Korean Job Discussion Forums

[akim6890]

So I'm finally through this whole recruiting process and have a signed contract and everything. I'm waiting for my E2 visa code to be issued by immigration and I get an email from my recruiter asking me if I'm eligible for the F4 visa because "immigration wants to know." She also asked "Also, can you tell me the nationality and citizenship of your parents?"

Is this normal for immigration to ask? Why would they care about that if I'm in the process of getting an E2? I have uneasy feelings regarding the company I'm working for because of all the negative reviews on Dave's ESL and I'm wondering if this message actually came from immigration or if it came from corporate. When I spoke to someone from corporate earlier about my contract and mentioned I might get an F-4 visa once I'm in Korea, they said "be careful, immigration is really cracking down on males trying to get F4 visas these days." As vague as that sounds, the person could have been trying to be helpful but I wonder if they just really don't want me to get an F4 visa and now are wondering if they should hire me at all.

I've read things on Dave's about companies valuing their hold on you via the E2 visa and now my paranoia is kicking in.

Someone tell me that this is a normal question that immigration often asks and I haven't potentially wasted the last 5 months and hundreds of dollars on this damn recruiting process.

[akim6890]

To add, I'm a Korean American and yes, I am eligible to get an F4 visa but couldn't get my hands on the family registry so was planning on waiting till I moved over there.

[oppa637]

Being Korean American, it has been a pain to get my visa because of the family registry thing. So I don't think he's blowing hot air. They want to see if you can join the army =P

[akim6890]

So did they ask similar questions to you? It's annoying that it's not even for an F4... if they're going to check my family registry and find out I'm not on it, then they might as well just give me the F-4 visa instead. At the very least, I hope it doesn't take them too long to figure out I'm telling the truth and delay my departure any longer.

[leibod1]

I am not exactly sure, but I had been led to understand that you fill in the required paperwork and file it in Korea to receive an F4 visa, but I could be wrong. It may be the company, but it is true that immigration will ask these questions if they believe you to have Korean ethnicity, either via your name or application photo. Their purpose as the prior poster stated, is to see if you qualify for their military service. That being said, I would strongly advise you to check your family registry (hojuk) to make sure that your name is NOT on it, because if it is, military service is mandatory. As for how I know, let's just say, I'm on two day leave now, and have 9 months left.

[Troglodyte]

[akim6890]

My last name is Kim. The middle name on my passport is a common Korean name.

[sligo]

Pain the arse or not to get the register, having an F visa from the start means you will avoid all the hoops E-2 visa hilders have to go through. No drug test, no blood tests, no medical, no criminal etc. They think because of where your parents come from, the sun will shine out of your arse.

[sml7285]

[akim6890]

I've been researching extensively on the laws regarding this and luckily it doesn't matter for me because I was born after my parents became US citizens. However, the laws have gotten much stricter regarding dual citizenship. It used to be that if you were born in the US and you weren't on the hojuk (family registry), military service isn't required due to automatic resignation of your Korean citizenship when you turn 22. After 2010 or 2011 though, even if your name isn't on the hojuk, you're still required to military service because you retain your Korean citizenship. So even if you don't speak any Korean, you've never been to Korea, and you and your parents are US citizens, you're still technically a Korean citizen and have dual citizenship. Lots of controversy but I guess that law is supposed to help Korean adoptees regain their citizenship because they apparently lose it automatically when adopted by foreign parents. I don't get it.

[Troglodyte]

[akim6890]

Refer to my original post. It's not a matter of sweeping it under the rug; it's blatant lying since they've asked me the question. It's a good thing I didn't lie either because they also requested naturalization papers now.

[oppa637]

I would just take care of it. It's not painful and your life will be vastly easier on an F4. Dont' take dual citizenship. Just be an american on an f4 visa.

[jvalmer]

Sounds like the recruiter is BSing you. My guess is that the recruiter is trying to find an easier way to get you in and working in Korea. Getting and F4 makes it a lot easier than going through the process of getting an E2.