Korean Job Discussion Forums

LeahForister · Joined: 17 Apr 2006

this is most likely an obsolete post, but i'll give it a try anyway. . . i am in the final negotations with some schools in Korea, was planning on starting around May 1st and i just realized i've lost my diploma. it wasn't where i thought it was all this time and as i've moved a lot the past year and half of my stuff is crammed very tightly in a storage unit, it's basically gone forever. so i thought i'd just get a new one sent from my university (which is out of state) and after talking to them today, they said it would probably take as long as 6 weeks!! i was due to leave in 2 weeks! that's a problem. is there ANY way around having the degree?? or am i just doomed to have to decline my current offers and wait the 6 weeks until i get my new diploma and do the job search all over again? Sad

thanks,

The Hierophant · Joined: 13 Sep 2005

Do you have your E2 visa yet? That's the important thing. You need the diploma (or notarized copies thereof) to gain the visa, after that, the diploma isn't strictly necessary (though some schools may still want to see it). So, if you have your E2 already then you're OK, just get people at home to post the new diploma to you in Korea when it finally arrives.

Zark · Posted: Tue Apr 18, 2006 4:22 pm Post subject:

I agree with the previous poster. Once you have your visa - I think you are okay. If I recall, when I got my last visa (E-1) the rest of the stuff after you arrive was just passport and school documents to finish the process.

But . . . I am not sure that is still true with the degree verification stuff that is going on now (my experience was a few years ago).

Xerxes · Posted: Tue Apr 18, 2006 4:30 pm Post subject:

From the OP "due to leave in two weeks," I'm thinking that that's either for a visa run or that you are coming in to Korea with your negotiations having be done over email and phone.

If it is the former case, you don't need your original (and you don't need one at all for the visa run). All hakwons have to report their roster of teachers to the Ministry of Education and keep that updated. You do need a diploma, or a copy, to do this. It is not urgent, however, and 6 weeks is not a problem, although it is a necessary step with the school hounding you to get the diploma eventually.

If you are coming in country and you haven't gotten your E-2 yet from the consulate not having submitted your papers yet, you are screwed and will have to wait the 6 weeks. If you have finished the paper work, just come in to country and have your diploma sent to your Korean address or have someone forward it to you. That diploma will come in handy eventually and you still will have to give a copy to your director for the registering with the Ministry of Education.

Pak Yu Man · Joined: 02 Jun 2005 Location: The Ida galaxy

You could arrive in Korea and marry the first girl you see. That would get you an F-2 VISA. No silly diplomas or seal transcrips required. Smile

noguri · Joined: 28 Nov 2005 Location: korea

I would go to the storage room, even if it is in another city, and I would take out every single box and look through it until I found the diploma.

I don't think there is another way if you want to avoid waiting six weeks for a replacement to arrive.

LeahForister · Joined: 17 Apr 2006

thanks for the replies guys. i do not have any visa yet so it looks like the diploma is a necessity. i would gladly marry the first korean chic i saw, except for one very important fact: i'm a chic. but thanks for the idea anyway! Wink

it looks like i'm going for noguri's plan: i've convinced two of my burly man friends to help me move all the furniture and everything else that lies on top of all my storage boxes and plan on sifting through each one to try to find it. ugh. but better than waiting 6 weeks.

thanks!

mindmetoo · Joined: 02 Feb 2004

Mr. BlackCat · Joined: 30 Nov 2005 Location: Insert witty remark HERE

I think the best solution would be to get into that storage unit and find the diploma. However, I am aware of another possibility if that falls through.

Another teacher at our school arrived here shortly after graduating and didn't have his actual diploma yet. But he got another paper that guaranteed that he had one and that seemed to be alright. He even made it through a personal visit to the Immigration Office back in December when they were verifying all of them.

I guess if it takes 6 weeks for your diploma to get to you, chances are such a letter might take the same amount of time. But it wouldn't hurt to ask.

And if you are really, really in a pickle maybe you can explain the situation to your new school and come over as a tourist. Once your diploma arrives you could do a visa run over a weekend. Its risky and possibly expensive, so do what you will with that thought.

Best of luck. And, by the way, you could marry the first Korean man you see here. You could also stab yourself in the eye, but let's not get drastic.