Korean Job Discussion Forums

[PigeonFart]

I phoned immigration today (1345 or whatever their hotline number is) to ask about how soon i can transfer my E2 to my new school.

My current contract and ARC both expire on Friday August 31st.
Then my new school starts on Monday September 3rd.

I thought i could transfer up to 2 weeks before my contract expired. However i was told i could only do it on Friday august 31st. Does that sound right? Anyone in a similar position?

I'd rather do it as soon as possible as i have all the paperwork required.

[I'm already aware that i have to do both an extension, then a transfer.]

[Skippy]

I have been wondering about this 2 week transfer stuff too.

My confusion is in conjunction with a letter of release.

Make sure you get the right extension not the temp/free one.

Ya probably got a bum immigration official. Try another spin....

[nbbboby]

I thought the law changed in the last year or so and all arc cards had an extra month after the year contract was finished.

My contract was from June 2011 to June2012 but arc finished at the end of July.

I assume you did but just in case I ask you - Did you look on the back of your arc card?

The 13 months on my arc card surprised me when I first saw it and I had to run to look at my contract again to make sure the school wasn't trying to pull a fast one on me.

[ttompatz]

[PigeonFart]

Thank you for the replies. When you phone the hotline there is a proviso (in the message spiel) saying that only general advice is given and that things can change depening on individuals circumstances.
I actually went to the immigration office yesterday, tried to acheive my objective, but was told to come back on 08.31. All of that interaction took place in korean (i wanted to practice korean) so i didn't understand the officers explantions as to why that was the case. Foolish of me to practice korean in an important situation like that! I'll leave the korean for mere social situations in future.

So after that i called the english hotline and she also told me i can't do it until 08.31.

I was left confused because i thought i had read here that it was possible to do it 2 weeks in advance. But as the hotline says, there are always individual circumstances, or i may have been lucky if i had met another immigration officer.

[hogwonguy1979]

I've done two within 30 days of the end of my contract including my last transfer last year. In fact I went too far out, they guy organized my papers and said come back on X day, dont make an appointment and you dont need to take a number, just come up and we'll take care of it and they did

[PigeonFart]

I think the difference between our situations is they BOTH my contract and arc end on the same day. That might make a difference. I don't know. I'm half thinking about going back to immigration again (to a different city branch office) and trying it again.

[PigeonFart]

I just want to close this thread by saying my instincts proved true. Today i went to a different immigration office and found a different officer to deal with, and was sucessful in my application (was originally told i couldnt do that so soon, both by a previous officer, and by the immigration hotline english service).

Just goes to show. It depends who you talk to on the day. Keep that in mind.

[mlh53059]

Yeah, I just went through the same thing. I had to take off work my LAST day of my contract and go to immigration to transfer my visa. What a load. Seems rediculous, I know but I agree with the previous post - immigration problems/solutions always depends on who you are dealing with that day