Korean Job Discussion Forums

[windupbird010]

Apologies if there is already an discussion with updated research on this, but I have been going through the forum and keep getting contradicting answers.

I am a US born female Korean American. I was never registered on my family hojuk in Korea. My father was a naturalized US citizen when I was born, but he never officially renounced his Korean citizenship. My mother had a green card at the time, but recently became a US citizen. She also has not renounced her Korean citizenship.

First I saw posts from 2011 and 2012 stating that Korea allows dual citizenship, but that you must, before turning 22, send in a form swearing to not exercise your rights as a foreign citizen in Korea. I did not send in any form since I had no idea these laws were even being implemented.

Then I was under the impression that another law stated that if you were NOT 22 by May 2010 (thus born after May 1988), to a father with Korean citizenship, you are by birth a Korean citizen, regardless of sending in the form mentioned above.

I was not 22 by May 2010, and thought I was a Korean citizen, thus not eligible for an E2 or F4 visa.

I contacted the Korean embassy in NYC to clarify, and they told me that since I did not send in before I was 22 the form promising not to exercise my rights as a foreigner in Korea, I automatically gave up my rights as a Korean citizen. They said that in order for me to work in Korea, my father would have to give up his citizenship, and I would have to apply for an F4 visa. Since they can process both at the same time, an F4 is not necessarily more inconvenient.

I want to make sure that once I get to Korea there will be no issues with the government. It would have been nice having two passports, but according to other teachers it might be better to have an F4 so that I am not given a contract for Korean citizens.

I saw forum posts about Korean Americans being turned away on the basis of their being considered dual citizens. However, is my case different because my father was naturalized as a US citizen (he still had Korean citizenship technically) before I was born?

Any clarifications/explanations of personal experiences would be much appreciated.

[SeoulNate]

I can't answer the question about what you and your father should do as that is a pretty big decision for him to give up his citizenship.

Anyway, as long as you have a US passport and have graduated from a US university you can get an E-2. While not as good as any F visa, it will allow you to work here without too many problems.

Side note, some of my kyopo friends (that lack fluency in Korean) have complained about contracts they have received on F visas from Hakwons. They have complained about getting treated like the Korean teachers, in pay/benefits (usually worse than 'native' teachers) without the ability to really be one of the group with regard to the other Korean teachers. Kind of like they are stuck in between.

I can't speak for how common this is, but I have heard more than a few complaints, so I know it does exist.

[windupbird010]

Thanks for the response SeoulNate!

I posted because I wanted to be sure that I definitely wasn't a Korean citizen, and that the consulate does have the right information.

I was worried that if I applied for an E2 they would recognize I am Korean, and according to the supposed new law, not allow me to apply for it.

At this point I'll just decide between the E2 and F4. Thanks for telling me about contract issues with even F4s. I'll keep an eye out and see which one turns out to be better.