Korean Job Discussion Forums

Crois · Posted: Tue Dec 23, 2003 5:19 am Post subject: British Passport

Ha my hogwon asked for my passport and residential card about two weeks ago because they said they needed it for some tax thing. I asked for them back and they said why?

Ha i said it was against the law for them to hold it. They said but you can see our position - ie if i do a runner. I might threaten them by using the British Embassy threat of saying my hogwon wont give me my passport. It will be fun but i dont want to piss them off too much.

Basically they are scared if i decide to do a runner.

I read a post about it earlier on Daves about that.

Emma Clare · Joined: 24 May 2003 Location: Anseong, sung, song.

Regardless. That thing is your freedom and your liberty. No-one has a right to it other than YOU.

(Sorry, but I'm proud to hold a British passport and I'd never let anyone keep mine)

Holyjoe · Joined: 03 Mar 2003 Location: Away for a cuppa

Get it back ASAP.

Get your alien card too and (though you didn't mention you'd given it to them) keep hold of your original degree too.

Crois · Posted: Tue Dec 23, 2003 6:13 am Post subject: Passport

Yeah but i dont want to be too arsey with the hogwon because i dont mind too much about the passport and its annoying because its impossible to rase my voice at the teacher who looks after us because she is nice to us.

Anyway i will ask for my documents back but they have had loads of foreigners here before us so there hasnt been any real problems

J.B. Clamence · Joined: 15 Jan 2003

Yeah, I agree with those who have replied so far. There is no way they can hold your passport or your alien ID card.

You need your alien ID card. You are supposed to carry it on you, as police might ask to see it. You also need it for other things, such as dealing with banks and opening different kinds of accounts, etc. If you continue to have a problem getting it back, tell your boss that you will call immigration and tell them that he won't give it back.

If you have a problem getting your passport back, that's an easy one. Tell your boss you will report it stolen at the British Embassy, and you will tell the embassy that HE stole it. Embassies may not care about many things, but they take the issue of stolen passports very seriously because those who steal passports are often people who are trying (or at least aiding someone else) to enter your country who would normally not be able to, so they will contact the local police for you and your boss will be in trouble. It doesn't have to come to that: a simple warning to your boss should do the trick (if he has any sense).