Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Nalwoir]

Hello,

I am currently working in Korea on a one year contract, and my wife is also working on a one year contract but is currently pregnant.

We initially thought we would go back to the UK, but stringent immigration policies mean that my American wife will have difficulties obtaining a visa, and the reverse is true for me as a UK national wanting to live in America.

As a result, we are toying with the idea of remaining in Korea for the birth. This would mean that she would finish her work contract in July, and then apply for a spouse visa, while I renew my contract for a second year and she moves in with me.

This is not ideal, I am fully aware, but I have come to the familiar and helpful stomping grounds of the Daves ESL crew, hoping for people that have had any similar situations or suggestion with what to do.

Firstly, does anyone have any information regarding upgrading from an E2 visa to the spouse visa here in Korea? Any guidance in this matter will be appreciated.

Also, my wife currently has national health insurance paid for by a combination of her and her current school. Her contract will be up a month or so before the birth, so would we be able to then start paying the insurance privately and have the birth covered by the national health insurance? Delivery can cost between 7-10Million in Korea without insurance, but with can be around 1Million...

Also, any additional information regarding giving birth in Korea or alternatives to this plan would be very appreciated.

Nalwoir

[Sinnerman]

1. Get pregnancy insurance. I found out about this too late. Not sure where or how to get it.

2. Make sure you are delivering at one of the big hospitals. We were going to deliver at Soonchunhyung, but there were very few people that spoke English. We ended up at Seoul National U. Hospital. GREAT support.

3. Swiching to a spousal visa is easy. Just bring marriage certificate and passports to immi, fill out forms, (possibly pay small fee)

[NilesQ]

I'd try to focus on having the baby born in UK or US so at least you forgo the process of having to apply for one of the citizenships from a foreign country. Being born in Korea does nothing for people with a non Korean father.

My friend is a Korean American, who was born in Seoul. Family renounced Korean Citizenship when they came to the States. His wife is an Ethnic Korean of another nationality. Their kids were born in Seoul, but aren't eligible for Korean Citizenship. Unless it works out money wise, I'd go to one of your home countries for birth. At least your kid will have a birth certificate!

[Nalwoir]

Returning to the UK or US is exceptionally difficult. It is easy to get a new birth certificate in the UK as I am a UK national.

Pregnancy insurance sounds good. Google doesn't really return any good results, but does anyone have any ideas regarding the costs with the normal National Health insurance vs uncovered? I have heard they are dire...

That is the main problem really. Hospital is sorted, staff speak relatively good English, and it looks like the visa process is relatively simple. All I really need now is finding a way of keeping my wife covered, or getting her new/additional insurance. (She is 5 1/2 months pregnant now... not sure how that will work out getting covered at this stage...)

[NilesQ]

My understanding of birth certificates is that they are only issued by the authorities in the jurisdiction in which the birth occured.

http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel-and-living-abroad/births-deaths-marriages-civil/registering-a-birth

I know that my Korean American buddy has had problems his whole life with the "birth certificate" thing and trying to get people to accept a citizenship card in lieu of. His Korean birth documentation might as well have been issued on Jupiter when people got a look at it! Not a big deal, just a pain in the a$$ for everything from youth soccer and Boy Scout registration to school feild trips and passport applications. It's so much more common now that there may be a special one for foreign births in Korea. If not, be sure to get a notorized translation.

[ttompatz]

At 5 1/2 months preggy she will have trouble getting a ticket to either the US or UK anyway (Dr. cert and clearance to fly will be required by the airlines).

A foreign national born in Korea MUST be registered at immigration within 30 days of the birth.

You will need to apply for the proof of citizenship (registration of a birth abroad) from the UK and US (through your embassies). You will need to apply for a passport within DAYS of the birth.

Even if you don't have the passport or proof of citizenship for the baby you still need to have the baby registered at Korean immigration. (they will accept the embassy receipts for the applications of said documents pending arrival of the required passport/documents). There are SUBSTANTIAL fines for late registration or non-registration.

If you are working you should also be on the NHIC. It is a simple matter to add a spouse and their is no increase in premiums. If you are not then you have issues with your own employer.

Birthing costs are about 500-600k won with NHIC and 1.0-1.5 million without. If a C-section is required then 1 million with insurance to 3 million without. Prenatal care is about 500k won.

.

[Who's Your Daddy?]

Maybe Guam.

Or could your wife stay at her parents house in the U.S. You could enter the U.S. as a tourist.

[ttompatz]

[Nalwoir]

OK, registration and stuff will need to be taken of quickly and efficiently it seems. Luckily we live close to local immigration, and about an hour away from seoul for any embassy related stuff so that is viable.

Returning to the US or leaving the country seems to be out of the question at this point. Having no ties to my country of origin, makes it risky (and potentially expensive) business attempting for me to go to the US, and this late in the game it is difficult for me to get a spouse visa so we are leaving that plan behind methinks.

Unfortunately my job does not provide health insurance. This is technically a problem with the job, but surely there must be some way of passing over her current insurance into a private insurance or somesuch. Even a private birth at around 3 million without insurance is doable, esspecially if we are remaining in Korea and i can continue to work for another year to recoup the losses.

If anyone does have in information regarding getting her cover in this situation, I would love to know.

[Troglodyte]

Do you actually have medical insurance for yourself?

Is your current job paying you enough (or giving you good enough benefits) that it's worth paying for your own insurance (as well as that of your wife and child)?

[Wildbore]

[Nalwoir]

I get about 2150000 after tax and deductions. I do not have health insurance.

I spoke to NHIC today who said that when she transfers to the F-3 visa, she is able to get health insurance as a self employed individual. This should cover her for the birth, and if not, I can back pay my contributions, get cover for myself, and then add her to my coverage as a dependent.

I think I pretty much know what I need to go forward now, just a matter of doing so.

If anyone has any further thoughts of suggestions, feel free to chime in. Would still like to know anything more about getting the pregnancy insurance mentioned earlier in the thread as I do not seem to be able to find out about it (not being able to speak much Korea does not aid internet searches for this kind of stuff...

[TheUrbanMyth]

[taobenli]

Definitely get the insurance sorted. Private insurance is just really not the way to go in Korea, as everyone has national insurance (though some people add various private insurance as well for extra coverage). I had a baby in Korea on an F-3. I didn't know it was possible for someone on an F-3 to self-pay into the insurance plan, but my husband (also American) was working in the public school system and was set up on national insurance.

If you are teaching and it turns out that your wife cannot self-pay for her insurance on an F-3, contacting the labor board may be in order. Unless you have some kind of independent contracting job, as someone mentioned, your insurance should be at least partially covered by law. Costs will be a lot higher for a birth without insurance vs. with insurance, though I'm not sure of the cost breakdown. You DO want to be on the national insurance plan, though, in case anything happens that requires expensive procedures or extended hospital time.

I looked into private pregnancy insurance but I believe I was already more than 6 months pregnant, and so wasn't eligible anymore. It might have been only 4 months! Don't remember the cut-off now. If you want this (and I'm sure it is nice for some extra protection) look into it soon. I can't remember the name of the contact I had for this, but I'll try to find the information for you.

Your wife should have no problems switching to an F-3 visa. And registering a birth abroad is really not a big deal, so don't worry about that, just make sure you follow directions of your embassies carefully (and Korean immigration). Ignore all these silly people telling you to go to Guam and such. Like you really need that to add to your stress (and expense)!

[ThingsComeAround]

Listen to the three T's (Ttompatz, Troglodyte, and TheUrbanMyth)

Get yourself some medical and make sure your company isn't stiffing you on pension. How far along is your wife?