Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Salamander]

My ARC expires on Feb. 5; my contract with a public school on Feb. 28. Why can't they synchronize the timelines at the Immigration Office?

My manager said that if I wanted to extend my ARC for another month, to complete the terms of my one-year contract, then I'll have to apply for another E-2 visa with the school. This means troubling the principal for more paperwork and paying another 100,000 or whatever. For a one-month extension?! The principal has already agreed to give me release letter, has already agreed to let me transfer to another school. I just don't want to aggravate the situation by asking her to draw up more visa papers.

If I have my contract with the school, with 28 February 2011 marked as the last day, then won't Immigration simply stamp another month on my ARC? For like 20-30,000 Won. The notion of having to apply for a one-month visa is ridiculous, isn't it? I mean, all that extra paperwork?!

Anyway, what do you think? And does anyone have the English phone number of Immigration handy, like an extension that actually works? It's the one in Mok-dong.

If things get too stupid then I'll probably just head over to Thailand on the 5th. I need a vacation anyway.

[jrwhite82]

I'm pretty sure you can get a free 30 day extension online.

Go to this link for a walkthrough on how to do it:
http://safkorea.wordpress.com/2009/02/11/extending-you-stay-after-your-e-2-visa-expires/

The one thing I am not sure about is if you are legally allowed to work on the extension, or if it is not an extension of your working rights, just your right to stay. And I assume you do not have a return flight ticket if you are going to be transferring.

As we mentioned in another other thread, I would not leave earlier if I was you. You are potentially giving up your severance and airfare by not completing your contract.


I'm sure someone can chime in with more info. Ttompatz?

[ttompatz]

[Junior]

my new E2 is valid 13 months, my contract is for 12.^^

They've finally solved the problem!

[Salamander]

About the timelines:
I've worked in Anyang for 4 years this February. My first year was at a kindergarten. The next three years (ending this Feb) was at the elementary school down the road. The kindergarten signed my release papers. I basically transferred my visa from the kindergarten to the elementary school. The back of my ARC, the botton part marked Period of Stay is marked:

SU 2009.02.13
SU 2010.02.05
SU 2011.0205

These three dates were for the elementary school, the original ARC with the kindergarten expired 2008.02.17, which is on the front beneath my pic.

For each of the of the three visa extensions, Immigration dated it a year ahead and to the day. The had my contracts in hand, the dates clearly visable. From my point of view, extending was easy, just had to do the paperwork for each new one-contract before the expiring date. In retrospect, I should have addressed the problem last year, but I assumed that I would be doing a fourth year at the school.

Once I get my new passport back from the Canadian consulate, a whole of headache in itself, I'll post updates.

PS My manager is under the impression that a new CBC (criminal background check) won't, in fact, be needed. I can see this coming back to bite me in the arse this Feb. But again, a beach in Thailand is looking good about now. Also, I've always wanted to work on Cheju-do for a few contracts. Bring over my surfboard from Long Beach, Vancouver Island, and spend my offtime looking for sweet point breaks around Jung-moon Beach near the Hyatt Hotel.

PSS I'm definitely going to enquire about the 13-month visa extension.