Korean Job Discussion Forums

[defaultusername]

(searched archives, found nothing)

I'm leaving for Korea next week with an E-2, so this is for my girlfriend, who will be following a month later and staying through next year. Trying to figure out how to get her a C-3 visa while she is still in the States. I have a few questions. Hopefully someone here can help me!

What exactly does the C-3 get you? (As in, will she have to leave and re enter every 90 days? Or can she renew within Korea? I'm just afraid of the tourist visa runs not always working out. Another thread mentioned these runs were risky without the C-3 visa.)

Is it easier to get the visa in the States or in Japan or Korea?

What is your experience with the C-3?

Any help's appreciated!

[Drew345]

I had a C-3 visa years ago, back when Americans only got one month visa-free entry. First check and make sure that the Korean Embassy still issues C-3 visas. They might have phased them out when Americans got upgraded to the 3 month visa-free entry.
You still have to leave the country every 3 months. This is the same if you have a C-3 visa or just plan to enter visa-free.
What it get's you is this. If you have no visa at all, you technically must have a ticket out of Korea within the next 3 months, or the airline MAY not let you board the plane going to Korea. For example, the Delta agent in Los Angeles will look to see if you have either a visa, or a ticket out of Korea in 3 months. If you have neither, the check-in agent may, or may not, let you board the plane. You can search for "onward ticket" or "onward travel" to find other people's experience with this. If you have the C-3 visa, you never have to worry about this, you can board the plane even with no onward travel ticket.

[defaultusername]

Thanks, Drew! I've already taken care in getting a return flight, but say she gets a round trip ferry ticket to Japan. Arriving back to Korea, is proof of an outward bound ticket within 3 months necessary?

[Drew345]

From what I have read, nobody will check you for the onward ticket if coming by ferry.
It is actually not the Korean immigration who will check, it is the check-in counter for the plane bringing you to Korea. The boat check-in seems to not care about such details. The plane check-in people shouldn't care either, but sometimes you get a strict check-in agent.

[ttompatz]

There is NO C3 for Americans any more.

She will get 90 days on arrival.
She WILL have to exit before that 90 days expires (same day return is OK).
She can repeat this process multiple times. IF immigration asks, she is with her boyfriend who is on an E2. As long as she has a residence and contact details she won't have a problem with immigration.

In the matter of the exit ticket:
BEST (but not cheapest option) is a one year open return air ticket.
This will satisfy both the airline requirement and the immigration requirement for onward/return passage.

Next best would be a REFUNDABLE ticket out of Korea within 90 days of her arrival. She can get her refund after she arrives in Korea.
A Korean Air refundable ticket (bought with a credit card) is probably the best bet here: only 30k won in service fees.

Next best would be a ferry ticket from Busan to Japan.

Last choice would be to gamble and hope they don't check (at check-in time) for your return/onward passage. Not a great idea if you are coming from North America (they are pretty anal about it).

.

[defaultusername]

Great info ttompatz! Very much appreciated!