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nellehehe
Joined: 08 Aug 2011
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 Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2011 4:37 pm Post subject: Visa complications!! Ineligible for ANY visa!! HELP!!!!!!!!! |
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I'm Korean-American, 22 years old, born and raised in the US only.
I tried getting an F-4 Visa couple months ago. They said I was ineligible because my dad wasn't a US citizen at the time I was born here. It's some new law they passed. This made me really frustrated because it's pretty dumb.
They said the ONLY WAY I can work in Korea is to apply for Korean citizenship, so then I would have dual citizenship and work in Korea as a KOREAN. My recruiter at the time told me it's hard to find a good job that gives housing/airfare/good hours/good pay if I work as a KOREAN CITIZEN, so I asked for help here. People suggested that I just go with an E-2, and don't mention that I'm Korean or anything.
I decided to do this. I spent a lot of money and time getting all my documents ready for the E-2.
My friend who is on the same boat as me, signed a contract and got a job in Seoul. She sent her E-2 documents. She just got a call saying that her visa was rejected.. because she somehow has dual citizenship even though she was never born in Korea. They told her that because her dad wasn't a citizen at the time she was born (this issue AGAIN), she has to first get her name on the family registry, apply for a Korean passport to get K-citizenship, and THEN CANCEL it if she wants to be able to go with an E-2, which all of this takes about 6 months. What I don't understand is how the heck she even has dual citizenship when she was never born there/lived there/not even on the family registry.. and why they would make her apply for korean citizenship when she somehow already has it?!?!? They are soo confusing and unclear about everything. The consulate in LA is soo unhelpful.
She gave up trying to go to Korea. I know I will have the same problem as her. If this is the case, I need to apply for k-citizenship and just work as a k-citizen. Is this a bad idea? What do I do?!?! o_o give up? |
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TheUrbanMyth
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Location: Retired
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| Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2011 4:45 pm Post subject: Re: Visa complications!! Ineligible for ANY visa!! HELP!!!!! |
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| nellehehe wrote: |
I'm Korean-American, 22 years old, born and raised in the US only.
I tried getting an F-4 Visa couple months ago. They said I was ineligible because my dad wasn't a US citizen at the time I was born here. It's some new law they passed. This made me really frustrated because it's pretty dumb.
They said the ONLY WAY I can work in Korea is to apply for Korean citizenship, so then I would have dual citizenship and work in Korea as a KOREAN. My recruiter at the time told me it's hard to find a good job that gives housing/airfare/good hours/good pay if I work as a KOREAN CITIZEN, so I asked for help here. People suggested that I just go with an E-2, and don't mention that I'm Korean or anything.
I decided to do this. I spent a lot of money and time getting all my documents ready for the E-2.
My friend who is on the same boat as me, signed a contract and got a job in Seoul. She sent her E-2 documents. She just got a call saying that her visa was rejected.. because she somehow has dual citizenship even though she was never born in Korea. They told her that because her dad wasn't a citizen at the time she was born (this issue AGAIN), she has to first get her name on the family registry, apply for a Korean passport to get K-citizenship, and THEN CANCEL it if she wants to be able to go with an E-2, which all of this takes about 6 months. What I don't understand is how the heck she even has dual citizenship when she was never born there/lived there/not even on the family registry.. and why they would make her apply for korean citizenship when she somehow already has it?!?!? They are soo confusing and unclear about everything. The consulate in LA is soo unhelpful.
She gave up trying to go to Korea. I know I will have the same problem as her. If this is the case, I need to apply for k-citizenship and just work as a k-citizen. Is this a bad idea? What do I do?!?! o_o give up? |
Why will you have the same problem as your friend? She has dual citizenship...you don't. So going on an E-2 visa should prove no problem. You have your U.S passport and degree from a U.S university right?
BTW are you male or female...if male be advised that you may have to do military service over here if you go the Korean citizen route... |
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nellehehe
Joined: 08 Aug 2011
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| Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2011 4:56 pm Post subject: |
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but she didn't even know she had dual citizenship. She's not even listed in the family registry. She lived here in the US all her life. She has a US passport and a university degree as well. I know they are going to say the same thing to me.. =/ I will call tomorrow to make sure but I'm already pretty sure they will say the exact same thing.
Also, I'm a female. |
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jamesd
Joined: 15 Aug 2011
Location: Korea
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| Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2011 5:05 pm Post subject: |
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| Couldn't you renouce your Korean citizenship? |
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TheUrbanMyth
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Location: Retired
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| Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2011 5:15 pm Post subject: |
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| nellehehe wrote: |
but she didn't even know she had dual citizenship. She's not even listed in the family registry. She lived here in the US all her life. She has a US passport and a university degree as well. I know they are going to say the same thing to me.. =/ I will call tomorrow to make sure but I'm already pretty sure they will say the exact same thing.
Also, I'm a female. |
You just told us that you DON'T have dual citizenship though...so why would they say the exact same thing to you as your friend who does?
Or are you just guessing that you don't? |
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pkjh
Joined: 23 May 2008
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| Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2011 5:21 pm Post subject: |
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| check your messages... |
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nellehehe
Joined: 08 Aug 2011
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| Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2011 5:37 pm Post subject: |
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| TheUrbanMyth wrote: |
| nellehehe wrote: |
but she didn't even know she had dual citizenship. She's not even listed in the family registry. She lived here in the US all her life. She has a US passport and a university degree as well. I know they are going to say the same thing to me.. =/ I will call tomorrow to make sure but I'm already pretty sure they will say the exact same thing.
Also, I'm a female. |
You just told us that you DON'T have dual citizenship though...so why would they say the exact same thing to you as your friend who does?
Or are you just guessing that you don't? |
Yeah, I'm guessing that I don't, only because I SHOULDN'T. I should be completely nonexistent to Korea because I'm not even on the hojuk. but that was the same case for my friend too, and they still told her she has dual citizenship.
After I speak with the consulate tomorrow, I'll let you guys in on more details. I really hope I don't have dual citizenship.. |
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Zyzyfer
Joined: 29 Jan 2003
Location: who, what, where, when, why, how?
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| Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2011 6:04 pm Post subject: |
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| TheUrbanMyth wrote: |
| You just told us that you DON'T have dual citizenship though...so why would they say the exact same thing to you as your friend who does? |
She mentioned that her friend was completely unaware of having it. And it appears that they have similar circumstances.
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| Quote: |
| My friend who is on the same boat as me, signed a contract and got a job in Seoul. She sent her E-2 documents. She just got a call saying that her visa was rejected because she somehow has dual citizenship even though she was never born in Korea. They told her that because her dad wasn't a citizen at the time she was born (this issue AGAIN), she has to first get her name on the family registry, apply for a Korean passport to get K-citizenship, and THEN CANCEL it if she wants to be able to go with an E-2, which all of this takes about 6 months. |
That sounds really convoluted and pointless. If your friend has K-citizenship and has already scoped a job, it would seem like he or she could simply fly over here and start working, right? I don't want to give bad advice, but it sounds like nothing is stopping your friend from hopping on the next plane as a tourist on a US passport, starting work as a Korean "citizen," and working out the legal bits in the meantime.
(Please don't attempt this without confirmation from someone knowledgeable on the topic, I don't want to get someone in trouble with bad advice...)
Honestly, I don't think the majority of the posters here are well-informed on your particular circumstances.  Good luck. |
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nathanrutledge
Joined: 01 May 2008
Location: Marakesh
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| Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2011 6:09 pm Post subject: |
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I know a guy who has been through this kind of stuff. He's half Korean, so he wanted the F series visa, but his Korean parent hadn't renounced their citizenship, so he was ineligible. So he asked for Korean citizenship, which they refused because his parent wasn't a citizen. It's a catch-22. You can't have the F visa because you're a citizen, but we won't give you a passport because you're not a citizen.  So, he's always been here on an E2 visa, no trouble.
It's doable. The whole dual citizen thing doesn't sound right. The government law changed to allow dual citizenship, but it's not some retroactive automatic thing, AFAIK. Your friend probably has some different circumstance that is being overlooked. Honestly, I'd just send the papers in, and don't even mention the whole half korean thing. If your name isn't on the register, it should be a non-issue. IF you go talking to the consulate and asking a lot of questions, you could get caught up in your own catch-22. Use your US passport and that's the end of the story - E visa, there ya go. |
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r122925
Joined: 02 Jun 2011
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| Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2011 6:18 pm Post subject: |
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| Zyzyfer wrote: |
That sounds really convoluted and pointless. If your friend has K-citizenship and has already scoped a job, it would seem like he or she could simply fly over here and start working, right? I don't want to give bad advice, but it sounds like nothing is stopping your friend from hopping on the next plane as a tourist on a US passport, starting work as a Korean "citizen," and working out the legal bits in the meantime.
(Please don't attempt this without confirmation from someone knowledgeable on the topic, I don't want to get someone in trouble with bad advice...) |
The only problem is that if she accepts Korean citizenship her job prostpects will not be as good (at least in the teaching field), even if you grow up in America, spent your whole life there, etc. It's not fair but that's the way it is. Koreans citizens can not work for EPIK/GEPIK/SMOE programs. Hagwons will see that you are Korean and expect you to do all of the work that Koreans do (calling parents, etc) and also pay you less than foreigners. Also, if she can't speak Korean she may have an even more difficult time trying to secure employment as a Korean citizen. A lot of these problems go away if you are legally a foreigner. If you want to do almost any other type of work, being a Korean citizen may be beneficial, but not for ESL teaching.
To be more clear about what the problem is. Because of the laws that went into effect earlier this year there are many cases like this that are popping up. If one of your parent was a Korean citizen at the time of your birth, you may be considered a Korean citizen by the Korean government without even realizing it. It doesn't matter if you've never lived in Korea or had a Korean passport or whatever. If they determine that you are a citizen you'll have to go through the long, complicated process to renounce it (or accept it, get a Korean passport, and live/work as a Korean citizen). |
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Zyzyfer
Joined: 29 Jan 2003
Location: who, what, where, when, why, how?
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| Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2011 7:42 pm Post subject: |
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r122925: Very valid point. That's why I warned against following my advice.  |
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sweetkiss
Joined: 04 Nov 2010
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| Posted: Wed Oct 19, 2011 10:58 am Post subject: |
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| why couldnt she just renounce citizenship? i thought if you wanted an F series visa you needed to renounce citizenship as part of the step?? |
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nellehehe
Joined: 08 Aug 2011
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| Posted: Wed Oct 19, 2011 3:00 pm Post subject: |
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| r122925 wrote: |
| Zyzyfer wrote: |
That sounds really convoluted and pointless. If your friend has K-citizenship and has already scoped a job, it would seem like he or she could simply fly over here and start working, right? I don't want to give bad advice, but it sounds like nothing is stopping your friend from hopping on the next plane as a tourist on a US passport, starting work as a Korean "citizen," and working out the legal bits in the meantime.
(Please don't attempt this without confirmation from someone knowledgeable on the topic, I don't want to get someone in trouble with bad advice...) |
The only problem is that if she accepts Korean citizenship her job prostpects will not be as good (at least in the teaching field), even if you grow up in America, spent your whole life there, etc. It's not fair but that's the way it is. Koreans citizens can not work for EPIK/GEPIK/SMOE programs. Hagwons will see that you are Korean and expect you to do all of the work that Koreans do (calling parents, etc) and also pay you less than foreigners. Also, if she can't speak Korean she may have an even more difficult time trying to secure employment as a Korean citizen. A lot of these problems go away if you are legally a foreigner. If you want to do almost any other type of work, being a Korean citizen may be beneficial, but not for ESL teaching.
To be more clear about what the problem is. Because of the laws that went into effect earlier this year there are many cases like this that are popping up. If one of your parent was a Korean citizen at the time of your birth, you may be considered a Korean citizen by the Korean government without even realizing it. It doesn't matter if you've never lived in Korea or had a Korean passport or whatever. If they determine that you are a citizen you'll have to go through the long, complicated process to renounce it (or accept it, get a Korean passport, and live/work as a Korean citizen). |
YES!! Finally someone who knows exactly what I'm trying to say.
So I found out that because my parents were Korean citizens when I was born, I'm automatically considered a Korean citizen.. but I still have to apply to be a Korean citizen.. (putting my name in the family registry, applying for a Korean passport..) and if I want to get an E-2, I need to do all of that, and then renounce the k-citizenship. I basically make it just to erase it. OR I can just work as a k-citizen.. if I go to Korea and do it, it can be done in 1-2 weeks.. if I do it here, 2-3 months. If I really want to get the E-2 and try to make it AND renounce it, it will take 6 months.
So yeah, you were completely correct. Now I don't know what to do anymore...... |
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