Korean Job Discussion Forums

shawner88 · Joined: 01 Feb 2003

I'm considering visiting the homeland again and would like to bring my girlfriend if possible. What are the chances though of her getting a US tourist visa these days? Anyone gone through this lately? Will she need an interview? She has a steady job and money in the bank...

The only other option I have:

My sister lives in Watertown, NY which is less than an hour from Kingston, Ontario. I could leave her in a motel while I visit my family there, and/or have my family meet me in Kingston and then travel around Canada together with my girl, hurray Rolling Eyes

She'd probably like Toronto though. I wanted to bring her for a trip across a few states though... Sad

Real Reality · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Location: Seoul

What are my chances of getting a visa?
Please be assured that we adjudicate each visa application on its own merits as quickly as our resources permit, in accordance with U.S. laws and regulations. In Fiscal Year 2002 we adjudicated over 360,000 NIV applications, most within two working days of receipt, finding over 93% of all applicants eligible for a visa.

Please understand that no one, not a travel agent or us, can say in advance if an applicant is ineligible or eligible for an NIV.
http://usembassy.state.gov/seoul/wwwh1721.html#refuse

A visa does not grant the bearer the right to enter the United States. A visa allows the bearer to apply for entry to the U.S. in a certain classification (e.g. student (F), visitor (B), temporary worker (H)).
http://usembassy.state.gov/seoul/wwwh1790.html

business or visitor visa (B1/B2)
http://usembassy.state.gov/seoul/wwwh1200.html

To arrange an interview, simply call 060-700-2510 to access the automated system. This is toll system operated by a Korean company at rates approved by the Korean government.

Since most visitor (B1/B2) visas we issue are valid for ten years, and most student (F) visas are valid for five years, the one-time toll call and the five or so minutes one spends listening to the recorded information are very small investments.
http://usembassy.state.gov/seoul/wwwh1721.html#arrange

shawner88 · Joined: 01 Feb 2003

I hate weeding through all that embasy mumbo jumbo...sure is nice to come here and have people do it for you. Thanks Reality! Wink

So, she has to apply for the right to apply for a certain kind of visa? That's odd.

shaun k · Joined: 23 Jan 2003

my girfriend went through this last december.

she called for an interview (you need to call about three weeks ahead), downloaded the application, filled it out and provided the required paper work, we translated what was necessary to translate, and when she had her interview she told the truth -- that she was visiting my home town and my family for 8 days. immigration asked her a few questions and they kept her passport, and a few days later her passort and visa came in the mail, and in january we went to the USA.

korean visa "companies" and online adivsors told her that she would never get the visa unless she came up with some "believable story", but we were both firm on telling the truth, and it worked out fine.

if your girfriend has a job and an established address, then i dont see why she shoudnt be able to do what we did.

Real Reality · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Location: Seoul

shawner88,
You are welcome.

I hope everything goes great in getting the visa.

Also, shaun k seems right, "if your girfriend has a job and an established address, then i dont see why she shoudnt be able to do what we did."

shawner88 · Joined: 01 Feb 2003

Problem is she doesnt pay taxes and apparently she made need a tax record. ArgH!

ThisCharmingMan · Joined: 11 Jan 2004

qwunk89 · Joined: 16 Jan 2003

my girlfriend also did the same thing as Shaun K's girlfriend; she told the exact truth, that she was coming to visit my family - the immigration interviewer asked her a few questions to verify it, and gave her a 5-year tourist visa. i think it's best to be honest. also, it doesn't hurt if your girlfriend is cute and the interviewer is a guy Very Happy

shaun k · Joined: 23 Jan 2003

my girlfriend also had no tax record, we were worried, but it didnt come up. she was interviewed by a woman, and there were no snags at all for us.

just remember to get there early, no matter what your interview time is, because there was a huge line outside. we were able to jump to the front of the line though because the crowd control guy assumed we were applying for a resident visa and since those visas have priority we were let in first. it was all very painless.

note: as far as housing, she did have a copy of her apartment contract where it stated a 15 million won deposit, but in all honesty, the immigration woman barely looked at the file of stuff we had (but i still think it was a good idea to present a nice complete file at the start). also, i didnt go up to the window with her for the interview, if that helps.

while i was sitting there (about 30 minutes), i only saw two rejections. one was a 30 something man who was going abroad for some business reason (i overheard), and the other was a young woman who clearly didnt have her act together.

Derrek · Joined: 15 Jan 2003

shawner88 · Joined: 01 Feb 2003

So my girlfriend lives with her family, works at a Kindergarten but pays no taxes. I'm not sure how much money she has in the bank, but she does get her pay wire transferred every month, so she can show that. Does she have to show a bank statement?

She's under the impression there's not a chance in hell she'll get a visa because she talked to a bunch of travel agents. I'm trying to get her motivated but she wants to know exactly what she should have in hand.