Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Rob'sdad]

[Geckoman]

Here is a cheap place to stay:

Guam Garden Villa B & B Homestay
http://www.guambnbhomestay.com

[WormBones]

[WormBones]

Bumping this in case anyone has more info. My flight is now finalized for 5 days from now and I will begin teaching in Seoul.

I think that my employer is still counting on a Guam visa run for me, but my girlfriend has also been applying and has schools (not recruiters) telling her that she can do a Japan run, despite being a first-timer.

Any help is appreciated. It doesn't matter a whole lot to me, as I might be back to Japan, but probably not to Guam, but I do have a friend I'd like to see if Japan is an option.

Thanks!

[bibimbapus]

any update on guam or japan as an option to get your e2 visa?

[bibimbapus]

can you get a first e2 visa at this guam consulate even though they don't have juridisction over any place in mainland united states? that is, if you live in new york, can this consulate in guam issue your first time e2 visa?

[bibimbapus]

can you get a first e2 visa at this guam consulate even though they don't have juridisction over any place in mainland united states? that is, if you live in new york, can this consulate in guam issue your first time e2 visa?

[jsis2358]

I was also curious about this. I want to go to Korea, find a job there, then get my visa/work permit in Guam. Is it true you can't get it in Japan anymore? And has anyone done this successfully in Guam, with their first job in the country?

[jpotter78]

So, I overstayed my visa by 1 day back in 2005 and now I am changing from an E7 to an E2 visa and immigration said that I need to go back to the U.S. to get my visa (once I have my visa issuance number). Can I go to Guam to do this? Anyone know?

[northway]

[jpotter78]

Thanks northway. Did you do an interview? When did you do it (year)? How long did it take to get your visa?

[northway]

[luciano]

I recently went to Guam to get a visa run and here are the details of what I learned.

A visa run to Guam is necessary if it�s your first time applying for an E-2 visa for Korea. You cannot go to Japan because you have to go to a Korean consulate in your home country. For those of us from the US, Guam is a US territory and has a consulate there and is the closest to Korea. On your next visa run I hear it is possible to just go to Japan.

Flying to Guam cost me around $600 and I flew from Seoul. There were flights from Busan but the really cheap flights took a really long time.

Guam: Hotels and taxis are expensive in Guam. Bottom of the barrel hotels were priced to me at $50-$60 while reasonable hotels were in the $70-$80 range. If your school is paying for it, you can decide whatever, but my school wasn�t paying for that.

Another option is to sign up for couchsurfing.org and stay on someone�s couch for free. I have couchsurfed a fair bit and really enjoy it. Unfortunately, I stayed with the worst person I�ve couchsurfed with. Be warry of Paul Cruz. But that said, all of my other couch surfing experiences have been great.

Arriving to the airport, there is a free phone to use at the information desk and he can also give you information about hotels and activities to do there. Note: There is no internet at the airport and no internet cafes within walking distance. I took a taxi for about 5 minutes ($15) to an internet caf� at nearby Micronesia Mall. Public transportation is also not very good on Guam and buses don�t run very often.

The visa office in Guam is the following:

South Korea Consulate , United States

125C Tun Jose Camacho St.
Guam 96913
Tamuning
Guam
USA
Phone:
+1-671-6476488
+1-671-6495232
Fax:
+1-671-6491336
Email:
[email protected]

Be wary of looking up the address on google earth as it does not exist.

The consulate is in the Tamuning area of the island. To find it ask for directions to the Pizza Hut in Tamuning. The Pizza Hut is the on the side of Marine Road. If you are heading south on Marine Road take a right at the intersection with the Pizza Hut. If you�re traveling north take a left. Then, follow the road to the next light. You will see a Payless Grocery store and take a right. Look for the Oka building immediately to your left and it�s right up the road.

Necessary Documents:
-They said two passport photos (35x45mm) on the phone but only needed one from me.
- Your apostilled degree (although he didn�t seem to really look at the apostille)
-Your passport
-Information: The name, address, and contact information of your school (it should line up with what the school has registered); Your college name and address;
-Your pin number that you got from the Immigration Office in Busan (Line #1: Yungang stop exit 12 and walk towards the ocean)

Special note: You need two business days in Guam to complete the process. They�re open from 9-4 M-F closing for lunch from 12-1:30. You drop your passport and application off on one day and it pick it up at 3:00 p.m. the next day.

Hope this helps.

[warmachinenkorea]

I've been to Guam twice for mini vacations.

The above poster is right about getting around Guam. I would rent a small compact car for a day or two. Don't depend on the buses. Most people on Guam are nice and if you wanna save on a room try couch surfing. My wife and I stayed with an awesome host last time we where there.

[DerJon]

Payless Rental Car gave us a pretty good deal. Summer starts the rainy season, and therefore the off-peak season, crazy as it sounds. Paid less than $500 round trip for flights then. Looked it up for December, and prices doubled. I didn't do a visa run, I went for pleasure. It was an amazing place. So much tropical beauty to take in, but with such an oddly American (West Coast) feel! What a place.... Lot's of good memories there....