Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Manner of Speaking]

I have to renew my passport in another six months, and I was wondering if anyone else has done this in Korea? How long does it usually take them to process your application?

I have a couple of Korean friends who are licenced pharmacists and I've known them here for two years, so either one of them can be a guarantor for my passport application.

[crazylemongirl]

I renewed my passport in december. On top of the guarantor you need two references that have known you for 2years, plus birth certificate and two other forms of ID.

I didn't have a guarantor and it took two weeks.

Once you're done pop along to the seoul immigration and report your change of passport details using form 1 (from memory).

[Captain Corea]

2 weeks.

[schwa]

I did it last year. I dont recall it taking as long as 2 weeks, but maybe. Certainly no longer than that.

I skipped the guarantor part too. I had folks I could have asked but it seemed easier to skip that hoop. Cost 30k extra to chat for a couple minutes with some ranking consulate official instead.

Their hours for renewals are very skimpy, check ahead. I had to come cross-country & wanted to minimize time off work. They were really accommodating -- I made an appointment beforehand & they dealt with me outside normal hours on a friday afternoon. Relaxed, no waiting.

They're really fussy about photos. Be especially careful if doing the guarantor thing because he/she has to sign a special stamp on the back of one. I had a set done up locally that seemed to meet the specs but something or other was a millimeter off so they were rejected (& remember, no smiling!). Theres a little photo shop tucked in the basement of the same bldg that has the routine down -- quick & cheap.

They'll mail you the new passport (along with the old one with a corner snipped off) if you want to save a trip back.

[jay-shi]

I renewed my passport last April and they mailed it back in 10 days.

[Yu_Bum_suk]

Mine only took a week. It was pretty expensive - I believe W130,000. I posted photos to Canada and had the guarantor mail them back.

[teachmeenglish]

I would not recomend getting it renewed here if you can. I did mine 3 years ago and on the bottom of the info page the magnetic line reads NOT MACHINE READABLE. This minor thing results in your pasport not meeting US standards and means that you can not fly into the US, or even go chicago T.O. Maybe things have changed with the pp here but that was the case 3 years ago. Any one else got a recently renewed one that can confirm/deny this???

[Bulsajo]

Yes, I would also recommend that you not get it renewed here three years ago for the same reason.
However, should you opt to renew it now rather than decide to do it three years ago, you should be okay...

[Manner of Speaking]

Thanks everyone!

[Mr. Pink]

It takes 7-14 days to get.

They now come machine readable.

I have been way too lazy to goto immigration and update my file there. Guess I have something to do during my holidays.

[Doodly]

Picking up a passport at the embassy this Friday. Just under two weeks for processing. Provided four references (two were in lieu of a guarantor). They said it will be machine readable.

[Yu_Bum_suk]

[Bulsajo]

[crazylemongirl]

If you renew now, then you get a machine readable passport from the Seoul office.

FYI You have 14 Days to report your change of passport to the immigration authorities or else you get a fine. This isn't something you can fudge as the date of issue is printed on the passport.

[SarcasmKills]