Korean Job Discussion Forums

[gyopogirlfromtexas]

Is it absolutely mandatory that you have a roundtrip ticket on hand with you during your arrival, if you're coming without a visa? That's what I've been told.

But some people here are saying you don't need a visa coming into Korea with an American passport. That it is 30day visa free period because you're American. And that you can get a visa once you arrive. I'll be needing a F-4. I'm scared of coming on one way and not being to leave the airport, because I'll be coming one way. I think I'll most likely want to stay 1.5 or 2 yrs instead of just one.

So, if the roundtrip is true, I will have to drive to the Korean consulate in Houston. Have any of you guys went to the consulate in person, and received the visa that same day or do they have to mail it to you? I would ask the Houston consulate directly, but they never answer the phone.

[Hater Depot]

I recently spent 30 days as a tourist. I did have an onward ticket booked but wasn't asked to present it. Just my experience.

[oskinny1]

I got in fine with just a one-way and no visa but others I flew in with had troubles. If worse comes to worst just buy a refundable ticket and deal with returning it when you get here. Just leave Houston, that place is a pit.

[Hater Depot]

Also, immigration officers in Seoul are much less friendly than those in Jeju and Busan.

[ella]

I came on a one-way ticket and a tourist visa. I got the tourist visa renewed for an additional 60 days. Fast and easy, in Seoul, no problems with any of it. My tip: dress in your sharpest business attire while you're traveling and whenever you deal with immigration.

[VirginIslander]

My friend wanted to fly from Thailand to Busan, Korea a few weeks ago. He was held up in immigration in Thailand because his ticket to South Korea was only one-way. Because he didn't have his visa yet, they didnt want him to leave Thailand on a one way ticket.

[OiGirl]

It's not supposed to be possible, but it often is. If anyone's going to hold you up, it will be the airline you are departing with. As others said, get a refundable return ticket or reasonable facsimile. I don't know about processing time on an F4, but you can get a C3 next day and worry about the F4 when you get to Korea.

[gyopogirlfromtexas]

Yea, Houston looks like a ghetto dump besides the Galleria , Rice U, and mansion area. Dread the thought of driving all the way over there. The downtown area is confusing and too many one way lanes. When I look at the Houston Korean Consulate website, they have nothing about f-4 visas. I guess I'll call them, hopefully they answer the darn phone this time. I'd be truly surprised if they do.

I was asking the travel agent about roundtrip tickets, she said they are not refundable. If I can only figure out how to print a fake roundtrip that matches my one way for the part I'm getting to Korea.

I wanna buy the roundtrip anyway, but it'd be retarded to arrive in Seoul after 2 flights, only to be sent back home or not be let out of the airport. I'll be flying with Singapore Airlines if I do from LA, and the travel agent said they (whoever it is) will not let me off the plane or out of the airport with a one way because the singapore airlines will get heavily fined.

So where can I buy the refundable tickets? Every site I go it's nonrefundable. It'd be even better i f I can click buy, then cancel right away . It sounds like too much work, and impossible though. Thanks for the replies though.

[OiGirl]

[While Away]

Yes, it is the departing airport where you would be stopped. I never had anyone at the Incheon airport check for the ticket for onward travel. Only the check-in agent in LA (or Houston) will check. America doesn't even have a departing security or customs check, so the check-in agent is your only hurdle.
I thought I saw somewhere that Houston has a Korean consulate. I may be wrong about that. Then, as someone above mentioned, the C-3 visa looks like the way to go. Seems like a sweet visa, 90 day entries allowed for 5 years.

[ella]

If you're going through LAX, it's not the check-in agents you need to be wary of. It's a good bet you're going to lose a few, if not many, items out of your luggage, courtesy of TSA.

[merkurix]

I have called Incheon Airport Customs in February with the same concern and I talked to them on the phone. They told me that an outward flight ticket is NOT necessary. In a paranoid panic I asked if she was absolutely sure, and she said "yes" just as long as you are out of the country within the time your passport is stamped (30 days, U.S.; 180 days, Canadians). It doesn't hurt to ask for the customs department at Incheon just to be sure (+82) (32)741-0114

[TheBrain]

The airline wouldn't let me board in Philadelphia until I had a round-trip ticket.

[Whirlwind]

Hi,

I've heard that you only need an onward ticket as proof. Round-trip is not necessary. So, if you get an open ticket from Korea to Japan that would satisfy and if you had to eat the $200-300 ticket by never using it , it would still be better than shelling out back for Houston. You get the visa on arrival in Korea, so why waste $45 dollars by getting one at the Houston embassy. I figure that even if I would never use the ticket to Japan, it would only be 3 days of work to make up for it. A small price to pay for a coming to Korea and checking it out first.

[OiGirl]