Korean Job Discussion Forums

[imiiini]

Alright, so I've gone through a cumulative number of about 40 pages throughout this site regarding the F4 visa (I did search google with the site:http://eslwhatever also). Lots of answers are out there but I just wanted clarification.. just a clear-cut answer to my situation I guess. Here we go:

1. I was born in in New York in 1989, which is after the May 1988 law-thing

2. My parents were not naturalized when I was born, but some years later

3. My grandpa put my siblings and my name on the Korean family registry without my parents' knowledge.. and put incorrect birthdates.

4. Our Korean names are on the registry, not English names, and we do NOT have Korean SSNs(주민등록번호)


At first, the incorrect birthdates was the problem and the jerk (seriously have never been spoken to so rudely and seen somebody act so entitled before) at the Omokgyo Immigration office would just keep repeating "fix the birthdates then you can get it". Btw, I tried to be nice and spoke in Korean for his sake, and when I asked if he had any English translations for papers or the things he was mumbling to us, he legit said, with a smirk and in Korean, "I can't write it all out for you one by one just because you're lazy. There's 7 people waiting behind you now. Just go and fix the birthdays."

I digress. It made sense, I understand they need some way to verify that I am indeed the person on paper. But as Korean gov't workers go, I just received phone number after automated-phone number and a whole bunch of "I can't help you. I've never seen this kind of problem before"s and it's been two months since.

I guess as a last-try, I went to the Seoul Global Center and tried again, this time speaking solely in English. The person looked over the same papers I had given at Omokgyo and she nodded, and said the only thing I need is for my dad to renounce his Korean citizenship since he hadn't yet, and bring the receipt number. Then I could get it. She didn't ask about the birthdates and mentioned no other problems I might have in receiving the F4.


Now, the final question.

Is it worth it to bring all my documents and copy of the receipt of my dad renouncing his citizenship, even with all the above factors? Is it possible for them to take the documents and I pay the 70,000₩, but have it denied in the process, or once they're accepted, am I good to go??

I guess I'm just trying to be cautious..

P.s. I had all required documents with me at both immigration offices; original copy of family registry, copy of my dad's U.S. passport, copy of my dad's naturalization certificate, copy of my passport, copy of my birth certificate, 2 passport photos, etc. Omokgyo didnt look past my passport and family registry. Global center looked over all the papers twice, thrice over.


Sorry about the length and details! I tend to get carried away..

[amoonbot]

First off, I'm assuming you're already in Korea. I can safely assume you're currently on a tourist visa trying to switch to an F-4 Visa.

The general rule for those born after May 1988 and at the time of the birth, both parents were still Korean citizens is that they are initially ineligible. With that being said, are you female or male?

If you're female, you have a lot more flexibility with your situation since you don't need to deal with the required military service. I'm sure you've seen a lot of people go through the dual citizenship route. A lot of females who fall in the 'after May 1988' category tend to obtain dual citizenship, renounce their Korean citizenship within a year, and apply for an F-4 visa.

If you're male, things can get complicated due to mandatory military service. The fact that your name is on the family registry in Korea means that if you decide on working or living in Korea, you are required to fulfill military service. Now, you can obtain dual citizenship as well and request exemption from military service, however, the general rule is that you cannot renounce your citizenship till the age of 35 or 36 (I forget which one it is). That technically means you cannot qualify for an F-4 visa till you pass that age.

Now, Korea is still pretty inconsistent among their immigration officers. There have been cases where some people who fall into that category end up having no issues and getting their F-4 (my friend was one of them). However, you can't really rely on getting a lenient or awesome immigration officer. You may get a strict or rude officer and they may just deny you flat out. As far as the application fee goes, it is non-refundable. Just think of it as applying for college. You pay to try to get in but if you don't, you forfeit that application fee.

My advice is that since you're already up to this point, it wouldn't hurt to just turn the application in. However, if you are male, I'd verify the military service portion first. Best of luck to you.[/b]

[imiiini]

Thanks a bunch amoonbot !!

Yes, I'm currently in Korea on the tourist visa, and I am female haha didn't realize I didn't specify sorry!

This was actually the best amswer I could ask for lol especially the part about college application.. Alright I guess I'll try for it anyway..

Thanks so much again!

[alexoh85]

Why didnt you apply for an F 4 visa back in NY? I did this with no problems at the NY Korean Consulate office before coming to Korea. It wouldve saved you alot of time and trouble.

[imiiini]

Before I left, I was told it was easier to do once I arrived in Korea.. -_- haha I guess everyone has different experiences. I also didn't have a way to get a copy of my Family Registry from someone in Korea at the time.

Did you have the same problem as I did? Being born after May of 1988 and having parents who weren't naturalized before you were born?

[alexoh85]

[imiiini]

[NohopeSeriously]

Rule of thumb for any gyopo: always renounce your South Korean citizenship or your ties with the South Korean government whether you're a male or a female. Be vigilant about it. Having a South Korean citizenship is a disadvantage and a dangerous thing.

[imiiini]

[NohopeSeriously]

[chaotic_quixotic]

You know what I don't get? Why the Korean government even thinks that Koreans residing and born abroad would even know about new law changes regarding gyopos. And why would gyopos born abroad even know about having automatic Korean citizenship.

I had HELL trying to get myself to Korea. The Korean consulate in NY is bullcrap. They are rude and downright nasty. I applied for EPIK and got in, and everything went smoothly until the whole damn E2 visa. The law does not make sense because it is extremely vague.

The NY consulate basically told me, I cannot get any visa - either E2 or F4 - because I technically can get Korean citizenship under the new law. But, I cannot get the Korean citizenship (you have to apply for it, it's not just given to you) because I'm too old. I was 24 at the time. You had to claim or renounce this "citizenship" before you turned 22. So I asked what can I do. She said, "Nothing. You can't work in Korea." Then shut the window on my mother and I cause it was her lunch break. She even dared to boast how many Korean Americans she rejected for visas because of this law.

Basically drove up to Boston because I knew it had one of the lowest numbers of residing Koreans and hopefully were not aware of the new law change. It worked. I got my E2 visa within a blink of an eye.

Went to Korea and tried to apply for my Alien Registration Card. Again, was pulled aside by an officer saying I'm here "illegally." Basically went around like a headless chicken trying to fix my status. Ended up crying due to sheer frustration. In the end, the immigration office felt bad and ended up giving me my ARC anyway because "the law is too vague and unclear. We called the Ministry of Justice about your case and they basically said the Korean government is too lazy to track down your citizenship status." Go figure.

I won this round right? The next night, I meet up with a Korean American EPIK teacher from my intake. Her Korean embassy basically just handed her a Korean passport. They just placed her under her uncle's hojuk and easily gave her a passport she didn't even want. Easy peasy, just like that. How unfair.

Moral of this story? The Korean government does not know what the hell it is doing. Everything is up in the air and the law can be interpreted any way the immigration officer/embassy worker wants. It is pure bull. What's ironic is that this law was made so it is easier for gyopos to come back to the motherland. Instead, it is blocking gyopos from coming to Korea. Funny right?

It's all luck. Either you have a nice immigration officer who could care a flying fudge whether you get a visa or not and just let you process the application, or you can get an uptight one that likes to reject you just because they feel like they have the power to.

I'm starting to apply for my F4 visa as well. Unfortunately, my father is not a naturalized citizen, as it's the paternal link that counts, not the maternal. But hopefully, the fact that my parents were not married in Korea and that my father has not been in contact with me since I was a child would help my case and see my mother as the primary parental guardian. Good luck to you. Let me know how the Seoul Global Center goes and maybe I can head there as well.