Korean Job Discussion Forums

[MidwestRepresent]

I've searched for info on getting an F-2 in the US before returning to Korea to no avail on Dave's and the Korean consulate site. This might be because it's simply not possible. Or perhaps my search skills are deficient. But maybe someone on here has had this experience or knows someone who has and can give me some info on how it is done.

The details are that my wife and I were married in the US in January of 2007 and she has her conditional residence card for the US. We're planning on returning to Korea in January 2009, but will be leaving the US to travel for about 4 months before getting back to Korea.

Any info on getting an F-2 in the US before leaving would be appreciated.

[Scott in Incheon]

I know that it can be done outside the country because I did it. But I got mine in Hong Kong so I can't give you any first hand info about doing it in the states. We simply went down to the Korean Embassy in Hong Kong and applied. It was only good for a short period of time and I had to re-apply when I got to Korea, but I was able to enter on an F-2 and the re-application was a breeze.

[MidwestRepresent]

That was really helpful. A couple follow up questions:

How long was the F-2 valid for?
How far in advance did you apply prior to entering the country?
Did you provide the same documents you would if you applied in Korea or was anything else required?

Thanks for your replies in advance.

[tob55]

First F2 is good for one year

Upon renewal you may or may not be given a two year visa. It is up to the immigration office and it isn't guaranteed.

You provide the documents you first issued, most likely if you are renewing in country after coming from a different location in the world. After that it is a good idea to bring in the documents, but they may not even look at anything other than your application. The renewal doesn't take any time at all. The renewal process for me took about 30 minutes and it was done. The first time took 2 weeks and they kept my passport.

Hope this helps

[ttompatz]

[tob55]

Thanks ttompatz for the correction/clarification.

[MidwestRepresent]

Thanks again for all the helpful info.

Since we will be traveling for 4 months before arriving and the F-2 entry visa expires 90 days after issuance, it seems like the best bet is to either enter on a tourist visa or get the F-2 entry visa closer to our arrival in Korea. A few questions in regards to these possibilities:

Can an F-2 entry visa be issued by the Korean consulate of another nation besides that of my country of residence? By this I mean can I apply for the visa a few months into my trip while traveling?

If I can do the above, how long has it taken to process the F-2 for those of you who did it at a consulate outside Korea?

Finally, if I simply enter on a tourist visa a few weeks before my new job starts, I would technically be working illegally until I receive the F-2 in hand, right? I seem to remember reading that F-2 processing times can vary greatly from a few weeks to a few months, so this doesn't seem like a viable option for me.

[MidwestRepresent]

If I have a contract in hand, does that affect the likelihood or speed of being approved for an F-2 outside Korea? Or is that an entirely unrelated issue?