Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Lis]

[joesunsangnim]

has anybody done a visa run to taiwan?

[happydays12]

I've been looking over this very informative website, but have been unable to find the answers for a few questions. I am currently in Korea on an E2 visa. I have been here for about 9 1/2 months and am nearing my contract's expiration date. I have decided that I will leave this school after the 1 year is finished, but would still like to work in Korea. I would like to change schools and find a teaching job in Seoul. I was wondering - will this be considered renewing my contract or is this an extension of stay?

I was wondering exactly what things I will need to renew my visa. Will I need the background check again? Can I just stay in Korea and change jobs with a smooth transition or must I return to the U.S. for these formalities? Please let me know. I am finding information that is very contradicting.

P.S. I have been reading this website for about a year now, and now would like to speak with other members. This is my first post and hope to receive decent answers.

[happydays12]

I've been looking over this very informative website, but have been unable to find the answers for a few questions. I am currently in Korea on an E2 visa. I have been here for about 9 1/2 months and am nearing my contract's expiration date. I have decided that I will leave this school after the 1 year is finished, but would still like to work in Korea. I would like to change schools and find a teaching job in Seoul. I was wondering - will this be considered renewing my contract or is this an extension of stay?

I was wondering exactly what things I will need to renew my visa. Will I need the background check again? Can I just stay in Korea and change jobs with a smooth transition or must I return to the U.S. for these formalities? Please let me know. I am finding information that is very contradicting.

P.S. I have been reading this website for about a year now, and now would like to speak with other members. This is my first post and hope to receive decent answers.

[dimnd]

would like to change schools and find a teaching job in Seoul. I was wondering - will this be considered renewing my contract or is this an extension of stay?

I was wondering exactly what things I will need to renew my visa. Will I need the background check again? Can I just stay in Korea and change jobs with a smooth transition or must I return to the U.S. for these formalities? Please let me know. I am finding information that is very contradicting."

OP
changing schools is not "renewing your contract" nor is it "re-signing"..
That being said, IF you are renewing with your school..and you said you are NOT, and nor are you EXTENDING your sojourn, you will need a new visa. Hence, new docs. If your contract for your new school begins immediately the next day after the present one finishes I believe you can transfer the visa and not have to go out of country.

Should you not have this in place, the new contract immediately following the old..by the NEXT day, then you will need to do a visa run and hence, a new CRC and the whole process begins again.

others can add if they find this missing info.



not say. If you are going from a hagwon to a public school and did not turn in a CRC then you will need one.

[Krokodil]

I just got back from a visa run to Guam, and made some mistakes the rest of you can benefit from.

First off, the airport is so close to downtown Tuman/Tamuning, I thought I'd save some bucks and walk it. No. Even though cabs will soak you ten bucks for a one-mile ride, walking around this area if you're not familiar with it will get you very lost and your feet incredibly sore.

The Korean Consulate is at 125C Tun Jose Camacho St. Tamunin, Guam. Google Earth and Google Maps will direct you to the Hyatt Regency in Tuman, but don't believe them. There are few street signs on the lesser roads (and this is a lesser road), so finding it on your own would involve a minor miracle. The nearest landmark is the Sheraton in Tamuning, a giant ziggurat of a building. From Sheraton, walk down the hill, look for a strip mall with a grocery store/Bank of Hawaii; turn left and pass the strip mall and another one and look for a left turn that goes uphill and has a Korean flag prominent. Local cabbies should know it.

Get there at 9 am and they will have your visa processed by 4 pm. Try to call for directions before 9 am and you will get a recorded message in Korean. Unfortunately, you can't hang around and there's no library nearby to wile away the hours. Don't show up in Guam with less than $300 in your pocket. Taxis and hotels will eat up about half of that (all inland motels are in the $40/night range). The actual document will set you back $45 American.

Guam is not a prosperous area; the growth industries are bars, liquor stores, pawn shops and "oriental massage." Wandering around town on your own will inevitably bring you to the traffic circle with a statue of Pope John Paul II and a nearby hospital. You will instinctively wander in the opposite direction of where you think you are going. Spring for a cab.

The low end motels have no Wi-Fi, but the shopping malls (GPO and Mall of Micronesia) do. At the airport, the only place with Wi-Fi is a bar called the President's Club; you probably won't be able to get in, but you can sit on a bench outside the door and try to look inconspicuous as you log on. Another bar, Big Nama's, has three internet terminals, but they're not always on at hours you'll find convenient.

Dress for sweltering, humid weather.

[WormBones]

Thank you very much Krokodil.

I may have a Guam run coming up in a week or so.

[djz]

Anyone ever do a visa run in Macau? I was thinking of doing that instead of Japan since I've already been to Japan.

[jpotter78]

So I was told today by immigration that because of my 1 day overstay on my E7 visa back in 2005 that I now have to go back to the U.S. to get my new E2 visa that I am currently applying for. Does anyone know if I can go to Guam to do this?

[paddynufc]

Almost went to Vietnam to get a visa this week.

I posted this information in a thread in the Job Discussion Forum, but thought I'd leave it here as well for reference.

[Darkeru]

Has anyone ever been to Niigata (In Japan) for a visa?

[valium kilmer]

Does anyone know how long the processing time is in Tokyo now?

[ttompatz]