Korean Job Discussion Forums

isthisreally · Joined: 01 Sep 2007

Am I good to leave Korea with my visa in my old canceled passport and a new passport without a visa?

The visa is not expired.

CentralCali · Joined: 17 May 2007

You're supposed to take your new passport along with the old passport to Immigration to get the visa transferred to the new passport. Cost is zero. Time at the Immigration counter is less than five minutes for them to update their file with your new passport information.

Ruthdes · Joined: 16 Oct 2008 Location: Seoul

In 2009, I just carried both passports until it was time to renew my visa. No one told me to get it changed and no one complained that I hadn't. (For me, it takes over an hour to get to immigration, so carrying two passports was much less of an imposition).

jvalmer · Joined: 06 Jun 2003

Take your old passport with your new one. They might, or might not ask to see the actual stamp.

I once took my new passport to immigration and they told me it doesn't matter, as long as you have your ARC.

ttompatz · Joined: 05 Sep 2005 Location: Kwangju, South Korea

chris_J2 · Joined: 17 Apr 2006 Location: From Brisbane, Au.

centralcali is correct. The Immigration stamp in your new passport refers to the current visa in your old passport. I got a new passport last August 2009. The numbers in both passports match identically.

Ruthdes · Joined: 16 Oct 2008 Location: Seoul

toadkillerdog · Joined: 11 Nov 2009 Location: Daejeon. ROK

My wife's visa for the USA is in her old passport. She just carries both her old and new passports when we go to the USA. No problems, complains, trouble or advise from US immigration.

isthisreally · Joined: 01 Sep 2007

I went to immigration today. I had to fill out one form and didn't need any photos. It was free. Also I got put into a different line so my turn came quite quickly.

Konglishman · Joined: 14 Sep 2007 Location: Nanjing

ttompatz · Joined: 05 Sep 2005 Location: Kwangju, South Korea

Konglishman · Joined: 14 Sep 2007 Location: Nanjing

chris_J2 · Joined: 17 Apr 2006 Location: From Brisbane, Au.

It's a good idea to carry both passports anyway. When I was in China my passport was sent to Mongolia for a Mongolian visa for 3 days, & I had no id to satisfy the new Chinese hotel I booked into. Luckily I had an older passport on hand. Maybe the Korean Immigration computers could be down, or in need of updating, so the original visa in the old passport would be good to have as backup just in case. You could always photocopy the visa, & keep it with the new passport, but I'm not sure if this would be acceptable to Korean Immigration Officers?

MalFSU1 · Joined: 27 Jan 2009

You can always carry the old one around as back up , but most likely won't need it, as long as you go to immigration to get a new multiple re-entry sticker put in the new passport. That sticker shows that you are allowed to be here and to leave and return(which is what immi cares about)