Korean Job Discussion Forums

rumibaer · Joined: 25 Mar 2003 Location: U.S.

I posted a while back about F-4 visas, since then I tried to apply but unfortunately due to some paperwork that was never completed when my father became a U.S citizen, - it will take possibly 2-3 months before I will have the proper paperwork to get the F-4. I had planned, and still plan to go to Korea, at the end of May or early June, but this sort of changes things..as I had planned to obtain the F-4 first.

my question is, once you have a certain type of visa- how hard is it to change to a different visa? I already have a 90 day tourist visa, but would there be any problems in trying to get an F-4 visa once I've already gone to Korea on a tourist visa, or in trying for the F-4, after going to korea, getting a hagwon job and being issued an E-2 visa? I'm not sure if this is a stupid question to ask.... but I have a Korean friend who recently had major visa problems. He came to the U.S. on a tourist visa, but studied - ( even though he didn't have a student visa) then tried to change his visa status to that of a student one, was denied, had his tourist visa revoked, had to leave the U.S. in March, interviewed again at the U.S. Consulate in Korea for a student visa, was denied again, and told that he cannot return to the U.S. for 10 years, because they deemed that he had illegal status in the U.S. for more than a year ( even though he didn't). His situation has just made me a little more cautious... as to how reliable it is to be able to " change " from one visa to another.

Any kind of advice, or similar experiences, etc. would be grrrreatly appreciated.

girl · Joined: 30 Jan 2003

i know that the E2 is for a year and it would be really hard to get the F4 anytime while having the E2.

as for going from the tourist visa to the F4, there shouldn't be a whole lot of problems.

your friend was in a different situation. he was in the states not in korea. there are different immigration laws everywhere.

if it's going to take that long to get the F4, then i say just go to korea on your tourist and try to get the F4, but i can't tell you how easy it's going to be.

good luck

rumibaer · Joined: 25 Mar 2003 Location: U.S.

yeah i know his situation was different, but all the same it's just making want to be extra cautious is all.

see that's my question though- i know an e-2 is for a year, but i'm wondering once you have an e-2 if you can change to f-4...

Zyzyfer · Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2003 8:01 pm Post subject:

If you can, go for it. If you can't, do you think you can manage one year with an E-2? I'm sure it's more limiting, but if you're really intent on getting here ASAP, well, yea.

rumibaer · Joined: 25 Mar 2003 Location: U.S.

ok i think i made my post too confusing haha, let me try again..

yes, i do not want to wait in America the 3 months or whatever it might take to have everything straightened out so that I can get the F-4 here, in the states, before going to Korea. mainly because once i graduate i'd be stuck at home without a car, without a job... would rather just go somewhere right away.

i could just go with my tourist visa, but i guess i have two options: just chill until the F-4 goes through, like 2 months, but then I wouldn't be making any money.... since I can't work with a tourist visa.

or, get a job once im in korea ( or before, whatever) and thus would have an E-2, but what I do not know, is whether once you get an E-2, you can apply for an F-4, or if you would have to wait the year out until the E-2 expires? If that were the case, then I suppose I would not want to get an E-2... I guess I should just try to wait until the F-4 can go through.

so complicated. i hate visa stuff~ big 'ol pain in the arse -_-