Korean Job Discussion Forums

[cellphone]

Few questions on my mind.
In the situation you've found the hagwon that you want to work at and they have decided to hire yourself, so the next step is to process for the E2 visa right.

(Q1) In that situation you would present your diploma, but I've heard that it's not always demanded you supply your grade transcripts(?). Some longer termers have posted that only half the jobs they had to show grade transcripts.

(Q2) But the question I've been wondering. So you are to give the university dipoma directly to the school (such as wonjungnim)? Or you go over to an immigration office and hand it there with other paper work?

(Q3) My question is, can you do this either all in one day, or otherwise have all paperwork processed while you are present (i.e. hanging out at immigration office all day), or does immigration have to keep a hold of your diploma for several days or even weeks, meaning you don't see it for that length of time? Does everyone have to hand over their diploma for several weeks in these first stages?

(Q4) By the way is it immigration that would hold onto it if so? I would imagine there are occasional stories of someone losing your diploma, but, is it almost common or not at all rare? Is it common that immigration will alter your diploma paper (putting stamps or hole punches on it)?

Personally I would prefer to not "part ways" with my diploma, sorry that's just my personal preference for now. And if I did, I am thinking that I want to make it a part of the initial agreement that I would get my diploma back in a short period of time. I want to make certain the employer is not holding onto it for several months.

Anyone with any other recommendations along those lines, appreciated.

[nrvs]

I'm not sure if you realize this, but a photocopy of your diploma -- notarized by the ROK consulate closest to your university -- is acceptable to immigration for E-2 visa processing purposes. Mine was a nice color photocopy that looked remarkably like my real diploma. Combined with the crazy stamps the consulate affixes to it, it's quite an impressive document.

[HamuHamu]

Hmmm. I think that is not *always* the case, of immigration accepting a notarized photocopy.

I do *believe* it is up to the "gu" district office, which somehow has something to do with processing your visa certificate.

I originally worked in Seongbuk-gu, which accepted a notarized photocopy. I changed schools after my first year was completed, and so a new visa certificate needed to be issued. This time it was Kangnam-gu, and they required my original.

I worked for the same director at both schools (he opened up a new branch) and so I know it was not a case of a different director wanting something different...in fact, my notarized copy was sent to the Kangnam-gu office, and we got a letter back asking for the original.

My degree was returned by Immigration to the school about 7 days later, but the school needed to retain it for 30 days for some other processing that had to do with my Alien Registartion Card. This has been the case for all of the teachers at my current school -- although not the first year, only the second year. When it came back to me, it was in perfect condition, still packaged in the same cardboard file and paper that I had given it away in more than 30 days before.

Confusing.....yes.

But there's more -- in the first instance, where I sent the notarized copy to Seongbuk-gu's district office, they said that notarized copies would not be returned, only originals. My boyfriend, at the very same time, received a visa certificate in Nowon-gu, with a notarized copy, and had his orginal returned. So, if your certificate is issued with a notarized degree, you may want to have another one on hand, just for the future.


So....I think that there are some things that are up to the district office where you are applying, possibly the city. It also could be the case of a different worker on a different day....or a case of things changing from month to month....none of that would surprise me.

[Homer]

Actually Immigration is accepting notarized degrees less and less. You now need to send your original diploma.