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goreality
Joined: 09 Jul 2009
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Posted: Sat Feb 25, 2012 7:33 am Post subject: |
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Why would immigration turn down a serial tourist at the airport? Their reason for refusing the person entry is based entirely on speculation. They have absolutely no valid reason to refuse you.
You can open up a bank account here with a passport. I am told you only need the ARC for certain banking features that are only available to residents.
I don't know how serial tourists finance their lifestyles. Unless they are regularly bringing money into the country, they are probably working illegally. Financial records at the local bank are going to look suspicious when the same accounts are regularly depositing money into your account. I don't even know if this easy to follow trail is common to use in investigations. I also don't know if the most successful serial tourists don't just take cash.
Edit: I forgot to add the idea that someone who regularly visits the country could have someone who is living her finance their living expenses. How embarrassing would it be for immigration if they nailed the wife or husband of some rich foreign business person on suspicion that he or she is an illegal English teacher. |
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always learning
Joined: 10 Apr 2011
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Posted: Sat Feb 25, 2012 4:00 pm Post subject: |
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| goreality wrote: |
I don't know how serial tourists finance their lifestyles. Unless they are regularly bringing money into the country, they are probably working illegally. Financial records at the local bank are going to look suspicious when the same accounts are regularly depositing money into your account. I don't even know if this easy to follow trail is common to use in investigations. I also don't know if the most successful serial tourists don't just take cash.
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Also, don't forget retirees who are financially independent. If American, they may have access to local military bases, their recreation services, dining, etc.
Regarding teachers and banking, I was surprised the Bristish teacher used a regular bank for two years. A Canadian told me a preferred modus operandi is to get a Korean girlfriend to send your money home to your local bank account. |
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Captain Corea

Joined: 28 Feb 2005 Location: Seoul
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Posted: Fri Mar 02, 2012 8:10 pm Post subject: |
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| goreality wrote: |
Edit: I forgot to add the idea that someone who regularly visits the country could have someone who is living her finance their living expenses. How embarrassing would it be for immigration if they nailed the wife or husband of some rich foreign business person on suspicion that he or she is an illegal English teacher. |
Shouldn't that person have a residence visa then? |
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alongway
Joined: 02 Jan 2012
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Posted: Fri Mar 02, 2012 8:15 pm Post subject: |
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| Captain Corea wrote: |
| goreality wrote: |
Edit: I forgot to add the idea that someone who regularly visits the country could have someone who is living her finance their living expenses. How embarrassing would it be for immigration if they nailed the wife or husband of some rich foreign business person on suspicion that he or she is an illegal English teacher. |
Shouldn't that person have a residence visa then? |
if whatever visa their business doing spouse had allowed them to sponsor an F3, yes. I don't know if they all do. |
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always learning
Joined: 10 Apr 2011
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Posted: Fri Mar 02, 2012 9:03 pm Post subject: |
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| ...and for those of you who have traveled, you've probably noticed it may be easier to stay here long term on a passport, set up residence and open accounts then it is in some neighboring countries. You just have to hop over to Japan to get your passport stamped a few times a year (someone suggested having a copy of a healthy bank statement ready in case Immigration questions you). |
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Chimie
Joined: 05 Oct 2011
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Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2012 7:51 am Post subject: |
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I opened a KEB account my second day here in Korea. Mind you, I was with my boss at the bank, but all I had was my passport. I assume that the good word of my boss and the fact that my office is in the same building as the KEB helped out a lot.
As far as walking in on my own and trying? who knows. |
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PeteJB
Joined: 06 Jul 2007
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Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2012 2:31 pm Post subject: |
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| Immigration isn't that stupid. 1st or 2nd or even a 3rd tourist visa aren't likely to be a problem....it's when you are on your 9th or 10th tourist visa and all within the span of a few years that they are likely to start asking questions. After if you repeatedly leave and enter the country on a tourist visa...even the dullest Immigration officer is going to twig to it. |
One of my friends ex-BFs used to do that, but he was rich and had no need to work in Korea. He was just visiting his GF for about 2 years straight  |
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TheUrbanMyth
Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Location: Retired
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Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2012 5:44 pm Post subject: |
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| Captain Corea wrote: |
I came here 10 years ago. The people I know have been here during that time. Some are still here.
You've been here a long time too, TUM - how many times are you asked even the most basic of questions when arriving in Incheon? Has that increased dramatically in the past few years?
My experience, and the experience of pretty much everyone I've asked, is that they look at you, your passport, stamp a few things, swipe a few things, and send you on through.
But if you've got experience that greatly differs from that, please share. I'd be interested to hear it.
Face it, immigration doesn't do all that much. And your claim that they are cracking down at the airport... so far, has not been substanciated. Sure, there have been a few busts, but I'm not seeing the connection between that and an airport crackdown. |
(bolding mine)
That's because I never said anything about an AIRPORT crackdown
http://www.buhaykorea.com/2010/01/31/illegal-foreign-tutors-on-rise/
As we see by the link they caught a number of illegal teachers on tourist visas.
The fact that most APPARENTLY can get away with it for years on end...is small consolation to those who DO get caught.
As for denying people entry at the airport...it's rare but does happen.
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/include/print.asp?newsIdx=72591 |
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Captain Corea

Joined: 28 Feb 2005 Location: Seoul
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Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2012 5:56 pm Post subject: |
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TUM, to be clear, you said a few things.
A) they are cracking down now.
B) one cannot open a bank account without an ARC.
C) after 8+ tourist entries, even the thickest Immi officer is going to take note.
I feel that you've been disproved on all of these points.
A) the links you posted are two years old. Where is this current crackdown? Where are they focusing? Do you have any sources for it? Any experience?
B) as many have attested to, ppl have opened up an account without one.
C) I know a number of people who did exactly that and were NEVER asked.
Sorry, man, but it honestly feels like you've got your claws dug in and are not willing to accept that perhaps your posts were off in this situation. |
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alongway
Joined: 02 Jan 2012
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Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2012 6:21 pm Post subject: |
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| That's because I never said anything about an AIRPORT crackdown |
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Immigration isn't that stupid. 1st or 2nd or even a 3rd tourist visa aren't likely to be a problem....it's when you are on your 9th or 10th tourist visa and all within the span of a few years that they are likely to start asking questions. After if you repeatedly leave and enter the country on a tourist visa...even the dullest Immigration officer is going to twig to it.
Except for Canadians you are looking at about 4 visas a year...at that rate it isn't going to take long |
Where else are they going to crack down on that except at the airport?
Are they going to start going to people's hotels and rifling through their stuff? The only place people meet those immigration officers is at the airport. |
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TheUrbanMyth
Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Location: Retired
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Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2012 8:22 pm Post subject: |
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| Captain Corea wrote: |
TUM, to be clear, you said a few things.
A) they are cracking down now.
B) one cannot open a bank account without an ARC.
C) after 8+ tourist entries, even the thickest Immi officer is going to take note.
I feel that you've been disproved on all of these points.
A) the links you posted are two years old. Where is this current crackdown? Where are they focusing? Do you have any sources for it? Any experience?
B) as many have attested to, ppl have opened up an account without one.
C) I know a number of people who did exactly that and were NEVER asked.
Sorry, man, but it honestly feels like you've got your claws dug in and are not willing to accept that perhaps your posts were off in this situation. |
(A)It's not just Immigration
http://populargusts.blogspot.com/2011/12/hagwons-not-following-new-law-allow.html
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| However, according to the revised law on the Establishment and Operation of Private Teaching Institutes and Extracurricular Lessons which came into effect on October 26, a health certificate including marijuana and drug test results issued within the previous month must be submitted when hiring foreign instructors. |
http://populargusts.blogspot.com/2011/02/more-information-on-new-e-2-drug.html
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The government has introduced an up-to-date drug testing kit as part of moves to strengthen drug monitoring of foreign English teachers at schools and private institutes.
The Ministry of Justice said Monday that it revised regulations governing drug testing of foreign English teachers, which went into effect from Feb. 1. [...] |
Both of these are moves from last year. Sorry I should have been more clear and stated that I meant the government...it's just not an Immigration thing.
(B) I never said any such thing. I stated quite clearly that it was to the best of my knowledge that one can not open a bank account without an ARC. That is CLEARLY different from saying one cannot open a bank account without an ARC. And when challenged on it I said I was willing to accept that people could when shown a link (which still has not materialized) or claims to the contrary from reliable sources.
(I should mention here that the teller at my local Shinhan branch swears up and down that is bank policy not to open an account without an ID card. Again some people claim that they did...guess they got lucky, or she doesn't know bank policy).
(bolding mine)
(C) Well I've not known anyone who wasn't asked to show an ARC (shrug...guess yours and my experiences are different...again this goes back to my conditionally validating my claim by stating it was "to the best of MY knowledge".
So the only thing I'm really digging my claws in on (as you so colorfully put it) is that people are misrepresenting my posts.
Granted (A) was probably my fault but (B) and (C) are not. |
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Captain Corea

Joined: 28 Feb 2005 Location: Seoul
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Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2012 9:03 pm Post subject: |
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Those links have nothing to do with people teaching on tourist visas. The quotes you posted are about drug tests for E2s.
So again, I'll ask.... Where is the crackdown in this area? |
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Who's Your Daddy?
Joined: 30 May 2010 Location: Victoria, Canada.
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Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2012 9:10 pm Post subject: |
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| goreality wrote: |
Financial records at the local bank are going to look suspicious when the same accounts are regularly depositing money into your account. I don't even know if this easy to follow trail is common to use in investigations. I also don't know if the most successful serial tourists don't just take cash.
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I asked KEB about my bank activity. They do not report activity to police, immi, etc. unless they are required by a warrant. The authorities would need cause to obtain a warrant.
==
I know illegals, just took over a departing legals account when that teacher left the country. Similar with phones. |
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TheUrbanMyth
Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Location: Retired
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Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2012 9:57 pm Post subject: Re: re-entry? |
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| alongway wrote: |
[
It may happen, but there have been reports of people doing just that for years on end without issue. |
This is what I responded to.
And what I said they were cracking down on now.
When I said "now" I didn't mean there was a new current crackdown I meant the ONGOING ONE (see the bolded parts) as per these laws. And as my links to the blog above show...it's still going on. These laws were implemented/due to be implemented at the end of 2007.
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□ Strengthen non-immigrant status of English teachers and management on employer
○ In order to prevent illegal English teaching activities and taking drugs and sexual harassment of English teachers, the South Korea Government will continuously and systematically implement joint crackdown on illegal English teaching, and will take action to deport offenders and block the entry of them simultaneously.
○ The punishment on the illegal employers will be heavier and the violators will be reported to the Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development to implement administrative sanctions on the illegal academies and block the employment of illegal English teachers.
○ In order to prevent native English teachers who disrupt social order with taking drugs, committing sexual harassment and alcohol intoxication, the black list of problematic English teachers shall be shared between related institutions such as the Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development, and Korea Academy Association to intensively monitor the information of such English teachers and originally block the entry.
□ Expected Effect for the Improvement Measure on English Teacher System
○ It is expected the uneasiness of citizens incurred from ineligible English teachers will be mitigated by blocking illegal activities of disqualified English teachers who entered South Korea with tourist visas, visas obtained through forgery, and prohibiting entry of former convict and the person taking drugs thanks to this measure on the native English teachers by the Ministry of Justice.
○ The Ministry of Justice will continuously monitor the effects of these measures. If such illegal activities of English teachers are not eradicated, it will consider out stronger punishment measures.
【 Reference |
http://mikemcstay.blogspot.com/2007/11/e2-notice-from-immigration-title-no.html
As of 2007 the laws have gotten stricter and things have changed. Sure some people can slip through the cracks, but just because people have slipped through in the past for years on end...doesn't mean it's going to continue. |
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Captain Corea

Joined: 28 Feb 2005 Location: Seoul
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Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2012 10:04 pm Post subject: |
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| Ok, perhaps we just define "now" a little differently. I was looking for something current and concerted, especially regarding teaching on a tourist visa. You were saying that in general the regulations for teachers have become stricter. |
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