Korean Job Discussion Forums

[adventureheart]

I have a question about tourist visas vs working visas...

My friend and I arrived Nov. 30 to start working in a hagwan. They had us come over before getting the work visa b/c they were in a crunch for teachers. They said they would take our info to immigration within the first two weeks, sending us to Japan for the visa before the end of the month.

Now, they want to wait until January b/c airfare is more expensive during the holiday season...but our tourist visas expire Dec. 30.

So the question -

Is staying over our tourist visa going to be a problem? Can it be extended to cover us until we get the working visas... or do we really need to push them to send us ASAP?

Any info would be great. I don't want to be here illegally and end up in a bad situation.
Thanks!

[Ya-ta Boy]

Hate to be the bearer of bad tidings, but you, your friend and the hakwons are flirting with deportation and fines. Right now you are working illegally.

I don't know if you can extend a tourist visa. I don't think you can. I was under the impression you HAD to leave the country and get a new one. Maybe that isn't true.

My advice: Go to your boss and insist on being sent for your E-2 immediately.

[Ya-ta Boy]

I did some re-thinking about this. I think the problem is worse than you suspect.

#1. The hakwon knew (or should have known) flight prices before you arrived. The holiday season has been on the calendar for a couple of thousand years at this point: Christmas, (solar) New Year's and Lunar New Years are not recent additions.

#2. Lunar New Year is at the end of January this time. It isn't likely that airlines will drop prices for a couple of weeks between the two new year holidays. My guess is that the hakwons are going to try to keep you working and waiting till February.

IOW, I smell a dead fish.

I'd start looking around for a back-up job if I were you. Although I have heard the homeless guys who sleep in the Seoul subway are a friendly crowd when they are not having hallucinations.

[Yu_Bum_suk]

Make it very clear to your boss that you must leave the country by the 30th. If you don't, you will run into massive problems in January. Make it clear to him that if you don't have your visa paperwork ready before then, you will be having to make two trips. If all else fails, before the 30th get to Busan (you can get there on a slow train or cheap bus for under W25,000 from anywhere in Korea) and get a return ferry to Fukuoka. There's a travel agency in Busan - tel. 051.747.0031 - that can arrange your passage quickly for under W200,000; they also have several fluent Englihs speaking staff. You are working illegally as it is - don't let your boss screw you over any longer. Everything is perfectly salvageable at this point but you are flirting with disaster, and 20% more for holiday airfares is not a good enough reason to do so.

[adventureheart]

Thanks everyone... I thought the whole thing was a bit sketchy...

If they go to immigration on Monday, how long should I reasonable expect to wait before they have the paperwork to send us to Japan?

[Ya-ta Boy]

It should only take a couple of days. If your wongjongnim is serious, it can be done in a matter of hours. (That might require money changing hands, though.)

You could be out Wed/Thurs and back Friday.

Good luck.