process( mostly hagwons) he will have to go back home - he cant leave from UK OR he can do the KCUE process in Korea if his new employer is happyto help with this( as the other poster said)

Basic rule: if your degree is from UK, you have to get it Apostilled in UK
If your passport is from UK, You can only get the CRC in UK

Maybe this office of education hire situation will widen your job search if you dont want to leave UK and go back to Australia? After all every person coming into EPIK contracts can do this 'exemption' to the rules

allan of asia · Joined: 17 Mar 2009 Location: Here, there, everywhere

blonde researcher, can i just ask about your PS friends who got their visa outside their home country, had they previously had an E2 visa or were they totally new to Korea, and when was this?

I thought for the smoe, epik and gepik they did make exceptions, and have heard such from SMOE, recruiters and the consulate, but you never know!

blonde researcher · Posted: Tue Jun 30, 2009 2:53 pm Post subject:

Yes, this was their first time E2 visa to Korea.
If you have an appointment letter you do not have to get a departure interview at an embassy, and you can leave from any country
My friends are;Irish lady who was on a working visa in NZ, leaving from NZ. and a Canadian who got the visa in Japan in transit to Korea.

You must ask the recruiter about the visa process as some jobs with EPIK or GEPIK contracts do have immigreation process

allan of asia · Joined: 17 Mar 2009 Location: Here, there, everywhere

I can happily say I did receive my FIRST E-2 visa in Japan, no questions asked no having my degree verified in Korea etc etc. And it was just last week.

So it can be done!