Korean Job Discussion Forums

[KAMAKAZI]

Hi
I was thinking, we should make a thread reagarding all the different questons they ask in Korean during the interview for an F5 visa so we can prepare a bit. Anything to help the process.
My Korean isnt so bad and can get by, but Im sure the immi officials basically have a "handbook" or something that they must follow regarding the questions they are to ask. Maybe Im wrong.

Anyway, what questions have they asked many of you in your interview and how long was it?

NOTE: Made a typo in the title

[Ruraljuror]

This is a good idea. Seconded.

[exit86]

Yes, I was thinking of making an exact same thread!!!
(I plan on going in to apply later this summer)

I have heard from a pal who went through the process
that they asked him several questions about
why he wants to be a permanent resident of Korea.
(Of course the correct answer is along the lines of a love of Korea
and its people).

I also think he said they asked about his plans for living in Korea
(Of course the correct answer is that you plan on living here
for a very very long time).


I'd also love to hear from folks who have gone through the process.

[KAMAKAZI]

Yeah, all input would be grea

More importantly, EXACT questions asked.

Could be a useful sticky!

[riverboy]

m interested as well. I just applied for my F5 yesterday. I had no idea that there was an interview process. They just said that it will take a few months.

I'm wondering if they will bring up the infamous night of the ajoshi's. Now there's a night I'd like to forget!

[Milwaukiedave]

Actually technically there is no interview process, but I think it's up to the individual person at the immigration office. I've talked to countless people who have said they had no interview at all.

One of my co-workers is a Kiwi and she is married to a Korean man and she's going down next week to get her F-5. I've made her promise to let me know how it goes. Now she's got the extra added bonus of having a child, so I am sure that will help.

I can apply for mine in October, but am still pondering whether or not I will and if I will right away. Part of the issue is I may travel in Feb and might not want to surrender my ID/passport and take a chance on not getting it back in time to go (though if 3 months is the general amount of time it takes, I probably would be ok).

There is a good thread in the Job Discussion Forum already that is a fairly recent one: F-5 Shuffle. You might be better adding the questions to that one.

[Scott in Incheon]

riverboy...

I didn't have an interview for my F5 and I am in Incheon just like you. I don't know of anyone who got theirs in Incheon and had an interview...at least they didn't mention it to me.

[robot]

I received my F5 last year. They didn't bother to interview me either; they just asked a bunch of questions to my wife.

[BigBuds]

I applied for mine last month.

My wife received a phone call from immigration today asking a few questions, to which they already have the answers to in our paperwork for the F-5.

How long have I lived in Korea?

Why did I come here originally?

How much key money (jonsae) we have on our apartment?

What did I do for a living when I first came to Korea and what do I do now?

That was it. Pretty short and simple.

I think it helped that we have a child together. We made a point of taking our son with us to the immigration office when we applied, too. I think that helped a bit as they told us we don't have to do an interview.

They said it would take two to three months to process. One or two more months to go now.

I did apply two years ago but was knocked back as Masan immigration office hadn't changed over to the new rules which had been in affect for at least six months by the time I applied. Under the old rules you basically had to be fluent in Korean. Unfortunately, I'm not very gifted with languages but I can get by with my Korean.

[Unposter]

They asked me nothing.

It was surprisingly painless.

They did call but all they said was please come pick up your passport with your F-5 visa stamped in it. And, oh yeah, the person spoke perfect English, though they did sound nervous.

And, no, I am not joking either.

[exit86]

Related Question:

Folks here are saying the process takes a few months.

During that processing period, does immigration keep your passport?

Also, what if your passport expires in a year or two? Will they send you home and tell you to first renew your passport?

[Teelo]

Might also help to put at the start of said sticky thread a definition of an F5 visa