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grandpa
Joined: 19 Oct 2009
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 Posted: Wed Mar 06, 2013 11:18 pm Post subject: Canadians can easily stay in Korea for 6 months at a time? |
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I was told that Canadians can just fly to Korea with nothing but their passport, say they're a "tourist" and then stay for 6 months.
Then they just have to leave, come back, and do the same thing for yet another 6 months.
Is this the case, or was my friend not telling the full story? |
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ttompatz
Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Location: Kwangju, South Korea
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| Posted: Thu Mar 07, 2013 1:27 am Post subject: Re: Canadians can easily stay in Korea for 6 months at a tim |
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| grandpa wrote: |
I was told that Canadians can just fly to Korea with nothing but their passport, say they're a "tourist" and then stay for 6 months.
Then they just have to leave, come back, and do the same thing for yet another 6 months.
Is this the case, or was my friend not telling the full story? |
Not quite that easy but just about.
Reciprocal treatment:
Koreans get a 6 month entry to Canada without a visa.
Canadians get a 6 month entry to Korea without a visa and without the need to get an ARC (on a B2 stamp).
They must however meet the requirements for visa free travel (onward passage and/or proof of funds for onward passage and the ability to support yourself without working (cash, common-law partner to support you, etc)).
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grandpa
Joined: 19 Oct 2009
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| Posted: Thu Mar 07, 2013 3:02 am Post subject: Re: Canadians can easily stay in Korea for 6 months at a tim |
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| ttompatz wrote: |
| grandpa wrote: |
I was told that Canadians can just fly to Korea with nothing but their passport, say they're a "tourist" and then stay for 6 months.
Then they just have to leave, come back, and do the same thing for yet another 6 months.
Is this the case, or was my friend not telling the full story? |
Not quite that easy but just about.
Reciprocal treatment:
Koreans get a 6 month entry to Canada without a visa.
Canadians get a 6 month entry to Korea without a visa and without the need to get an ARC (on a B2 stamp).
They must however meet the requirements for visa free travel (onward passage and/or proof of funds for onward passage and the ability to support yourself without working (cash, common-law partner to support you, etc)).
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They don't even have to go to a Korean consulate in Canada? They just show up at the Incheon airport, show the worker there (where you show your passport and do biometrics) their return plane ticket and flash some cash, then they get entrance into Korea? |
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Captain Corea
Joined: 28 Feb 2005
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Thu Mar 07, 2013 3:04 am Post subject: |
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Yup, it's really that simple.
Happy visiting! |
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grandpa
Joined: 19 Oct 2009
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| Posted: Thu Mar 07, 2013 3:05 am Post subject: |
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| Captain Corea wrote: |
Yup, it's really that simple.
Happy visiting! |
Lucky you.
I wish America had this option. |
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diver
Joined: 16 Jun 2003
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| Posted: Thu Mar 07, 2013 3:07 am Post subject: |
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It must have changed. I came in to Korea in the 90s on a one-way ticket and they didn't even blink while stamping the six-month visa in my passport. Ahhh...the good ole days  |
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Captain Corea
Joined: 28 Feb 2005
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Thu Mar 07, 2013 3:34 am Post subject: |
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| grandpa wrote: |
| Captain Corea wrote: |
Yup, it's really that simple.
Happy visiting! |
Lucky you.
I wish America had this option. |
Oh, I don't know. I'm not sure you'd need more than 3 months of visiting to see the country. |
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ttompatz
Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Location: Kwangju, South Korea
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| Posted: Thu Mar 07, 2013 5:43 am Post subject: Re: Canadians can easily stay in Korea for 6 months at a tim |
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| grandpa wrote: |
| They don't even have to go to a Korean consulate in Canada? They just show up at the Incheon airport, show the worker there (where you show your passport and do biometrics) their return plane ticket and flash some cash, then they get entrance into Korea? |
Nope.
No trip to the consulate. No fees or paperwork.
The exit ticket is shown to the airline before boarding the aircraft to Korea. NOT at passport control in Korea.
Show up at ICN.
Passport and immigration card, smile, stamp for 6 months, go through passport control and go get your bag. You are good to go.
| grandpa wrote: |
| I wish America had this option. |
They don't get it because they don't give it.
That is the nature of reciprocal. You get what you give.
At least you now get 90 days... wasn't so long ago that Americans only got 30 (and Koreans couldn't enter America without the hassle of a visa).
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coralreefer_1
Joined: 19 Jan 2009
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| Posted: Thu Mar 07, 2013 6:07 am Post subject: |
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| Its odd though...if the law is to enter as a tourist you need booked passage OUT of the country..that must be some loophole with the ocean ports. Back a few years ago while I was applying and waiting for acceptance to grad school, I spent 9 months (3 -3 month stays) on tourist visa...each time hopping the Beetle over to Fukouka. When I left I surrendered my ARC card...but upon return, and also follow up trips I was never asked once about return passage. This was in 2010-11 |
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some waygug-in
Joined: 25 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Thu Mar 07, 2013 6:33 am Post subject: |
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AS Tom pointed out earlier, it's not immigration that will ask for
you to have a return ticket, it's the airlines.
First time I flew to Korea from Vancouver, they weren't going to let me
board the flight until I bought a return ticket. I had to
immediately buy one on my credit card before they would let me proceed
further.
That was back in 2000. I'm not sure if things have changed since then. |
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NilesQ
Joined: 27 Nov 2006
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| Posted: Thu Mar 07, 2013 7:40 am Post subject: |
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| I lived in Korea for the better part of 3 years on concurrent 6 month tourist visas. I went to school for Korean and did tutoring on the side. It's possible, but the trip back into Korea gets more and more nerve wracking. Never knowing if you will be allowed back in or not. |
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grandpa
Joined: 19 Oct 2009
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| Posted: Thu Mar 07, 2013 2:21 pm Post subject: |
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| NilesQ wrote: |
| I lived in Korea for the better part of 3 years on concurrent 6 month tourist visas. I went to school for Korean and did tutoring on the side. It's possible, but the trip back into Korea gets more and more nerve wracking. Never knowing if you will be allowed back in or not. |
When it came to obtaining housing, I've been asked for my ARC card in the past.
How did you find housing without an ARC card? Did you just stay in hostels? |
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supernick
Joined: 24 Jan 2003
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Fri Mar 08, 2013 2:14 am Post subject: |
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I love to smack behinds, and she always calls me doctor. Is there something wrong here?  |
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NilesQ
Joined: 27 Nov 2006
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| Posted: Fri Mar 08, 2013 6:44 am Post subject: |
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| grandpa wrote: |
| NilesQ wrote: |
| I lived in Korea for the better part of 3 years on concurrent 6 month tourist visas. I went to school for Korean and did tutoring on the side. It's possible, but the trip back into Korea gets more and more nerve wracking. Never knowing if you will be allowed back in or not. |
When it came to obtaining housing, I've been asked for my ARC card in the past.
How did you find housing without an ARC card? Did you just stay in hostels? |
I lived in a number of different places. I am lucky in that one of my best freinds is a gyopo and I shared an apartment with him for a while. I also rented a room at a love motel on a monthly basis. That was great. It was a nice room and it cost about w300,000/month. Go to an area around an older subway stop that has a lot of these motels, and they'll most likely rent them by the month. Hasuk are good too. Just a room, but will have a couple of meals included and you can do laundry there too. |
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