Korean Job Discussion Forums

[dragonfly121]

Sorry if this has been answered already, but can someone tell me the difference between the two? Does one take longer than another?

I've heard people say it takes months to get an NOA- but I was under the impression I needed a issuance number (which hopefully doesn't take long because I'm supposed to be leaving in a month and I haven't sent my documents yet )

[blonde researcher]

A NOA ( notice of appointment) is what is issued to you from an office of education for a public school position, such as in EPIK SmOE or GEPIK. This can be the main city office of education such as Busan or Seoul or a POE (provincial office of education) such as Gangwon or Gyeongnam
Your papers are processed directly by the office of education and are NOT put into immigration.

A visa issuance number is what is issued to you if your papers are processed in an immigration office . There is always a visa number for a hagwon.

A major exception to this system is the following : If a public school hires you directly and processes your papers, they are submitted to the local immigration office and you get the visa number.
Many public schools are starting to do hiring themsleves nowdays, especially in Gyeonggi. This means that many of the jobs offered as GEPIK jobs are direct hires and you will not be getting a NOA. These jobs will still be full EPIK contracts as the funding comes from the government.

[dragonfly121]

Okay, thanks a lot!

[blonde researcher]

5-12 work days at the very most. This is from when the employer submits all the papers and their own sponsorship papers.
Immigration issue the employer with a computer number to track the progress in their system online or by phone. A teacher's 'papers are always checked as correct by the immigration officer BEFORE being accepted in for the processing.
So either your papers are: in immigration going through the process, or they are not in immigration, either way the employer will know the timeframe and be able to tell you for sure

[dragonfly121]

thanks again!!

[sparkplug]

I'm also waiting on my Visa Issuance number. How long did it take Immigration to process your documents? Where are you teaching. I'm trying to get my visa ASAP to spend the New Year with my family in Korea.

[jmuns]

where are you guys coming over from? if you are in the US you may want to consider calling the consulate that you will have to go to for your interview now, and see if they have any open dates to come in. only some of the consulates except walk-ins. the other consulates around the country require you to have an interview scheduled, and sometimes they claim to be fully booked for weeks.

[dragonfly121]

It took 8 business days from the day it got to Korea- to the day I got the issuance number. I am teaching in Seoul.

You apparently can't schedule the consulate interview until you recieve your number AND until they get the package with all your paperwork. That is what my recruiter told me.

[jmuns]

your recruiter doesnt know what korean consulates in america do and do not do. they just tell you what they think you want to hear to make you feel good

[Raquel82]

Thank you all so much for this thread. I was wondering why I received a VIN instead of a notice of appointment for my GEPIK placement. By the way, it only took about a week for me to receive my VIN after my docs were submitted to immigration in Korea.

Good luck all