Korean Job Discussion Forums

[tenchu77491]

Can you get a visa from a Canadian-Korean embassy if you are a US citizen?

Can you get a visa from Guam and/or Japan if you did not have experience teaching in Korea before? My recruiter told me you can only get a visa in Japan if you had experience in Korea before.

I am having a visa issue, I don't have the cash to get my visa. I live in the opposite end of the state from the consulate, and can't afford the transportation plus hotel. Is it typical in this situation to have your school pay or assist you? Seems mine is being an ass about it. Well-- they even tried to get me to pay for the plane ticket and reimburse me when I arrive, when the contract says they pay for it. I just flat out said no. Now I am going to demand assistance with the visa as well.

Is that too much?

[Illysook]

They make a pretty big investment when they bring a teacher to Korea from the U.S. You probably need to pony up, and if it is important to you, you will find a way.

I was working part time at Starbucks when I made my passport and visa applications, and I had to travel from Columbus, Ohio to Chicago, Illinois for the visa interview.

To get to the interview, I rode the greyhound overnight. I wasn't totally fresh, but it was cheap and I didn't have to pay for a hotel and I got there. I probably could have found a relative to put me up, or tried couchsurfing.com, but I didn't feel like bothering anyone.

People passed the hat at my going away party (unexpected) and I held a big garage sale to get rid of stuff and raise some money for my first month in Korea. I arrived with a lot of people praying for me and I had maybe 400 bucks in my pocket. I didn't live extravagantly that first month, but I had enough.

[Cerriowen]

I'd say it's too much to ask for the school to help you. They have no guarentee you'll actually take a job working for their school instead of getting the clearance and going w/ another school. They're already taking a huge risk to hire you and fly you over... and hope you don't pull a runner and go home w/ your tail between your legs. If they are so desperate that they'd pay you money over there... they must be pretty shady or unable to hire anyone else (in which case you probably wouldn't want to work there).

[ttompatz]

[lifeinkorea]

I had very little when I started. I was able to work with less than $400 my first month, and then after that, things got much easier. My hagwon owner offered some money as an "advance" which would be taken out on payday, but I refused and told him I would try to do with what I had. Maybe if you phrase it as an "advance" and explain what that means, they might help you out. It would be a way to build a good working relationship and earn trust. You'll be working with them for a year, and you might as well get the ball rolling in this direction while you are still back home. You'll get many surprises after you land.

If you are going to a public school, which it sounds like if they aren't going to help you (public schools only go by the book and don't bend the rules), then see if there is a settlement allowance. I got 300,000 won at the public school I am at now. You won't be able to use it now, but you can be sure it will be there the first or second week when you are there. That would really help out if you don't have much. You would just need to make it through half a month then.

[losing_touch]

Yes, you will need to have your degree verified by the KCUE. I had my first E-2 issued in Bangkok. Your employer must initiate this process. It takes a couple of weeks. As the other posters have mentioned, it is unlikely that they are going to fork over the money for your visa.

[Straphanger]

[tenchu77491]

I used to work in Korea but the contract was broke and I left (long story about the school and some family problems). So if there a chance I can do the visa by mail? I called the embassy and they said it depends on your visa confirmation number.

What exactly does it depend on?

Last time it took 3 days to get my visa in LA. I could possibly afford a round trip bus and visa application cost and do it in one day, but no way to afford 3 days in a manhattan hotel or something.

[John_ESL_White]

[tenchu77491]

If it's a one day thing, I can probably do it. Greyhounding to NYC, do interview and have them mail back my visa? It's just the interview that needs to be done there. I have like 300$

==

I called the consulate and they said it's possible for them to return the visa by mail. I just need to be there for the interview (if I need an interview). It may be possible to do it without an interview since I worked in Korea before). So it appears I can afford it, but it's going to not be very fun.

Also, my employer wanted me to begin working on the 6th, Haha. I don't see that happening.