Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Ron Stevens]

Quick question?

I've sent over all the documentation for the E2 visa for the school.

The school is organising a one-way ticket. I know as a NZ citizen there is a reciprocal visa waiver agreement, hence no visa requirement for 90 day entry

however are they OK with entering on a one-way ticket with no onward or return flight?

Thanks in advance

RON STEVENS

[NearlyKorean]

Usually they are not okay with that, especially on a tourist visa.
What I did is bought my visa run ticket and that will satisfy them.

Best wishes,
NK...

[TheUrbanMyth]

[Ron Stevens]

[Big Mac]

Why couldn't they get you your E2 Visa before arriving in Korea? If you're going there to teach you shouldn't have to enter the country on a tourist Visa...you should have all that sorted out before you get there.

It seems like a waste of money to make you go to Osaka for a Visa run when you're in New Zealand now and can get the Visa while you're there.

[just because]

In my experience you can't..

I've flown from Australia 2 times without an E2 visa with Qantas(just going for a tourist)

*one time I even had an outward ticket(to japan) and that didn't even do the job as the said since i didn't have a return ticket home(only to Japan) they wouldn't let me on the plane...i expalained i have an outward ticket so it shouldn't be a problem so after 20 minutes of umminbg and arring and me insisting and the supervisor coming over i finally got on the plane...that was WITH an outward ticket(a ferry ticket to Fukuoka)

*the other time I didn't and they refused to let me on point blank(that was at brisbane) so i had to buy a refundable ticket at the airport with a credit card and get the refund when i got here....

I wouldn't risk it, coming from Australia and new Zealand they have seemed quite adament about it, especially Qantas, British Air, Japan Air and Air New Zealand....

However if you do make it through you are set as it is the immigration in New Zealand whose job it is to make sure you don't get on(it is actually illegal to let passengers on without an outward ticket) and Korea won't even check

[The Bobster]

[Ron Stevens]

[quote="Big Mac"]Why couldn't they get you your E2 Visa before arriving in Korea? If you're going there to teach you shouldn't have to enter the country on a tourist Visa...you should have all that sorted out before you get there.

It seems like a waste of money to make you go to Osaka for a Visa run when you're in New Zealand now and can get the Visa while you're there.[/quote

that would be the best option but not enough time

[Ron Stevens]

appreciate the responses

i'm thinking i might just use their contribution paid for the one way toward a 12 mth return ticket

i'm still a bit concerned re possible outcomes

[Yu_Bum_suk]

[Otus]

You probably got all the answers by now. Actually, I'm surprised this issue doesn't come up more often. What I say is only based on experience:

They will not let you through the check in at a New Zealand airport on a tourist visa without a return ticket.

Many hagwons and universities bring teachers in on tourist visas first because the process is much faster than having the paperwork processed from a foreign Korean embassy before coming. The embassies exagerate about how long it takes, normally it can be done within a month.

If you arrive in Korea on a tourist visa it avoids the delaying process of having the documents sent from Korea to a foreign embassy. The documents are readily obtained here and it's so much easier for them to send you out again - but in the case of universities, damned expensive as they are not paying for any of your travel.

In many cases Hagwons will pressure you to start working on the tourist visa as soon as you get here because they have been lazy about getting the E2 application together. Not advisable. I remember one teacher who got caught and punished for this by immigration - posted on this board and was beaten down on senselessly by one or two know-it-all preachers. In reality this process is almost entrapment.

If you finish a hagwon and go for a uni or another hagwon and want a break in between; here's something you can negotiate if lucky.

Line up the new job.

Then tell your new employer you are taking a short trip home and tell them you will give contact details for the nearest K. embassy to process your E2 or E1

Do not believe the nearest K. embassy when they tell you it may take up to 6 months to process. You can get it in one month. Stay on their backs.

I did that with my first uni job in 1998 and the uni paid salary for the month I was away since I'd already signed the contract and the delay was for legitimate reasons.

Hope this may be useful to some.

[kiwikid]

I'm currently dealing with the same problem. The solution the travel agent came up with was buying a ticket to Japan (Fukuoka) with a stopover in Seoul. She said I would have no problems getting on the plane here (NZ) to korea as I have an onward ticket, the only thing was when I went to go to Fukuoka I would need to get a return or onward ticket. That'll be no problem as I 'll be doing a visa run and the school will be paying. The Fukuoka part of the trip can also be changed to anytime with no cost so if I don't use it for the visa run I can use it for a holiday later. There was only about a $20 difference between a ticket to Seoul and a ticket to Japan.

[Hater Depot]

What if you have your E-2 visa in the passport, but you want to come 2 weeks early to do some sightseeing? Is that going to get me scrutinized or not allowed to board?

[denverdeath]