Korean Job Discussion Forums

[endo]

Not a personal story (alough it will potentially effect me) but this recently happened to a friend of mine.


He has a bank account with KEB. His E2 visa expired at the end of February, but the boss needed him to stay an extra week because the incomming teacher needed another week to process some documents.

So him and his boss cleared everything with immigration and he stayed in Seoul for an extra week.


Well on Saturday when he went to take out some money from his bank card it didn't work.

He went to the KEB bank and the person there told him that since his E2 visa had expired, so did his card.

I assume they had his expiration (prior to extending his work visa) eariler on file when he first opened his bank account.


Then he asked if he could wire his money home. The bank said no because his E2 visa had expired.


So he had to withdrawal all off his cash (which also was a bit of a hassle) and fly home with a big wad of cash.




What the hell is this?

So let me get this straight; whenever our E2 visas expire we are no longer afforded the ability to send cash home?


And even more, do banks now have the ability to cut off access to our bank card when our work visas expire?


Serously what the hell is going on?


I'm currently planning on taking some time to study Korean after my current contract and thus will be in the country without a work visa. Does this mean I will not be able to access my account when I'm here as a student?


How do they expect me to live in Seoul without access to a bank account?



I hope this is a unique case and not the future norm in this country.

Hub of Asia my azz!

[lawyertood]

One would think you would be okay if you are on a student visa. Although wouldn't surprise me to find this is not true.

[pkang0202]

I dont' see a connection between VISA expiration and wiring money back home.

To wire money back home, you just need your passport. You don't even need a bank account. Did your frind try to wire money home through a different bank? KB, Nonghyup, Shinhan, and Hana all have wire transfer services.

Also, did he try a different KEB. We all know different banks will say different things. I think the KEB branch in Itaewon is the most liberal considering how many foreigners they deal with on a daily basis. Out in the countryside, don't expect your local bank to know anything about foreigner's banking situation.

[kprrok]

So given that my E2 VISA expired about 2 years ago, I shouldn't have been able to do any banking?

Odd. I've had no problems at all.

KPRROK

[endo]

Actually the bank was Hanna Bank. My bad.


I'm just still shocked that the bank actually cut off his access to his bank card!