Korean Job Discussion Forums

plato's republic · Joined: 07 Dec 2004 Location: Ancient Greece

Is it illegal to work whilst waiting for Korean immigration to process your visa? I would guess so but would just like some confirmation. Confused

Has anyone ever done such a thing??

Manner of Speaking · Joined: 09 Jan 2003

Yes.

And if Immigration comes into your school and finds you teaching, before you get your work visa, you can be deported.

Grotto · Joined: 21 Mar 2004

OiGirl · Joined: 23 Jan 2003 Location: Hoke-y-gun

What do you mean by "waiting for Korean immigration to process your visa"? Are you waiting for a blue paper? Illegal. Are you waiting to go on a visa run? Illegal. I don't know that Korean immigration per se processes your visa, that needs to be done by an embassy/consulate in another country. Are you waiting for your ARC? That's legal, but you should have the receipt for it.

If you are changing/transferring your visa from one school to another, is there some wait time in-between, or it the change made on the sopt?

Cohiba · Joined: 01 Feb 2005

Dude:

Everything in Korea is legal. Don't you understand that yet?
The laws are here to make sure the "powers that be" can take
a slice of the pie if your caught. (i.e. bribe) Nobody really
cares what you're doing, or who you're doing it to. This is
especially true with immigration. Foreigners are just too dumb
to realize how the big world works.

JacktheCat · Joined: 08 May 2004

Until you get a shiny new E2 visa stamped into your passport from a Korean consulate in a country outside Korea, it is illegal for you to teach.

But this is Korea, where legality has little bearing.

plato's republic · Joined: 07 Dec 2004 Location: Ancient Greece

well let me explain myself a little better, what I mean is that i've sent off my documents to korea in order for them to be processed, once this is done i'll get the "BLUE FORM" and then go on a visa run to japan. the school wants me to start teaching on april 1st but my "BLUE FORM" might not be ready by then, so if i begin teaching a few days before going on my visa run in order to get the visa stamped into my passport, that is technically illegal, right?
i'm just not sure how long it's going to take to get the "BLUE FORM". I've been hearing that it might take 2/3 weeks! that seems a little long.

Son Deureo! · Joined: 30 Apr 2003

Yep, 100% illegal.

Manner of Speaking · Joined: 09 Jan 2003

Banana Bender · Joined: 24 Jun 2003

Very illegal. Got caught teaching while waiting to go on a VISA run myself and we both had to pay a combined fine of 1,000,000. The fine should have been 2,000,000 between us. ( My director did some serious crawling )

The real reason for the fine was that it was left too late for the paper work.

In the end I had to leave Korea and have the paperwork posted to me as they wouldn't issue it while I was still in Korea. I had no troubles in getting back in fortunately.

hellofaniceguy · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Location: On your computer screen!

It's very simple....if it's not stamped in your passport....you're NOT legal. Period.
No grey areas..it's black and white.

PolyChronic Time Girl · Joined: 15 Dec 2004 Location: Korea Exited

And not worth the risk...period. One poster told his story about how he only worked at his hagwon for two days (while waiting for the blue form I think?). He was caught by immigration and has a very ugly story to tell. Personally, I would never work even one day illegally.
Just be firm with your director...right now he/she is in the honeymoon period with you and is going to give into your demands (since you are still technically in the "application" process) Just say how dangerous it will be for the institute (pay big fine) if caught. You can even tell your director that immigration has called you and is asking you about your whereabouts and therefore it isn't wise to start work until you come back from Japan. Be firm...your director really wants you so he/she should not have a problem (problems start AFTER you start working). Besides I have know foreigners who were told that their blue forms were coming, only to wait, wait, wait because the director didn't want them absent from work (can't get the visa in Japan during the weekend...consulate closed)
Many others have been in this situation...many have not had problems but immigration is cracking down on illegal teachers so I personally wouldn't risk it. My current job wanted me to start teaching without the visa and I firmly told them I couldn't until I was legal...they didn't have a problem with that since they really needed me.
Each to his/her own....good luck and let us know how it turns out.