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Going to Korea without a visa -- security issues?

 
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proverbs



Joined: 28 Apr 2009

PostPosted: Sat Jul 20, 2013 6:56 pm    Post subject: Going to Korea without a visa -- security issues? Reply with quote

Hello, recently my school hired a new teacher from the States. The position was urgent, as one of my co-workers had to leave Korea for an emergency family issue back home. Since the job was so urgent, he was supposed to be in Korea this past Friday and would do a visa run to Japan next week. I just heard from my manager that he was turned away because he didn't have a visa. They said he looked "suspicious" and had too much luggage to be a tourist.

Has anyone heard of this happening? I was under the impression (from reading a lot of the posts on this forum) that a lot of people were coming to Korea without a visa these days.
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newb



Joined: 27 Aug 2012
Location: Korea

PostPosted: Sat Jul 20, 2013 7:09 pm    Post subject: Re: Going to Korea without a visa -- security issues? Reply with quote

proverbs wrote:
Hello, recently my school hired a new teacher from the States. The position was urgent, as one of my co-workers had to leave Korea for an emergency family issue back home. Since the job was so urgent, he was supposed to be in Korea this past Friday and would do a visa run to Japan next week. I just heard from my manager that he was turned away because he didn't have a visa. They said he looked "suspicious" and had too much luggage to be a tourist.

Has anyone heard of this happening? I was under the impression (from reading a lot of the posts on this forum) that a lot of people were coming to Korea without a visa these days.


Never. Shocked

Are you trolling?
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OBwannabe



Joined: 16 Feb 2008

PostPosted: Sat Jul 20, 2013 7:11 pm    Post subject: Re: Going to Korea without a visa -- security issues? Reply with quote

proverbs wrote:
Hello, recently my school hired a new teacher from the States. The position was urgent, as one of my co-workers had to leave Korea for an emergency family issue back home. Since the job was so urgent, he was supposed to be in Korea this past Friday and would do a visa run to Japan next week. I just heard from my manager that he was turned away because he didn't have a visa. They said he looked "suspicious" and had too much luggage to be a tourist.

Has anyone heard of this happening? I was under the impression (from reading a lot of the posts on this forum) that a lot of people were coming to Korea without a visa these days.


Immigration does have every right to do this. But ya, seems like they rarely do in Korea. I'm surprised it doesn't happen more often. I currently work in the airline industry and many countries won't allow you in unless you have an onward ticket.
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proverbs



Joined: 28 Apr 2009

PostPosted: Sat Jul 20, 2013 7:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm guessing he just looked 'suspicious' and had very bad luck then? I'm also guessing he probably did not give them the 'right' answers.
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OBwannabe



Joined: 16 Feb 2008

PostPosted: Sat Jul 20, 2013 7:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Some countries can have a stay of 90 days in the ROK, others have 6 months. I'm guessing those countries with 6 months rarely run into that problem.
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YTMND



Joined: 16 Jan 2012
Location: You're the man now dog!!

PostPosted: Sat Jul 20, 2013 8:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
had too much luggage to be a tourist.


What does that mean? You already have a limit, and you must pay if it exceeds a certain weight.

If he had too much, post his receipts showing how much extra he paid. Until then I can't buy this story.


Last edited by YTMND on Sat Jul 20, 2013 8:30 pm; edited 1 time in total
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ttompatz



Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Location: Kwangju, South Korea

PostPosted: Sat Jul 20, 2013 8:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Who turned him away? I'd be very surprised if it was immigration.

Wouldn't surprise me at all if he was denied boarding in his home country for saying he was a tourist if didn't have outward passage and was loaded with luggage.

note: onward or return passage is a requirement (enforced by the airlines since they are responsible for the repatriation costs and get fined if entry is denied) for traveling without a proper visa.

.
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pmwhittier



Joined: 03 Nov 2011
Location: Korea

PostPosted: Sat Jul 20, 2013 8:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The only thing thatI can think of:

If your school was ready for him to do a visa run NEXT WEEK, then the E-2 had already been applied for. Anyone looking in the immigration system computer would have seen an "E-2 pending" or "E-2 application started" message.

I think the story your school is telling you is the "saving face" version, since they were trying to break the law and don't want to accept the blame.
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newb



Joined: 27 Aug 2012
Location: Korea

PostPosted: Sat Jul 20, 2013 8:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The op is either misinformed or trolling.

When you come through any int'l airport you go through the immigration first without your luggage (maybe with a small carry on baggage). After you are cleared with immigration you go claim your luggage. Finally, you clear through customs and they don't care how many luggages you have as long as you aren't bringing anything illegal in to the country.
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proverbs



Joined: 28 Apr 2009

PostPosted: Sun Jul 21, 2013 12:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Honestly. I'm not sure of all the specific details of what happened. It's like a game of telephone, since I heard from my manager, and he heard from his manager, and she heard from the director. I'm guessing what happened was what ttompatz said- he only had a one-way ticket without a visa. I don't know if luggage had anything to do with it, but that's what I was told.

I'm not sure if his E2 visa was already in process, so I don't know if he would be in the system.
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