Korean Job Discussion Forums

[hank25000]

Hi everyone,

It came up in another thread that if you leave Korea AND hand in your alien registration card at the airport as you go then your E-2 visa is cancelled automatically. I have not heard this before and would like confirmation.

It was my understanding that an E-2 visa can end in only one of two manners:
A) It expires, or
B) A letter of release is given to immigration.

[koreatimes]

If you hand in your ARC, my understanding is that it is cancelled, but you need to get all new documents. You only need the letter of release if you want to transfer schools and not leave the country.

[Son Deureo!]

This is correct, Hank, policy has changed in the past few years. I did it about a year ago, left Korea and turned in my ARC on the way out, returned on a landing visa, applied for a new job, and did a 2nd visa run to get a new visa. Canceling your visa means you have to start all over with a new apostilled criminal records check, diploma, etc. It was more expensive and inconvenient than getting my visa transferred to a new employer by a cooperative employer, but I did NOT need my previous boss' permission/letter of release to get my new job.

At the time, the Immigration hotline told me to tell the Immigration officers at the airport as I was leaving that I had quit my job and was leaving the country for good, and to have them write the words "완전 출국" (completely leaving the country) on the back of my ARC and on the visa stamp in my passport.

You probably wouldn't want to make a habit of changing jobs this way, but it is possible to change jobs without a letter of release.

[hank25000]

WOW!!!

So the new crim check I can understand as the older one would likely have expired by then, but why the new apostillised degree? Would you not retain the original apostillised copy?

[Son Deureo!]