Korean Job Discussion Forums

schwa · Joined: 18 Jan 2003 Location: Yap

Okay call me stupid but I cant make any sense of the Canadian embassy website in Seoul. My passport expires in 3 months. I've got all the necessary ID & can arrange a guarantor. Its not convenient for me to get over to Seoul on a weekday. Can I do it all by mail? Anyone any experience?

SarcasmKills · Joined: 07 Apr 2003 Location: Seoul

Can't do it my mail because they have to see you sign the forms in person..

Atleast this was the case for me.. I just got it done without a guarantor..

when its ready though they will mail it to you by registered mail if you'd like..

batman · Posted: Sat Mar 13, 2004 3:57 pm Post subject:

Instead of applying for a new passport you may just want to ask for an extension on your existing one.
My son's passport expired on February 28th.
On the 27th I went to the Embassy, paid 11000 won and got a two year extension on his passport.
The extensions are cheaper, there is less paperwork, and you don't need to hunt down a guarantor.

I would suggest that you might want to send an email to the embassy and ask them about getting an extension.

tokki · Joined: 26 Jul 2003

If you let it expire or lose it, you need a new one and then you need to go throught the CRAP of getting a guarantor and all that jazz. If you extend it, it takes a couple of days, you pay 1/10th the fee and your passport is as good as new. I lost mine and had to get a new one. That required all sorts of stuff. It took about 2 weeks to get a new passport too. Then, when it came time to extend the new passport (it was only valid for a year as "punishment" for losing it...idiots) I just extended. It was ready 2 days later and its valid until 2007. I paid under 10 000 won too.

Corporal · Joined: 25 Jan 2003

That's good to know about extensions. So, tokki, yours was for three years? And batman's son was only for two years? I'm going to go into Busan, but the chick told me it was like 135,000 won for renewal and I don't want to pay that if I don't have to, obviously.

tokki · Joined: 26 Jul 2003

schwa · Joined: 18 Jan 2003 Location: Yap

Thanks for the input -- the extension route looks promising.

Corporal, you were quoted for a new passport, thats what they call 'renewal.' 135k is the cost of a new passport without a guarantor.

So yeah, the site says 10800 won to 'extend a limited validity passport.' Does that translate simply as one about to expire?

Best to email them I suppose & get it from the horse's mouth. I'll let you know what I learn. If I have to go in person I guess theres worse things than a day off work & a long weekend in the Big Smog.

The Cube · Joined: 01 Feb 2003

batman · Posted: Sun Mar 14, 2004 5:53 am Post subject:

schwa · Joined: 18 Jan 2003 Location: Yap

Update. So the deal is, you can get an extension only if your expiring passport was issued for less than a full term ('a limited validity passport'). Heres the response I got from the embassy this morning:

Dear Mr schwa

Canadian passport's validity is maximum 5 year. Therefore, if your present passport which will expire soon is 5 year one, you have to apply for a renewal. But if your passport's validity is 1 year due to loss or stolen of previous passport or lack of citizenship cert., your application will be included as passport extension.

Hope you find it of use for the clarification and have a good day.

Consular section

schwa · Joined: 18 Jan 2003 Location: Yap

So I'm back at square one. Evidently I need to show up once to make the original application & I'm hopeful I can arrange to have the finished item mailed to me.

I'll download the apps tomorrow & intend to call on a Korean to be my guarantor (I've got doctor & cop friends, hey if it saves 45k won I'd rather spend it treating my guarantor to drinks). The website is pretty specific about the guarantor stamp that has to be on the back of the photos, do you suppose korean photo shops have something equivalent & acceptable? Anyone been through this?

Last question (because I'm lazy to do the research): is the embassy in Seoul reasonably central & easy to locate?

batman · Posted: Mon Mar 15, 2004 3:39 am Post subject:

The photo shop I used in Busan had the needed stamp.
I took the application form with me and showed them exactly what I needed and where so there would be no confusion.

Zed · Joined: 20 Jan 2003 Location: Shakedown Street

tokki · Joined: 26 Jul 2003

That is so stupid Schwa. Leave it up to the idiots in the Canadian governent to make such a stupid rule.

SarcasmKills · Joined: 07 Apr 2003 Location: Seoul

You don't have to have the photographer sign or date the back of the photos...

you just have to have the photographer's address and phone number written down on the back of one of your pics... so they can contact them if need be...

I didn't download the papers.. I just filled them out at the embassy itself.. took less than 10 minutes..

Easy to find the embassy (these are a little different than the directions the embassy website gives ya itself.. so choose your own poison)

go out exit #4 of City Hall Station (Line 1) and walk straight until you see the Korean press club (or whatever its called).. Turn right and walk to the next main street... you'll see a 7/11 across the street (don't cross), turn left.. you'll see the Kolon building on the left eventually.. go to the 9th floor.. if you pass the Starbucks you've gone too far (It's attached to the far end of the Kolon building)

When mine was ready, they called me and asked if I would like them to send it by registered mail..