Korean Job Discussion Forums

lisa_weber2321 · Joined: 05 Apr 2011

I currently have a passport that will expire while I am in Korea (Jan 2013). I just got accepted to EPIK-SMOE and will soon be applying for my VISA. The EPIK office has all my passport information now.

Does it make more sense to
1) apply for my VISA using my current passport and then when I apply for a new passport (before I go to Korea) have them transfer it over? or
2) apply for a new passport and then once I recieve that apply for a VISA? Will this be a problem if the EPIK offices already have photocopies of my current passport?

Any advice would be helpful!

koreatimes · Joined: 07 Jun 2011

My approach would be to get into the system first and then update. They can't punish you for updating a passport. The requirement is to have a passport good/valid for at least 6 months and 2 clean pages (thanks for making me look that up, I need to add extras to mine).

Then, after you get the visa, apply for the new passport. At that point, they will transfer your visa to your new passport. I got my new passport abroad so I had to go the the US consulate and then update the new passport at immigration.

It should be a pretty easy process. I think this better than chancing it with immigration at the airport. If you get the new passport now, I am not sure how they will look at it.