Korean Job Discussion Forums

[klipspringer5]

Hey all,

Does anyone have any familiarity with E-6 (Arts/Entertainment) or E-7 (Specially Designated Activities) visas? Or does anyone out there have experience with working as an English specialist but not on an E-1 or E-2 visa? This is a little complicated, so I'll lay it all out...

A small, Seoul-based theater company has invited me, a US citizen, to be their lighting designer. Since I'd be the only high-level English speaker I'd also be assisting with international communications/PR and helping company members practice their English (note: these are most definitely secondary functions, the company is not looking to somehow back-door an English teacher). The company's director talked with the immigration bureau, who suggested that we apply for an E-7 visa. Looking at the website (and is it me or is it unnecessarily difficult to get information about the types of visas available?), it seems that I might also qualify as an artist for the purposes of the E-6 visa. I could probably go for the E-7 as either a technical specialist in lighting design or as a foreign language consultant. For the E-6 I would apply as a lighting designer, or perhaps as an actor, although there aren't any plans at present for me to act in any shows (still, there aren't that many Korean actors who could play a 6', blond/blue, white man, are there?). Now, I have a fair amount of experience as both a lighting designer and an actor, but no university degree or similar certificate to state that. The best I could do would probably be to send a copy of my B.A. with letters of reference from professors at my university. However, I am TEFL certified and have taught English in China. So questions:

First and foremost:
>For which should I apply in order to ensure myself of the best chance of acceptance?:
a) E-7, English consultant
b) E-7, technical specialist - lighting design
c) E-7, specialist - acting (?does this possibility exist?)
d) E-6, artist - lighting design
e) E-6, artist/performer - actor
f) some combination of the above
g) something else

>If f), which and how?

>If g), considering that I intend to do this long-term (at least 1 year) and we can't afford to have me fly out of the country every 30 (B-2) or 90 (C-3) days (another of the immigration officer's suggestions), are there any other legal or low cost/low risk (e.g. D-1 (Culture/Arts) or D-2 (Study)) visas to be considered?

>Also, if I understand the director correctly, the company is in some way partially tax-exempt, and though I'd be earning money, it wouldn't be much more than subsistence. Does this open up the range of visas for which I can apply?

Documents questions:
Required documents for a proxy applying for a Certificate of Recognition of Visa Issuance for an E-6 visa:
- recommendation letter for employment from the Minister of pertinent Department or substantiating documents for the necessity of employment
- certificate of qualification or career certificate
- reference
For E-7:
- employment contract
- degree or certificate of qualification
- recommendation letter for employment from the Minister of pertinent Department or substantiating documents for the necessity of employment
- substantiating documents for the foundation of the pertinent company

>Most of this makes some sense, but how do you get a recommendation from a Minister?

>Which Department is pertinent?

>What level of certification is required?

>Is the reference for the E-6 supposed to be from a Korean company?

>Do I need to worry about showing proof of financial self-sufficiency?

>What would that entail?

>How long should all this take up to the point where I can actually go to an embassy and apply for a visa, assuming we go the Certificate of etc. route?

Work questions:
>If I receive a visa specifying my work as that of an English consultant, lighting designer, or actor, would that in any way inhibit my (legal) ability to perform in the other roles for the company?

>Although the company is based in Seoul, it performs around Korea and internationally. As a US citizen I'll get an automatic multiple-entry visa, but will all of this traveling somehow mean that I'm working outside of my registered area and thus violate the terms of my visa?

>Could I legally tutor students on the side?

>Could I do it through the company (i.e. the students pay the company who then pass it on to me, minus tax, instead of paying me directly)?

>Are there any (other) jobs I could legally do on the side?

Finally:
>Is there anything else I should know that I haven't asked about?
and:
>Is it pointless to ask why more of this information isn't available from the immigration department themselves? (I guess it's not really much worse than trying to find out about visas to the US...)

I realize I'll be lucky if anyone can answer more than a few of these questions, but thank you for any help you can give and for reading all the way through. Peace

[ChuckECheese]

I'm on E-2 Visa, but I should change my visa to E-6 since I'm having to entertain my students most of the time.