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Damnjoe
Joined: 09 Jul 2010
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 Posted: Wed Mar 13, 2013 10:54 am Post subject: Coming with your girlfrind or boyfriend |
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I�m sure this has been addressed before, but I�m not finding anything. I am wanting to go to Korea for a while to live and teach, because I�m interested in the country but also because I would be able to save some money there.
I am American, and a qualified teacher, but my girlfriend is Peruvian. She speaks English well, but not being a native speaker, I assume she could find much in the way of teaching jobs in Asia.
My question is, if I decide to work in Korea, would she be able to come and live with me? I�ve read that couples sometimes do this, but they are usually both from the same country and usually both find a job there.
Does anyone have any advice? Or if not, are there other countries in Asia or elsewhere where she could come with me and I could save a little money? I�m not against mairrage, but it seems like a lot of trouble, we would probably have to come back to the States for a while, she would inherit my debt, etc.
Thanks. |
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salutbonjour
Joined: 22 Jan 2013
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| Posted: Wed Mar 13, 2013 3:06 pm Post subject: |
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| Unless she has some special qualification you didn't mention, she will not be able to get a job here. She would be able to come as a dependent, but as you can imagine living 2 people on a single salary does reduce the amount one is able to save. |
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Lucas
Joined: 11 Sep 2012
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ttompatz
Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Location: Kwangju, South Korea
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| Posted: Wed Mar 13, 2013 3:51 pm Post subject: |
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hmmm.....
NO.
There is no "Girlfriend" visa. Common-law relationships are NOT recognized for visa issuance.
She doesn't qualify as a teacher (wrong passport) unless she holds a PhD in something.
She doesn't qualify for a dependent (F3) visa (not married).
Best case, she can enter as a tourist for stays of up to 90 days.
Proof of funds/support and onward/return passage ARE required.
If she holds a degree and can speak English well enough to obtain a 600+ level on a TOEIC test then places like China and Thailand are options where legal work for her is possible.
If you are a certified teacher then look at internationally accredited schools instead of EFL jobs. Remuneration packages are MUCH better.
($2000 in Korea is OK but $2000 in Thailand or China goes a loooong way. A certified teacher with a recognized TEFL course will earn about $5000/month (salary and benefits) in Hong Kong (NET program)).
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Damnjoe
Joined: 09 Jul 2010
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| Posted: Thu Mar 14, 2013 10:42 am Post subject: |
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Ok, thanks for the help. The tourist visa is 90 days per year, like the US? Or can you leave and come back to do it again the same year, like Peru?
Funny, no she�s not a musician, but she does photos. You see a lot of people playing the cana on the buses and such in Peru, but most of them aren�t anything special.
No, I�m experienced and have a degree but I don�t have certification. I would like to go through that, but I don�t think I could afford it or get a loan for it unless I pay a little of what I already owe first, because my loan defaulted. So the idea is to go somewhere I can make money for a while, because if I came back to the States now I can�t really teach. But if she couldn�t go with me to Asia or wherever then it kind of defeats the purpose.
Then, I suppose the visa laws are similar in other Asian countries? Or, maybe this isn�t the best forum to ask. Thanks for all the help. |
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salutbonjour
Joined: 22 Jan 2013
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| Posted: Thu Mar 14, 2013 3:20 pm Post subject: |
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| Damnjoe wrote: |
Then, I suppose the visa laws are similar in other Asian countries? Or, maybe this isn�t the best forum to ask. Thanks for all the help. |
Frankly, the best advice anyone can give is to re-read the post before yours 2-3 more times to see the sentence where your question is answered. |
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ttompatz
Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Location: Kwangju, South Korea
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| Posted: Thu Mar 14, 2013 3:20 pm Post subject: |
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As long as you are unwed then she is on her own for the visa application everywhere.
Typically, she would have to travel as a tourist and yes, that means leaving the country (every 90 days in Korea and as short as 21 days in some other countries) , proof of funds, and onward/return passage.
In some countries (China) she would need an actual visa and not just a stamp on arrival and each visa would have to be obtained from abroad (not in China).
If you were married she would be entitled to a dependent spouse/family visa (F3 in Korea). They are usually pretty easy to get and it would allow her to stay for as long as your visa remains valid.
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nora
Joined: 14 Apr 2012
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| Posted: Fri Mar 15, 2013 1:21 am Post subject: |
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| ttompatz wrote: |
hmmm.....
NO.
There is no "Girlfriend" visa. Common-law relationships are NOT recognized for visa issuance.
She doesn't qualify as a teacher (wrong passport) unless she holds a PhD in something.
She doesn't qualify for a dependent (F3) visa (not married).
Best case, she can enter as a tourist for stays of up to 90 days.
Proof of funds/support and onward/return passage ARE required.
If she holds a degree and can speak English well enough to obtain a 600+ level on a TOEIC test then places like China and Thailand are options where legal work for her is possible.
If you are a certified teacher then look at internationally accredited schools instead of EFL jobs. Remuneration packages are MUCH better.
($2000 in Korea is OK but $2000 in Thailand or China goes a loooong way. A certified teacher with a recognized TEFL course will earn about $5000/month (salary and benefits) in Hong Kong (NET program)).
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I don't ever see this mentioned, but I've met French people here teaching French in academies. If she has the requisite degree, couldn't she get an E2 for Spanish at an academy? It's nowhere near the market as English, but there are hagwons for other languages.
Ttom? Thoughts/comments on this? |
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ttompatz
Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Location: Kwangju, South Korea
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| Posted: Fri Mar 15, 2013 2:50 am Post subject: |
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| nora wrote: |
I don't ever see this mentioned, but I've met French people here teaching French in academies. If she has the requisite degree, couldn't she get an E2 for Spanish at an academy? It's nowhere near the market as English, but there are hagwons for other languages.
Ttom? Thoughts/comments on this? |
Spanish native speaker. Degree from a university where the language of instruction was Spanish, then yes, an E2 for Spanish is possible.
The next task would be to find an employer who can legally offer Spanish classes and who has enough demand to import a Spanish speaking teacher.
Better to just get married or go to a country where she can (legally) teach English after passing the TOEIC test.
The OP didn't say whether or not she actually has a legitimate degree so that option may be moot anyway.
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Zackback
Joined: 05 Nov 2010
Location: Kyungbuk
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| Posted: Sat Mar 16, 2013 1:26 am Post subject: |
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This problem is easy to solve.
Just marry her. |
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Damnjoe
Joined: 09 Jul 2010
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| Posted: Sun Mar 17, 2013 11:54 pm Post subject: |
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Ok, that would be the most logical solution. One last question: How much would I idealy save a month if she couldnt find work? That is, living in a small village or city and paying for food, etc for 2 people. This would be working through EPIK or a hagwon.
She does have a Peruvian degree, by the way, but in Economics not teaching.
How did I manage to misspell girlfriend? |
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CentralCali
Joined: 17 May 2007
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| Posted: Mon Mar 18, 2013 12:49 am Post subject: |
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| Damnjoe wrote: |
| One last question: How much would I idealy save a month if she couldnt find work? That is, living in a small village or city and paying for food, etc for 2 people. This would be working through EPIK or a hagwon. |
Zero. You'd be working for around two thousand US a month. You would either be living in a miniscule Korean apartment provided by your employer (hagweon or EPIK) or you would opt for the housing allowance and try to find an apartment on your own. The second option will cost you money every month, not to mention that for most places you'd need to front a few grand (sometimes quite a few grand) dollars US. In either case, your girlfriend/wife would have to do something to avoid going stir-crazy: movies, shopping, day trips, shopping, hanging out with friends she meets in Korea, shopping. Some kinds of food are cheap in Korea, others not so much. There are specialty stores selling foreign foods, but the only ones I've been to in Korea mostly import from other Asian countries. It won't be all that cheap to feed and entertain two people on your expected salary.
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| She does have a Peruvian degree, by the way, but in Economics not teaching. |
Is it a Master's or Doctorate? If so and her English skills are above par, she might be able to gain employment as a lecturer in Economics at a Korean university or college. That's presuming she already has experience in Peru and the school doesn't have a problem (real or imagined) with her accent.
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| How did I manage to misspell girlfriend? |
It's a portent. Try misspelling wife while thinking about her. If you don't misspell that, you'll know what to do. |
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