Korean Job Discussion Forums

[is so delicious]

I have to teach for a few days after my visa expires on Monday. I already bought a non-refundable flight home for a week after it expires. I called immigration a few days ago, twice, and both people told me all I needed to do to get my visa extended was mosey on down with 30,000 and my passport/alien card.

Well... I should have anticipated this and looked into it further, since beaurocratic task her ends up being a total nightmare for me, but I went all the way to immigration only to have them tell me I need some forms: something along the lines of a new contract or letter stating the new extended dates of my teaching, as well as my school's "business number," whatever that is.

These things are always pretty ambiguous... normally I wouldn't be sweating it, but I do an after-school program, my antichrist co-teacher is only there once a week and never knows what's going on, and a lot, and there's a lot of vagueness as to who I go to for help with this sort of thing. Also, my school is on vacation right now, and my after-school program is on vacation for tomorrow.

So basically I have to go into school on Monday not knowing what forms I need or whether anyone at my school will have them or if my co-teacher will even be there, and I'll have a few hours to find them and go to immigration. I hear they get really hot if you overstay your visa by even a few days, and I don't want to be red-flagged. I've stayed and worked hard for my entire contract, and I don't want to leave a bad impression with immigration just because of this issue I admittedly should have taken care of earlier.

Can someone please tell me what documents I need, and how precise is the process? And just how bad it is if nothing can be done and I overstay by a week??

Thanks.

[ChilgokBlackHole]

You need to bring your contract with you. They aren't going to take your word for it that you need an extra couple of days. They need something on paper, in Korean, with a date and a stamp. Get a copy from your boss.*

The business number is self-explanatory. It's the number under which the business is registered. That may or may not be in the contract, but get it from your boss if it's not.

Then head back to immigration.

* And don't whine on and on "But it was a handshake deal!!" Immigration doesn't care. They either need a contract with a new end date or an addendum to your original contract with the date on it. They won't extend your visa without this.

tl;dr: Bring your boss with you to immigration.

[is so delicious]

[ttompatz]

2 ways to deal with this:

a proper extension for working:

you need your contract clearly showing the end date (or a one page addendum that extends your current contract till your required end date.
copy of the school's business registration
guarantor form from your boss
ARC
passport
application
30k won fee.

the other alternative (which legally doesn't allow you to work but hey...)
passport, ARC, exit ticket.
this is good until the date of your ticket and can be up to 30 days beyond your ARC expiry.

an overstay is not an option.
you will be delayed at the airport when you try to leave
you will be flagged and a black mark placed in your file (which will complicate any return to Korea for work).
you may be fined up to 100k per day (but the usual fine for less than a 30 day overstay is only 100k).

.

[is so delicious]

What is an ARC?? How easy is it to get??

The second one sounds much more realistic. I'm only working a few extra days... doubt I'll get nabbed.

I have my exit ticket and passport... so at least I have that going for me...!

[kprrok]

[isisaredead]

open your wallet. it's the green-lookin' thing with ya mug on it, and a bunch of korean writing waltzing around it.

[is so delicious]

Okay okay okay... had a bit of a brain fart and didn't realize that ARC = alien registration card. I've never used that acronym, somehow.

So yeah... I have that. The question is can I just show up at immigration with my ARC and my exit ticket, which is for a week after my ARC/visa expires, and THAT'LL get me an extension???

What about all the stuff I heard about getting an official letter from your school, with the school stamp and business number, giving new dates and all that stuff I probably won't be able to get by Monday...??

I have no problem taking the honest/dishonest but harmless way out. In fact, it might be my only option (if it IS an option), because I don't think I'll hunt down my school peeps on Monday.

[meaghan]

with an exit ticket you are OK to stay in korea (but not work) for that extra week. If your school won't help you get the paperwork you need to work legally for those extra couple days, then don't work for them past your original contract end date. If they want you teaching that badly, they can find the time to extend your work visa.[/i]