Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Charles in Korea]

I'm aware that this board gets flooded with F-2 questions, but I feel that mine is different from the standard "can I teach privates on an F-2," so I'm throwing it up here and hoping someone will answer it. I've tried contacting Immigration, the Korean embassy in the US, and even a law office. Everyone either said "we don't know" or never replied. Here is my question:
Is the rumor that you can get an F-2 after seven years in Korea true?

I've read about it, but have never met someone (not even online) who's actually done it. I know some F-2 people, but they all got theirs through marriage. Have any of you gotten the F-2 by meeting the time requirement? Have any of you gotten turned down for the F-2 after meeting the time requirement?

I've been in Korea for a while now, and although I'm not close to seven years yet, there are minor decisions that I need to make based on whether or not the F-2 is an actual possibility. Thank you.

[bellum99]

I have never once heard of any person getting the F2-1 without being married. I think it is impossible in reality but exists as an option in theory. Immigration sometimes says it is possible..but they never grant it to anyone.

---I would like to know if anyone else has more information.

[The Cosmic Hum]

hmm...I can't give you the information you need...but I think the information you want is not about the F2 visa...F2 is a spousal visa...so that is why the only people you know who have it are married.
I think you are looking for information concering the F5 visa...which is permanent residency.
It is possible...but not probable...I don't know anyone with it...who didn't have an F2 visa first.
There are requirements to be met...and if you do a search...you will find what they are(they have been posted here before)...off-hand...I recall something like investment money to the tune of $500,000 was in order. You may want to find out more specifics...I am sure others on this board will direct you to the links related to the F5 visa.
Good luck with your future plans.

[Charles in Korea]

[Pak Yu Man]

Read what people are saying in two threads. F-2 is a family visa. Your wife, husband or children (if your spouce dies) are Korean.

Why would you get a family visa if you had no family. There was a rumor years ago that said "if you stayed x number of years you got a free visa". It was bullshiat then it's bullshiat now.

Why do you need an F visa anyways?

[Captain Corea]

[huffdaddy]

[Charles in Korea]

Thank you, huffdaddy! Yes, for everyone who keeps on butting in with "I think you mean F-5 visa," this is for you:

The name in English (for the F-2) is "family/spousal visa." The name in Korean is 거주. 거주 does not mean family or spouse -- it means "residence." Do you really think Immigration wants to make your lives easy by making you aware of a residence visa? There are lots of English teachers who have been here for years and would be instantly eligible, and the bigots at Immy don't want that, so they hid it in a language that, shame on you, you can't understand! Of course they're going to change the name when they translate it into English.

According to both the site that huffdaddy provided AND the Immigration website in Korean (http://seoul.immigration.go.kr/HP/IMM02/im.../imm_403040.jsp), the F-2 is attainable after seven years. Okay, so we have two sources (at least) that say this is true. So has anyone actually done this? Because just living somewhere for seven years is A WHOLE LOT EASIER than raising up $500,000 and starting a big business!

So anyways, back to my original question:
Does anyone know anyone who either got the F-2 by being here for seven years, or who got turned down for one after living here for seven years?

[The Cosmic Hum]

hmm...as far as the F2 and F5...I do have first hand knowledge of being rejected...I asked and was told...that the F2 was for marriage only...the specific words they used were..."Spousal Visa"...which is why I posted what I did...(what they write on their message boards and the reality of the situation often seem to be quite different)... at that same time, I then asked about the F5, and was again rejected...for the money issue...although I was investing a significant amount of money in my new home...and have lived here for over 8 years...I had a close Korean friend call to make sure it was not a language barrier thing...and they were given the same information.
This is my personal experience...others may differ.

I suggest calling them personally...and calling more than one office may be useful...I only called the one in Suwon...I have read threads on this site where some people have mentioned that different immigration offices give different responses to similar questions...even down to the person they met or talked to�it often feels like a lottery.

If you are serious about this...you may want to contact a lawyer who deals with this issue...I did not pursue that route...but if there is a way to gain access to the F series visa without having to get married or invest that amount of money...then perhaps they would have the legal means and methods of helping you with that.
Again...good luck to you.

P.S. If you do get this information�I am certain a great many people here would appreciate hearing about it.

[dogbert]

If you look at the Korean homepage of the Immigration website, you can see the following written in regard to the F-2:

대 상 :

- 국민의 배우자

- 영주(F-5) 자격 소지자의 배우자

which indicates that those eligible to be issued an F-2 are (a) spouses of a Korean citizen; or (b) spouses of an F-5 holder. This is in spite of the fact that, as you stated, the classification of the visa itself is listed as "거주" or residence.

This is further borne out by the documentation requirements, which require that the applicant prove his/her marriage and that the spouse of the applicant supply a personal guarantee.

[Mashimaro]

[dogbert]

[jinju]

OP, are you asking a question or teaching? Seriously, people are telliong you yet you seem to know better.

F2- family visa. Get married to a Korean, you can get it.

F5 - Permanent residency. It can be attaiined via an F2 (2 years on F2 gets you eligible for an F5) as well as a few other ways.

So unless you are married to a Korean you can not get an F2. You might be able to score an F5 if you meet some of the other criteria.

[Charles in Korea]

jinju,

Am I teaching or asking a question?

Well, I tried coming in here asking a question, but quickly realized that most of the people here (not all, but most) actually know less about this than me, so I ended up teaching/lecturing. Look, I contacted a lawyer today, and this is what he said:

THE F-2 IS POSSIBLE AFTER SEVEN YEARS IN KOREA. However, he doesn't know anyone who has done it and expects that it is extremely difficult (he says the law is very vague).

The point of these posts is to find out if someone has done it, not to find out if it's possible, because it IS possible. I'm trying to find out how probable it is, not if it's possible.

[Charles in Korea]