Bookmark and Share

Guide to Living and Teaching English in Korea

 

Korean Visa Process

Introduction

Below we have detailed, step by step, the process for obtaining your E-2 visa. It is very important that you begin working on this process right away! Some schools will not offer you a position until you have gathered all documents for Part 1 listed below. Unfortunately, some of these documents can take a week or even a month to process, but they only take a few minutes to apply for. Don’t miss out on a great position because you don’t have all the documents collected yet.

For your convenience, this process matches up with the visa flow chart we have also sent to you. The flow chart is designed as a check list to help visualize the E-2 visa process. Please note that some schools will operate differently and will require different documents. For example, public schools will almost ALWAYS require two letters of reference instead of one. Please review your individual school information package to see if there are any more documents needed not listed on this page or on the visa flow chart. Also, please pay close attention to the timelines given for each phase of the visa flow chart.

very important you try to collate the documents listed in the amount of time we request. If you think it may take longer, please let us know right away.

Part One

All below items will need to be completed/collated. As you collect them, please scan them and e-mail them directly to the Director of Recruiting - Korea. You do not have to wait until you have everything before you send them. You can also fax them, but e-mail is preferable.

When you have all the below items in hand, you will need to FEDEX them to your school in Korea (we will send you this address) as outlined in Part 2 below. Please provide us with the Tracking Number FEDEX gives you. It’s important to note that even though you are e-mailing these documents to us, you must still mail them all to Korea as well.

After reviewing this list of items, please read the following notes as some items have specific requirements that must be followed. It is a good idea to make a photocopy of each item for future reference or for your interview at the Korean Consulate

The Items

  1. Criminal Background Check or Vulnerable
  2. A signed copy of the employment contract
  3. Sector Background Check
  4. Apostille or Appropriate Notarization
  5. A copy of the first page of your passport
  6. Two Official Sealed Transcripts
  7. Four Passport Photos
  8. Bachelor’s Degree
  9. Health Statement

ONE. Criminal background check OR a Vulnerable Sector Background Check

  1. **Important/Time Sensitive: Please apply for this right away!**
  2. How to get your Background Check: If you are a citizen of the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland or South Africa, please apply for your Criminal Background Check at your local police station. Request a statewide check if possible (in the United States), if not then a local or county check is fine.
  3. How to get your Background Check: If you are a citizen of Canada, please apply for your Vulnerable Sector Background Check at your location police station.
  4. How to get your Background Check: If you are a citizen of the United Kingdom, please apply for your background check at Disclosure Scotland. Please follow this link: www.disclosurescotland.co.uk
  5. The background check must have a contact number for the police station, a signature from the issuing officer, the issuing station’s police stamp and the search result.
  6. Please don’t delay in applying for this, as it is valid for 180 days and not having it in time can prevent you from landing the job you want!

TWO. Apostille or Appropriate Notarization

  1. **Important/Time Sensitive: Please apply for this as soon as you receive your Background Check!**
  2. What is an apostille? Simply put- an international notarization. Right now your criminal background check is only legal in the United States. By getting an apostille, your background check will be legal in any country that recognizes the apostille, in particular South Korea.
  3. This web site has lots of information on how to obtain an apostille and relating costs: www.apostilleinfo.com
  4. America: Your Criminal Background Check must receive an apostille from your state’s Secretary of State Office. Sometimes you may have to get a public notarization before receiving your apostille. Please call your Secretary of State to see if this is necessary or if they will notarize the document for you. See Appendix I for listing of these offices.
  5. United Kingdom: Your Criminal Background Check must receive an apostille from the Legalization Office of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. See www.apostilleinfo.com for more information.
  6. Ireland: Your Criminal Background Check must receive an apostille from the Department of Foreign Affairs. See www.apostilleinfo.com for more information.
  7. Australia: Your Criminal Background Check must receive an apostille from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. See www.apostilleinfo.com for more information.
  8. New Zealand: Your Criminal Background Check must receive an apostille from the Authentication Unit from the Department of Internal Affairs. See www.apostilleinfo.com for more information.
  9. South Africa: Your Criminal Background Check must receive an apostille from the Consular and Agency Services. See www.apostilleinfo.com for more information.
  10. Canada: Your Vulnerable Sector Search will NOT receive an apostille. It must be notarized by a public notary and then submitted to a Korean Consulate for notarization.

THREE. Official Sealed Transcript

  1. **Important/Time Sensitive: Please request these from your University right away!**
  2. The envelope must not be opened!
  3. A stamp from the university must be placed along the seal line of the envelope. Some Universities will do this automatically, but most will not. Please request this from your university just to be safe.
  4. One transcript will be sent to Korea in Part 2 listed below. The other transcript will be taken with you to the Korean Consulate described in Part 3 listed below.
  5. 2 Official Sealed Transcripts are the minority requirements. For some positions you will need a total of 3 transcripts. We suggest getting a total of 4 transcripts as security.

FOUR. Bachelor’s degree

  1. This must be the original copy of your Bachelor’s Degree!
  2. If you wish not to send your original degree, then you must have a copy notarized by a public notary and by the Korean Consulate.
  3. Please check the name on the degree. It must match the name on your passport.
  4. Sometimes Korean consulates will tell you to get an apostille for your documents. This is usually fine. However, sometimes the Korean Immigration Office in Korea will not accept an apostilled copy of the degree. To avoid any problems with your degree, we HIGHLY suggest you send you original degree to Korea. You will receive a tracking number from FED-EX and your school will keep the diploma safe until you arrive, where you will get it back.

FIVE. A signed copy of the employment contract

  1. Make sure you have completely filled out each part of the contract.
  2. Make sure you have signed or initialed each page of the contract.

SIX. A copy of the first page of your passport

  1. This is the page with your photograph and personal information.
  2. If you are worried about identity theft, you may cover up your passport number.
  3. Your passport must be valid for the next 12 months.

SEVEN. 4 passport-sized photos

  1. Please take a total of six. You will mail four to Korea and keep two for later.
  2. They must all be the same picture.

EIGHT. Health Statement

  1. This form is also attached to the Visa Information E-Mail.
  2. Please be as honest as possible when filing out this form.
  3. Please see below for further details.

PART TWO

When you have all the above items in hand, you will mail them to your school in Korea. We will give you this address, of course! The school will then submit these documents to the Korean Ministry of Immigration.

Private School: After approximately 10 business days immigration provides the school with a Visa Issuance Number in your name (it typically looks like this: HSBO000070). This number will be given to us, and then we will pass it along to you.

Public School: Often times, it takes much long for private schools to process your documents. When it is complete, the public school will mail to YOU a visa issuance letter, not a number. Essentially, this will be a letter of acceptance into the program.

PART THREE

At this point, you will take your Visa Issuance Number or Letter, visa application which was also attached to this e-mail, passport, 2 passport photos and fee money (about $45) and schedule an interview at the nearest Korean Embassy/Consulate (see Appendix II for locations). Subsequent to your interview, the Korean government will take approximately three (3) days to process your application. You can then pick up your passport, with visa inside. At that point, congratulations, you are officially ready to come to Korea!

Sometimes, the Korean Consulate will not require a public school teacher to interview at the Korean Consulate. Please call before hand to see if the consulate will accommodate this request. If they say no, or if you are applying for a private school, then you will have to apply in person.

Sometimes, consulates will grant phone interviews or you may submit a video of you if the consulate is too far away from you. Please note that that is very rarely granted, but some applicants have been allowed to do this in the past. Unfortunately, schools cannot reimburse you for travel to and from the Korean Consulate to apply for or pick up your visa.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Health Statement: Applicants will be required to submit a health statement form to Korean Immigration when they apply for their working visa (mentioned in part one of the visa process). This form is attached to this e-mail as well. You must answer this form as honestly as possible. Shortly after your arrival to Korea, you will be required to visit one of the local hospitals or health clinics to undergo a health screening. You will be tested for HIV, other contagious diseases and illicit drug use (including marijuana use).

It's best for you to see your doctor within 3 months prior to heading to Korea to make sure you are free of any major sickness or disease. If the responses on your health statement form are inconsistent with your health screening results, your visa could be revoked and your contract terminated. Ultimately you could be deported and blacklisted, making it almost impossible to work in Korea again. SEE YOUR DOCTOR!

Criminal Background Check: Applicants must obtain a criminal background check or Criminal Clearance Letter, to prove they are clear of any criminal offences. Each country has its own specific process involved in obtaining what is required by both Korean Immigration and the Korean Consulate in your region.

The school or the government will not cover mailing costs for the checks or associated notarization. When mailing your checks to be notarized, be sure to include a posted, return envelope with your mailing address on it.

Canadian applicants must request a "Vulnerable Sector Screening" from their local police services. The CBC must be notarized by a 'Notary Public' and then must be taken to the Korean embassy or consulate to be notarized. The VSS must be issued within 180 days of you submitting it to Korean Immigration.

American applicants must request a "Name Background" search OR a "Name Background AND Fingerprint" search. A fingerprint search alone will not be sufficient. The CBC must be "Apostille Authenticated" and it must be issued within 180 days of you submitting it to Korean Immigration.

British and Australian applicants must request a "Name Background" search OR a "Name Background AND Fingerprint" search. A fingerprint search alone will not be sufficient. The CBC must be "Apostille Authenticated" and it must be issued within 90 days of you submitting it to Korean Immigration.

New Zealanders, Irish and South African applicants should contact Reach To Teach for further details.