Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Keeper]

I am hoping someone who recently obtained their first E2 visa can respond to this. There is a lot of conflicting information out there.

I was told by a school that if this was my first E2 visa I would have to apply at an embassy in my home country (the US). I'm not in the US and called my local consulate. They told me they can do the processing. I explained to them that this would be my first E2 visa. They told me once again they could do it.

I have read the following conflicting information:
You need to go to your home country for the first E2.
You do not need to go home for the first E2.
AND
Public school E2 - going to the home country is not required.
Private school E2 - you must go to the home country.

The face-to-face interview is no longer required for first time E2 applicants. (According to a previous post here). This may be why going home was once required. So it is very possible my local consulate was correct.

I intend on calling Kimmi but would like to see if there are any members here who:
1. It was your first E2 visa.
2. You are going to work at a private school (NOT PUBLIC).
3. The E2 visa was NOT processed in your home country.
If this is you, then please state when and where you had the visa processed.

[ttompatz]

Consular interviews are at the option of the consular officer who will issue the visa. They are usually no longer required. If it was required and you are American then Guam was always an option.

They used to be "required" prior to the requirement for an apostille on your documents. Now they are only "required" if you have a black mark in your immigration file.

Home country interviews were NEVER needed for people who are legally resident in a 3rd country (eg: an American working in Thailand on a non-b, a Brit working in China on a "Z", an Australian studying in Japan on an edu visa).

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