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OBwannabe
Joined: 16 Feb 2008
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 Posted: Tue Apr 22, 2014 7:52 pm Post subject: Getting married and permanently living in Korea. |
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I'm wondering how reasonable it would be to expect to have a decent standard of living (raise a child, buy an apartment, vacation once a year, etc...) for someone who is married to a Korean(F-series marriage visa), but only has a bachelors degree?
I love teaching and am happy to do it until retirement. I was actually planning on going back to the homeland in a couple years to get a B. of Ed degree, but I'll be 40 next year and starting to think it's time to settle down. In the situation I'm in, it's likely one or the other. Either get married and stay in Korea, or stick to the original plan and go back and study for a year and hopefully secure a job back home. When it comes right down to it, I can't afford to marry(and all the related expenses that go along with it) and go back to school.
So what I'm really curious about is, does having a marriage visa open up enough doors to allow you to make enough money to live well and retire on? I'm thinking private lessons out of home as a side job to a full or part time contract. Although, hagwon work is likely to dry up pretty quick at my age.
Would love to hear some stories |
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tob55
Joined: 29 Apr 2007
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| Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2014 1:50 am Post subject: |
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Have a plan and stick to it. Being on a marriage visa is only as good as you make it work for you. If you really feel like you want to live, work and retire here, then the consideration of dual citizenship should also be in your mind. I am now a dual citizen and the benefits are fairly significant for me at this stage of my 10+ years of being in the country. Want more information, then ask specific questions rather than the vague "what-if" type questions many people commonly post. Just offering my two cents worth to your post.  |
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Who's Your Daddy?
Joined: 30 May 2010
Location: Victoria, Canada.
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| Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2014 1:55 am Post subject: |
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| Yes. Financially do-able. But the danger is 10 years from now you tire of teaching, and are a bit stuck. At 50 it would be difficult to re-enter your home country work force. |
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Stan Rogers
Joined: 20 Aug 2010
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| Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2014 1:56 am Post subject: |
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| What are the benefits of citizenship? |
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modernseoul
Joined: 11 Sep 2011
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2014 2:12 am Post subject: |
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Does the marriage visa (F6) open doors? Yes
Does it make life in Korea easier and more stable? Yes
Does make a massive difference? No
The one main benefit you have is that you enjoy teaching and can see yourself doing it for the foreseeable future. I've meet many 30~40 year old expat guys on marriage visas who take teaching roles because they can't find anything else and do a half-assed job.
The hours and wages are better, but the number of roles are fewer these days for a number of different reasons.
Honestly to make a life from teaching in South Korea long term, been well qualified would be a big advantage. The ESL industry in Korea isn't growing like it once did. |
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tob55
Joined: 29 Apr 2007
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| Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2014 2:13 pm Post subject: |
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| Stan Rogers wrote: |
| What are the benefits of citizenship? |
Things are much easier to get done for one, but the best is never, ever having to deal with immigration for any reason. 
Banking is easier
Taking care of personal or professional business transactions is much easier
Never being told "sorry, foreigners no service"
Having a number of financial options regarding housing that are unavailable to foreigners
Owning a business or working as many jobs as you want 'legally'
These are just of a few of the things I have realized since becoming a dual citizen. There are still headaches at times getting people to work with you, but pulling out the National ID card changes things quickly once people you are doing business with realize they can't screw you over, although they try. |
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Who's Your Daddy?
Joined: 30 May 2010
Location: Victoria, Canada.
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| Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2014 2:46 pm Post subject: |
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| tob55 wrote: |
| Stan Rogers wrote: |
| What are the benefits of citizenship? |
Things are much easier to get done for one, but the best is never, ever having to deal with immigration for any reason.
Banking is easier
Taking care of personal or professional business transactions is much easier
Never being told "sorry, foreigners no service"
Having a number of financial options regarding housing that are unavailable to foreigners
Owning a business or working as many jobs as you want 'legally'
These are just of a few of the things I have realized since becoming a dual citizen. There are still headaches at times getting people to work with you, but pulling out the National ID card changes things quickly once people you are doing business with realize they can't screw you over, although they try. |
What about paperwork for the Ministry of Education? Are you required to get your degrees apostiled, HIV&Drug testing, and home country criminal background checks to work in Education or change jobs?
[On an F-visa immigration isn't the problem, it's the Ministry of Education.] |
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modernseoul
Joined: 11 Sep 2011
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2014 3:50 pm Post subject: |
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| Who's Your Daddy? wrote: |
| tob55 wrote: |
| Stan Rogers wrote: |
| What are the benefits of citizenship? |
Things are much easier to get done for one, but the best is never, ever having to deal with immigration for any reason.
Banking is easier
Taking care of personal or professional business transactions is much easier
Never being told "sorry, foreigners no service"
Having a number of financial options regarding housing that are unavailable to foreigners
Owning a business or working as many jobs as you want 'legally'
These are just of a few of the things I have realized since becoming a dual citizen. There are still headaches at times getting people to work with you, but pulling out the National ID card changes things quickly once people you are doing business with realize they can't screw you over, although they try. |
What about paperwork for the Ministry of Education? Are you required to get your degrees apostiled, HIV&Drug testing, and home country criminal background checks to work in Education or change jobs?
[On an F-visa immigration isn't the problem, it's the Ministry of Education.] |
I believe you're required to provide at least an Apostatized Degree and a Korean Criminal Background Check if you're working at a Hagwon or Public School. Not sure about the health check, but I was required to provide one when working at an after school program.
To legally Private Tutor there are a few other hoops to jump though, but I not gone down that road. |
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Speck7
Joined: 05 Sep 2012
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| Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2014 6:00 pm Post subject: |
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| This title sent shivers down my spine. |
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edwardcatflap
Joined: 22 Mar 2009
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| Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2014 6:26 pm Post subject: |
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Reminds me of the end of a poem
But if he stood and watched the frigid wind
Tousling the clouds, lay on the fusty bed
Telling himself that this was home, and grinned,
And shivered, without shaking off the dread
That how we live measures our own nature,
And at his age having no more to show
Than one hired box should make him pretty sure
He warranted no better, I don't know. |
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