Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Kenny Kimchee]

UPDATE: Went to Immigration today (Seoul Omokyo office) to renew my E2. My contract is valid until 2/28/09.

I gave them a copy of my contract, the school's license, and 60,000 won. They gave me an extension until 11 December 2008; this means that I'll have to go back and renew yet again, but the 30,000 won is worth the peace of mind it will give me while I lounge around on some beach during the winter break.

As others have said, these laws may or may not be enacted, but I say better safe than sorry. Act now, only 3 shopping days left!

Good luck to all.


I teach at a uni. My contract has been renewed and I need a new visa by March 1st. Since the new regulations don't go into effect until December 15th, I was thinking about rocking up to immigration and getting my visa renewed this coming Monday or Tuesday.

Is it possible? My visa expires in less than 3 months, so it's possible to renew, right? Did anyone renew their visa this week?

[Hanson]

[Jeonnam Jinx]

I just renewed last week, but my visa was due to expire in just a couple of weeks. Not sure if you can renew this early, but no harm in calling before-hand and seeing what they say.

Same process as previous years, little hassle. So, if it is possible at all, then definitely do it now.

[jinks]

I was in the same position as the OP. I went to Daejeon immigration with a colleague to try and extend/renew early. Immigration wasn't comfortable with it, but after some phone calls back and forth to our uni we both got 12 month extensions. Even though our re-signed contracts are Mar08-Feb09 our new extended visa and ARC cards are only good until Nov 08. I don't know what will happen then.

[The Hammer]

The new visa stamp looks like this:

HELL2

[Kenny Kimchee]

[jinks]

[Kenny Kimchee]

[Kenny Kimchee]

UPDATE: Went to Immigration today (Seoul Omokyo office) to renew my E2. My contract is valid until 2/28/09.

I gave them a copy of my contract, the school's license, and 60,000 won. They gave me an extension until 11 December 2008; this means that I'll have to go back and renew yet again, but the 30,000 won is worth the peace of mind it will give me while I lounge around on some beach during the winter break.

As others have said, these laws may or may not be enacted, but I say better safe than sorry. Act now, only 3 shopping days left!

Good luck to all.

[PaulPizzazz]

I did the same thing as Kennykimchi did yesterday at the same immigration office in Seoul.

My contract ends February 25th. The new contract I agreed to with my boss is from March 10, 2008 until March 9, 2009.

The immigration woman gave me a one-year extension from yesterday, thus December 10, 2007 until December 9, 2008. Wasn't prefect, but better than nothing.

I had read on Dave's that immigration can refuse you any extensions or renewals until you are into the last 2 months of your visa. That would of put me at December 25 of this year. That would be about 10 days after the new regulations come into effect (from what we've all been told) and thus shit outta luck.

Just getting the damn criminal record from Canada would take, what, 4 months, plus shipping time??

Glad I got it done before the 15th without having to turn in all the new material.

And this will give me time to get everything together for the 3 month extension I will thus need on my visa of next year to cover my contract period.

If you're worried, convince your boss you have to renew now and get to immigration..

[Kenny Kimchee]

If you guys have the means you should definitely get down there within the next three days. They're open during lunch time.

Good luck to all.

[Colorado]

I did the same last month, extended my sojourn for another year even though my contract isn't up until March. Maybe this mess will be sorted out by the time I reapply in a years time.

[Al Khidr]

I'm doing not a G...D.... thing early. Better my own man than a step-n-fetchit. Anyway, the latest is that they are backing the whole E-2 changes until March 15th of the next year. I think enough universities and secondary schools with E-2 teachers told the government they'd lose their foreign teachers and wouldn't be able to replace them--especially if newbies have to undergo 3 to 4 month backround crminal checks.

By the way, for those of you who think any of this has to do with the current election, check what the actual politicians are saying. They're saying they want Korea to be "Number One!" when it comes to welcoming foreigners, and all they plan to do to help foreigners who work in Korea feel more appreciated, and blah, blah, blah... I doubt any of these politicians have a clue about what the visa changes are. This is more a response to years of "documentary" and "expose" TV here purporting to show the slimy side of English teachers in Korea. The Ministry of Justice spokeperson in the last published in the papers on the E-2 changes even said in an interview that the change was due to media pressure.

[Pink Freud]

I am in the same position as the OP (my current visa expires 2/29/2008).

Went to Daegu immi today and received my visa for next year, valid until 2/28/2009. I was told that "by the regulations" I wasn't supposed to be able to apply for my new one until December 28 (two months before the expiration of my current visa), but since I had come "all the way here" the officer was giving me my visa for next year "to save me trouble".

My experiences with Daegu immi get better every time I visit. Today I was in and out in less than twenty minutes. Even got a very pleasant smile from the officer who did the renewal.

[fruitcake]