Korean Job Discussion Forums

[forgesteel]

Changing an E-2 to E-1.
Will be working for old hagwon until Feb.25, 2011.
Old visa lasts until Feb. 28, 2011.
I have already signed a contract for the new place, which starts in early March, 2011.
They told me I need to go somewhere (Japan, for example) to get my new visa.
My new employer keeps saying it will take 4-7 days. That I will need to stay in Japan for 4-7 days.
In my experience (I've done a visa run to Fukuoka twice), a visa run usually takes 3 days or less.
I asked my new employer if they could apply for the visa issuance number now to speed things up. They said they cannot apply until I end my present contract. Is that true?

I'd rather stay 2-3 days, since I am paying for the visa run.

I plan on leaving Korea to go to Fukuoka on the 27th of February.

Is there any good reason this visa run ought to take more than 3-4 days?

I know that March 1st is a national Korean holiday and therefore the embassy will be closed on that day. Is this why my new employer is saying this could take longer? Perhaps there's a crunch expected since it is March, when many schools do hiring?


Any comments? Any answers?

Sorry if my questions seem stupid or obvious.

[Skippy]

Why not just get a non working extension for a couple of days. When you get you visa issuance number. Go to Japan , get visa, come back.

Sound pretty easy.

But if you have the money go make a trip of it and see Japan.

[forgesteel]

thanks for the help. i have a few questions, as i've never heard of the non-working extension before. do you know where i can read more about this?

i see this thread on dave's esl, which covers non-working extension:

http://forums.eslcafe.com/korea/viewtopic.php?p=2561607

assuming my schedule i'm dealing with (detailed above, in original post), you figure i could swing this?

it would work something like this:

on the 28th (a monday), i go to korean immigration (with boat ticket to fukuoka in hand, along with form i print out from hikorea website) and ask them for non-working extension. i tell my new employer korean immi have given this to me. they then apply to local korean immi office for new visa issuance number. after a day or so, immi gives employer the number. at that point i take my ass to japan. is that the general idea?

[Skippy]

Pretty much, but I would go to Immigration sooner than the 28th. As long as you have the ticket and a good excuse you should be fine and can get up to 30 days extra.

I say go sooner as their is the slim chance that they say no and you are stuck in Korea not ready to leave and which can mess up your whole life. So go sooner, they will likely write something on your ARC on no prob.

When you get your visa issuance number go on the trip.

Good Luck

[ttompatz]

[forgesteel]

so how does your original suggestion work logistically, such that i spend less time in japan?

i'd like to spend 1-4 days in japan, if possible. not 5-7 (or more).