Korean Job Discussion Forums

[declan]

Last night when i was talking about goin to australia next month i was asked if i had a return visa to korea...

WTF? I didnt think i needed this. My contract is up on March 31st, my alien card expires in may. I am goin to Australia during april and plan to return after about 3 weeks down there to find a new teaching job.

I was planning to return as a tourist. But my friend told me i won't be left on the plane from Australia unless i have a ticket to leave korea again.

Can't i just cancel my E2 visa on leaving korea and come back as a tourist with a 3 month stay as is normal for Irish people and most others in korea.
I m a little concened and confused. I didn't think there would be any problem returning to Korea.. Can anybody enlighten me?

[textin]

You can return on tourist visa for three months but you are supposed to have an onwards ticket. So you could buy a one way ticket to Korea and one way onwards flight to Japan which you may use later when you get your E2 anyway.

I have shown up at the airport a number of times on a one way ticket and have been given a tourist visa...but its risky.

T

[canuckistan]

[Tiger Beer]

[textin]

tiger, tell me that picture was taken of your g/f at your apartment and I will congratulate you personally.

[komtengi]

if you don't have an outgoing ticket, they will generally ask to provide evidence of sufficient funds

[Gwangjuboy]

I have asked about the rules regarding this. As this is Korea, I had my gf call 4 different opertators at the appropriate immigration department. They all said the same thing (a first over here!). The law literally states that those who enter on a tourist visa must have a return ticket to their country of origin. However, the immigration officials said that the airport staff have been advised to let even those with only single tickets through without hinderance. I never had any problems when I returned to Korea in January with just a single ticket on a tourist visa. Apparently, this is only applicable to those from developed countries.

[declan]

Ok, thanks guys but it is still a little unclear. Seems like there is inconsistencies in what people can and can't do..

I'm concerned that if i dont have an onward ticket from Korea i will not be left on the plane to Korea from Australia. Thats what happened to my Australian friend when retuning to Korea. They made him purchase an onward ticket when he was at the airport. He also said he knows another guy who was stopped and forced to buy an onward ticket from there too.

Maybe its just Australian departure policy but i didnt think they would care about whether i was going to stay in Korea or not. I'm not even Australian so i think they shouldn't stop me. Crazy idea?

Incheon Airport is unlikely to stop me ior at least i can get around it at the airport..
When i came to Korea last year from Ireland on a tourist visa there was no problem.

I will either take a chance i think or else book a ticket for Osaka in Japan for June or something with which i can use to help me get my E2 visa later on..

[Tiger Beer]