Korean Job Discussion Forums

[decolyon]

Has anyone ever done their Visa run to Kyoto?

I've been to Osaka, it's cool and all, just want to try somewhere different.

Fukuoka would be okay, I just hear there's nothing to do and it's super boring.

Tokyo would be nice, but it takes bloody forever. 3+ days. Plus, is super expensive.

So I'm wondering if anyone has done their Visa run in another place? Kyoto? Kobe? Sapparo?

I've heard that some places send their people to the Philippines. I don't see that happening though, for fear my school may lose me to a beach and never see me again, haha.

[Son Deureo!]

There is no South Korean embassy or consulate in Kyoto. Aside from the embassy in Tokyo, there are consulates in Fukuoka, Nagoya, Kobe, Osaka, Yokohama, and Sapporo (check here: http://embassy.goabroad.com/embassies-in/japan). They may not all provide E-2 visa service however, so you should double check before you have your boss book that plane ticket. knowOsaka and Fukuoka are definitely an option, however.

Osaka is only a 1-hour train ride from Kyoto, so if you can turn your visa run into a long weekend in Osaka, there's no reason you can't check out Kyoto.

If your boss is footing the bill, you'd have to go someplace that won't cost your boss a whole lot more than the ticket to Japan. Maybe Hong Kong or Taipei? Maybe offer to pay the difference?

[Caffeinated]

You can leave the Korean consulate in Osaka, hop on a subway then an express train to Kyoto station in an hour. Quite doable.

[AHawk843]

It actually only takes 30 minutes from Osaka to Kyoto by express train. Around 500 yen.

[jizza]

Just wondering - if you're in Korea, why is there a need to go on a visa run?
Can't you 1) extend visa
or 2) transfer existing visa
?

I'm thinking of heading to Korea without a job and finding one there so just wondering about the visa situation. I know I'll have to make a visa run myself.

[decolyon]

Yeah, I'm on a tourist visa now. But it's not my first E2. More like 3rd or 4th, I forget actually.

But if you've never had an E2 before, you have to get it in your home country. So it wouldn't be a good idea unless you've been here on an E2 before. If you come over to look, you will have to do your visa run back to the nearest port of your home country and do it there along with an in person interview at the Korean consulate. I doubt any school is going to pay for a trans-Pacific visa run.

[jizza]

I've had an E2 before but gave the ARC back 6 months ago..

Would I have to get the VISA done in the US?

Man, Maybe I should just wait. Get the plane ticket covered and all..

[decolyon]

I think you could come over and just find a job, but I'm not sure. If you did though, you'll have contracts thrown at you like mad. I was able to be really picky about where I wanted to work. I went to maybe a dozen in person interviews and even had some schools offer to hire me sight-unseen. There was even a bidding war for a while with a few schools trying to out do each other. More salary, more vacation, there was no limit what they were throwing at me, simply because I was here, had experience, and could start asap.

However, none wanted to repay my flight in to Korea. It wasn't a big deal, since it was from Thailand and actually I used my flight money from my last school to cover it. So I think you'll see the same with them not wanting to repay your flight over since you're already there. That's kind of the benefit of them wanting you, you're cheaper basically.

[jizza]

True. I think employers are more wary of sponsoring E2's nowadays. the visa process, the wait, the plane ticket, etc. There's a lot more risk. Plus they haven't met you before.

Thanks for the advice.

Where did you stay btw? While you were looking for a job?

[decolyon]

Hotel the first few days, then I found a Go Shi Won (kind of like a short term dorm) Not bad. I couldn't do it for more than a month though for sure.

[Patong Dong]

I would think Fukuoka would be a great place to do the visa run in this weather. It's an easy one hour flight. The airport is right in the city and it's a short hop to somewhere like Hakata station where a lot of hotels are located. It also has the most laid back and friendly Korean consulate or embassy I've ever been to. But what I wasn't able to enjoy in March was the beach right in the city. It even has a tropical looking beach bar set up at one end. As far as Japanese cities for the visa run I would rank Fukuoka right up there.

[Harpeau]

After you get your Visa in Osaka, head over to Kyoto. It's such a beautiful place! (One of my favorite ciries in the world!) The Toji Inn Guest House is reasonably priced. It's close to the Toji Temple. Have fun!!