Korean Job Discussion Forums

[celticjay]

I've reported all the appropriate information to my Gu-office in Gyeongi-do. I now am not sure the procedure to get an F2 from immigration. What are the steps involved. I'm not keen on getting to immigration and having them say you don't have the right paper work. I'm hoping some of you who have been through this can help me avoid any pitfalls.

Thanks in advance for any replies.

[banillaq]

If I remember correctly the process is really quite easy once you have registered your marriage. All you have to do is bring your marriage license and arc to immigration and tell them that you would like a F-2 visa. I took my wife with me and she did most of the communicating. They will ask you to pay a fee (I think about 50,000) and tell you to come back in a few weeks. Hope this helps.

[Hollywoodaction]

Have your spouse call the immigration office. The information is probably available in Korean at their homepage, too.

[Trespasser]

Congratulations! I wish you a long and happy marriage.

[celticjay]

Thank you very much. Also, when someone posts a question on here it is very uninformative when someone tells you to call immigration. My wife can do that, but I wanted to here it from someone who has gone through the process. Immigration can give differing information depending who you talk to..

[keithinkorea]

First of all congratulations.

It is a simple process, and it really is easy as long as you don't get landed with one of the more awkward immigration officials.

Get your marriage license and your ID cards, go to immigration together, fill out the form and give them your ARC for processing.

Some people are asked for proof of you or your wife having cash (30.000 US is the usual figure) we didn't have that and asked if the receipt for the deposit on the key money for our place was OK?. She said that was fine. Take note many people say that they have not been asked for proof of having money, it's down to the individual officials discretion (ie what they had for breakfast and whether they got any the night before).

I guess the money thing is to show that you wont become a burden on Korea as some sort of economic parasite. Fair enough really though 30k US does seem a bit high. Most couples starting out in life spend a load of money on start up costs, I know we did.

[celticjay]

Thanks for the help Keith. I'm not sure what the ARC is that you referred to. If you could shed any light on that it would be much appreciated.

[NearlyKorean]

[celticjay]

With regards to the money do you think if we took our receipt for housing which is only 20,000 won, would that be sufficient. I'm sensing they just want to see some resemblance of financial stability. Also, my wife called immigration and their was some mention of "affidavit of eligibility form" I'm Canadian and this form shows I wasn't already married. Is this necessary. The Gu- office already has a copy of it as it was required to get our official marriage certificate.

[keithinkorea]

It may be OK. It is really down to the individual immigration officers attitude. If you've got a reasonable bank balance, paid a deposit on a place and both have jobs I'd think they'd be happy with that.

It really does depend on the individual immi official though, it sucks but that's just the way it is here.

[Che]

Celticjay,it's been a long time since I first got my F2 but as far as I can remember you will need the following when you visit the immigration office:
Passport
A.R.C.
Spouses Family Register (Hojok deung bon ?)showing your marriage - official copy
Spouses Legal Residence (Joo min deung bon ?)
Application form for F2 (downloadable from Immigration website? or just fill in at your local office)
Financial Guarantee Form (though it seems that you may not need to show this depending on the cussedness of the official you deal with just as other posters have said)
You should have no problems whatsoever as immigration appears to be taking a very relaxed attitude these days to foreigners with Korean spouses.

[Milwaukiedave]