Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Derrek]

A warning to you guys who are planning a Visa Run to Osaka .... get there before 11am.

There were six of us foreigners who showed up at 1:30 (after their lunch break) to get our Visa stamps, and the counter-lady was upset. She gave a few of us a verbal tongue-lashing, and told us to pass along that they, "normally don't allow this!" By that, she meant that they don't get the Visas done by 3pm if they are brought to them at 1:30pm.

We were all in the same boat, since there were no tickets available earlier than the flight we took.

With that said, our "Visa Run" was really a serious "run". I am exhausted. To top it off, we took the wrong train back to the airport (we took the slow one, because it said, "Express".. hahha). We almost missed our plane back, and all later flights were booked through Sunday. Yikes!

Glad it's over!

[ulsanchris]

HEy Derrek considering some of the badluck you have been having that trip doesn't sound to bad. If it was up to your usual standard you would still be there.

[chi-chi]

It seems like most jobs do it that way...I almost got left in Japan last year doing it that way...so I told my last employer that I WOULDN'T GO if he didn't give me at least 8 hours.

[bucheon bum]

what a rude woman. There was a british guy in your same situation when I did the visa run and the lady didn't say squat. I got mine around 4:30 (drop off at 1:30 or so), flight back to Seoul was at 7:30 pm.

[camel96]

Doesn't more or less EVERYONE who does that visa run get to the consulate at 1-1.30....???
Surely they're used to this.
Consular staff are notoriously crabby and unpredictable everywhere though so it's kind of hard to know the real reason.
You got the visa though which is the main thing.

[richinkorea]

Wow, tight run. Good thing you didn't get Derrek'ed !

[panthermodern]

Well, I have done the visa run in Osaka 3 times and coordinated at least 10 others (thats my job) I have never heard of any problems.

As for crabby ... I don't blame her ... Most for the "foreigners" I have seen at the Osaka office are scared little shitheads who are as rude and demanding as *beep*.

(Not directed at anyone poster in particular)

Just because your in Japan does not mean you have licence to be rude to the Korean consulate staff.

Here are my tips:

1) Don't Panic (did not anyone learn that from the HHGttG)
2) Proper Planning Provides Perfect Preformance
Have all you stuff ready and bring everything that you need
3) Be Polite, screraming and being rude will get you no where.


See, I am that guy in Osaka who shows up at 1:30, gets in line, having already bought my stamps, has my picture, has my forms filled out, and is polite to the staff at the consulate. I get my stamp by 3:00 pm at the lastest ...

I also avoid others like the plague, your hard luck stories and lack of planning are not going to slow me down.

I give my "people" the same advice ....

take it or leave it ....

[mrroboto]

I had crazy problems getting to the consulate on time, after first missing a bus, then my plane, and finally the train from the airport. I stepped into the building at 4pm on a Friday.

I thought I was screwed and would be spending the whole weekend sitting around in Japan with 20,000 yen and no hotel, but the lady handed me my visa back 20 minutes later. It was shocking.

[Zyzyfer]

My VISA run to Japan was awesome. I wasn't working yet, so I got to spend a full week in Japan. Chilled in Kanagi with my college pal who was teaching for JET, then we went to Osaka for a couple of days and ate up the gaming scene, got my VISA done at a nice leisurely pace, so on.

If I ever have to do another VISA run, I'll undoubtedly request the run before I start working. No way am I doing what Derrek described.

[rapier]

My last visa run extended to an unforeseeable 3 days. However I submitted my application at 9am, and it was ready by 3pm..gave me the day to check out all the back streets in the vicinity of the immigration office, not bad.