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Waiting on a visa number... for a long time?

 
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df1983



Joined: 15 Aug 2009
Location: Pyongtaek, Korea

PostPosted: Mon Aug 24, 2009 9:41 am    Post subject: Waiting on a visa number... for a long time? Reply with quote

I recently accepted a job in Korea and have overnighted all the required documents to my new boss (I didn't use a recruiter but got hired directly by the school). I did this over two weeks ago. On everything that I have read it takes 7 to 10 business days to get a visa assurance number that I use to schedule my interview with the Korean embassy. It has been two full "business" (Mon-Fri) weeks. I wrote to the guy (the boss who I sent the documents to) who is handling all the documents and he told me that it would be early to mid September before I have a visa number. I'm wondering what could possibly take so long to get a visa number? Is the office backed up right now? Has anyone else had any issues with this recently? I start my job Oct 1st and am wondering if i will have enough time between getting the number and getting the visa stamp. Any info would be appreciated.
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iggyb



Joined: 29 Oct 2003

PostPosted: Mon Aug 24, 2009 12:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Read the threads on SMOE. SMOE just cut 100 out of 600 jobs at the last minute. The recruiters who recruited the teachers are trying to work with EPIK and other public school boards to place as many of that 100 as they can, but those places sound pretty filled up too. They are also trying to find hakwons for some of them.

You were hired directly from the school. So it is a little different, maybe. And the boss is still saying you are in the works. But, given the delay and what is going on, I'd have to think there is a fair chance your job has been canceled due to budgetary problems. -- or possibly, your boss is trying to snag one of those who were dropped already but still has a visa...
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Carla



Joined: 21 Nov 2008

PostPosted: Mon Aug 24, 2009 6:03 pm    Post subject: Re: Waiting on a visa number... for a long time? Reply with quote

df1983 wrote:
I recently accepted a job in Korea and have overnighted all the required documents to my new boss (I didn't use a recruiter but got hired directly by the school). I did this over two weeks ago. On everything that I have read it takes 7 to 10 business days to get a visa assurance number that I use to schedule my interview with the Korean embassy. It has been two full "business" (Mon-Fri) weeks. I wrote to the guy (the boss who I sent the documents to) who is handling all the documents and he told me that it would be early to mid September before I have a visa number. I'm wondering what could possibly take so long to get a visa number? Is the office backed up right now? Has anyone else had any issues with this recently? I start my job Oct 1st and am wondering if i will have enough time between getting the number and getting the visa stamp. Any info would be appreciated.


It does not take that long to get your number, but they may be waiting to submit the documents. If you actually do have a job (and they aren't just holding you as a back up in case the teacher they already hired backs out) and you get your visa number, it's quick after that. You have to make your appointment at the consulate, and submit your passport, which takes a day to process. If you want this job and believe it is going to go through, you can schedule your appointment now (because the consulates are backed up slightly) for .... Sept. 21th or sometime around there, a day of the week that is most convenient for you.
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bry0000000



Joined: 30 Jul 2009

PostPosted: Mon Aug 24, 2009 10:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

As far as the interview goes, some consulates are more backed up than others. The one in Seattle, for example, told me I'd need to wait until the middle of September, but the one in San Francisco told me to drop by whenever I made it into town.
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df1983



Joined: 15 Aug 2009
Location: Pyongtaek, Korea

PostPosted: Tue Aug 25, 2009 9:25 am    Post subject: Thanks Carla Reply with quote

I am pretty sure the job is legit. It is through YBM education at a new location they are opening. I signed a contract and the guy who hired me has been really nice and gotten back with me every time I have needed something. I just don't understand why he would want to wait so long to submit the documents to immigration.
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Carla



Joined: 21 Nov 2008

PostPosted: Tue Aug 25, 2009 9:29 am    Post subject: Re: Thanks Carla Reply with quote

df1983 wrote:
I am pretty sure the job is legit. It is through YBM education at a new location they are opening. I signed a contract and the guy who hired me has been really nice and gotten back with me every time I have needed something. I just don't understand why he would want to wait so long to submit the documents to immigration.


Ok, example. A new school needs 5 teachers. Well, from experience, they know 1 or 2 won't show up. So, they have 2 backups. Of course the backups don't know they're backups. Just like the 100 SMOE teachers didn't know they were wasting their time. But, the school doesn't want the backups to find other jobs, so they get all your documents now, so that you will have a hard time doing everything again to get a different job. If all the other teachers show up, then you'll probably get your documents back.
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df1983



Joined: 15 Aug 2009
Location: Pyongtaek, Korea

PostPosted: Tue Aug 25, 2009 9:40 am    Post subject: Thanks Carla Reply with quote

I am pretty sure the job is legit. It is through YBM education at a new location they are opening. I signed a contract and the guy who hired me has been really nice and gotten back with me every time I have needed something. I just don't understand why he would want to wait so long to submit the documents to immigration.
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bry0000000



Joined: 30 Jul 2009

PostPosted: Tue Aug 25, 2009 11:34 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Would you say that his job is legit once he has his visa number?
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