Korean Job Discussion Forums

antoniothegreat · Joined: 28 Aug 2005 Location: Yangpyeong

yesterday i had to go to immigration to renew my visa for another year. my town has only three buses to suwon, i could only take the 2:50 bus, and traffic was bad, so i didnt get to suwon terminal until 5:30. immigration closes at six, and the last bus to my hometown is at 6:20.

the taxi took 15 minutes to get to immigration, now it is 5:45. i pulled number 410 with 399 showing, it only took them 10 minutes to move ten spots (sometimes 10 spots takes an hour) so i go at 5:55. five minutes to do the paperwork, and the guy says wait 10 minutes. i told him the last bus left in only 20 minutes. He says ok, literally 45 seconds later, they hand me back my passport and ARC. 15 minutes to the terminal, and bam, i am back on my bus heading home.

i was quite happy, as i was imagining a worst case scenario of not even getting the visa done and having to go back to suwon, and missing the last bus home (meaning i have to go to seoul first, adding atleast 2 hours to my trip home)

cheers for immi....

eamo · Joined: 08 Mar 2003 Location: Shepherd's Bush, 1964.

I can continue the praise.

Mok-dong immigration processed my F2 visa from start to finish with no fuss in 5 working days. Courier service included.

I wonder if they hired a few more staff.

Also, when did the Mok-dong office start working through the lunch hour? I know they never used to. Everybody still there coming up to 12:00 would be unceremoniously dumped on the street for an hour. Last couple of times I went they were working through lunch or taking shifts maybe. Anyway. It seems much more efficient these days.

billybrobby · Joined: 09 Dec 2004

i've only been there a few times, but i've never spent more than 40 minutes at immigration. it's always been good to me. knock on wood.

stumptown · Posted: Wed Aug 09, 2006 10:08 pm Post subject:

Same here. I went to Incheon immigration office this year and had no problems whatsoever. Got my visa number a week later and my ARC 10 days after I returned from the embassy.

Yesanman · Joined: 21 Jun 2006 Location: Chungnam

I always thought I was the only one who doesn't hate immigration. In 9 years I've never had a problem with them (well excepting the guy who pointed at the jail cell and kept saying "you go there" while my boss was filling in my paperwork)

When I changed my job last time the immigration official told me a way around leaving the country to get my new visa. With some fancy paperwork (file for F2 before getting a new E2) he saved me at least $500 and a trip to Japan.

canuckistan · Posted: Wed Aug 09, 2006 10:31 pm Post subject:

rothkowitz · Joined: 27 Apr 2006

They've definitely improved their services.Had my re-entry permit done in 2 minutes flat.

Also,managed to talk to someone in English about Immi matters very quickly on the phone though their website needs improving.No contact number on the English page,only the Korean one.

stumptown · Posted: Thu Aug 10, 2006 12:22 am Post subject:

Just last year you couldn't get anyone at the Incheon branch who spoke English, now they've hired several. I also noticed on the way back from Hong Kong that if you have an ARC you don't need to fill out the embark/disembark cards anymore. Less paperwork, less time to get through.

SuperHero · Joined: 10 Dec 2003 Location: Superhero Hideout

I've been to immigration countless times since '97 and have never had a problem.

antoniothegreat · Joined: 28 Aug 2005 Location: Yangpyeong

and i forot to mention, the person that you buy the stamps from (to pay for your visa) spoke competent english and was able to help with the forms and other requirements, saving me, the other workers, and the people waiting time...

corroonb · Joined: 04 Aug 2006

How come there's so many horror-stories about immigration? The last few weeks I've been dreading the visa process because every seems to think its really bad.

antoniothegreat · Joined: 28 Aug 2005 Location: Yangpyeong

i think people like to think the worst of their situations, and immigration is a government beauracracy, which means lots of red tape, BS, and apathy...

that is exactly why i wanted to post a good post, since they get so much crab on this sight.

Billy Pilgrim · Joined: 08 Sep 2004

I'm waiting for Real Reality to swoop in and put this thread back in its place.

Cool

Wangja · Joined: 17 May 2004 Location: Seoul, Yongsan

I've never had a problem (at Mokdong) in 8 years - Korean immigration is a breeze compared with USA (or EU).

vlcupper · Joined: 12 Aug 2004 Location: Gangnam

I was in and out at immigration in Mokdong in less than 5 minutes. The funny thing is there were people there that looked like they'd been there for a while. I did all my paperwork, put the stamps on, and got the little ticket to wait. I was the next number. I know those people were not pleased. Heh heh.