Korean Job Discussion Forums

desultude · Posted: Tue Jul 13, 2004 4:09 am Post subject: Alien registration card

Okay, this goes under "really stupid things to do while traveling". I packed up a bunch of stuff here in Viet Nam to ship back to Korea, and inadvertently included my alien card.

I went to the South Korea Embassy today, and they called Seoul and were told no problem. But I am not completely reassured. Has anyone arrived back in Korea without their card? What happened?

By the way, I went to the embassy listed in Lonely Planet, and was met at the gate by a big gleaming visage of Kim Jung Il, a submachine gun carrying guard, and a very empty, closed, large colonial building. Strange.

The South Korean Embassy is at the Daewoo Hotel. They were very friendly and helpful, and spoke perfect English!

Hollywoodaction · Joined: 02 Jul 2004

That should be the least of your worries. The postal services have consistently lost a third of the parcels that are sent to me from overseas.

chronicpride · Joined: 16 Jan 2003

I don't see it being a problem. Teachers are flying in here everyday with their E2s on their passports stemming from contracts signed abroad, and they don't have their ARC cards yet. I doubt it'll be a problem for you. They just want to see your E2 stamp.

edgellskiuk · Joined: 21 Jun 2004 Location: Seoul

In my experience there is a good chance they will not ask for it. I have to fly in and out a lot for meetings and being the totally disorganised person I am have forgotten my arc about 5 times.

Only on one of occasion did they even ask to see it. When I explained I had left it at my apartment they rang somebody and quoted my passport number and then let me go on my way.

I am not sure if this was due to my visa nearing the end of its life at the time (about 2 weeks left on it). Or it could just have been the immigration officer was in a bad mood that day.

Hollywoodaction · Joined: 02 Jul 2004

Right. They aren't stupid. Can you imagine the mess it would cause if they started turning back all the foreigners who they forgot their card at home? Besides, your visa is in your passport, not on the card.

As long as it's still in your posession, they probably won't care. They might ask you to bring it to the Immigration office at a later date to prove you still have it,.