The Korean E2 Visa Process

I always intended to write this up when I got around to starting this blog because when I was trying to figure out this process, most of the websites I found were recruiters, none of which gave very complete or grammatically correct information. The websites I found that did help were generally forums or expats' blogs. So I thought I'd add another expat blog to Google's spiders. This information is only specific to American applicants, and even more specifically to Virginia and DC laws - other states may require you to go to slightly different buildings to get the same things done, etc.

Basically the process works like this:

1) You collect a lot of documents and send them to your new employer.

2) Your employer sends them off to the Korean government, which sends your employer back a visa issuance number.

3) Your employer sends you the visa issuance number.

4) You take this number and some more documents to the nearest Korean Consulate, where you have a short interview about why you want to go to Korea, etc. You go home.

5) The Korean Consulate mails you your visa.

As you might be able to tell, lots of steps in this process involve waiting for things to happen. It took about two weeks after I sent my documents to my employer for me to get the visa issuance number, and it took about a week and a half for the consulate to mail me the actual visa. I left for Korea about a month and a half after I intended to because I factored in exactly zero time for all of this to get done. So start early.

Here's the list of documents, in total, that you are required to send an employer:

- official, sealed university transcript (x2)

- criminal record check (regional or national; cannot be a county record check)

- university diploma (the original or a notarized, apostilled copy) (um, don't send the original)

- copy of your passport information and photo page

- two passport-sized photos (emphasis on photo - not a printed picture)

- contract from your employer, signed (x2)

(Note: I made extra copies of a lot of this stuff, because I didn't know how many would be needed by my employer, the Korean government, and the Korean consulate, collectively. Double-check the numbers.)

Some employers ask for extra stuff - copies of your resume, stuff like that. But these are the documents required by law. If you ever have a question about which kind of what document is acceptable, how to get things apostilled, etc., the best possible thing to do is to call your Korean Consulate and your capital's courthouse. Laws and procedure are always changing, and even extremely helpful information you found on someone's blog might be out of date or different in your area.

In any case, how to do all of this business, as of fall 2009:

Step 1: order official transcripts from your university and criminal record checks from the police

It probably would have been a good idea for me to do this before I started applying for jobs, because once potential employers wanted these documents, I had to factor in an extra week or three to wait for them to arrive. The criminal record check took the longest, I think three weeks; my university offered priority mail options so I got the transcripts in a few days.

Step 2: make a copy of your university diploma

Look, most employers say that you can send the original, but seriously, do not do that. It's your diploma. My eye is twitching just thinking about it. I made two copies and got them notarized and apostilled.

Step 3: get your diploma copies and criminal record checks notarized and apostilled

This is the really exciting part of getting the E2 visa. In Virginia, the easiest way for me to get documents notarized was to take them to a courthouse. (Note: the courthouse had problems with my full-sized diploma copies, because they couldn't run them through their machines; I had to go back and get smaller copies made.) Virginia requires that documents be apostilled at the capital courthouse - which meant driving to Richmond (thanks Dad!). I could have mailed the documents, but I didn't know how long it would take, and I was getting antsy waiting for stuff. I think several other states require the documents be apostilled at the capital, so plan ahead, either for mailing the documents or driving there yourself. The in-person process isn't that expensive or time-consuming - I think I was there for twenty minutes and spent about as many dollars - but having to drive to another city can be a pain. And if you're on an employer's schedule, it can be stressful to make the time. So do this before you need it.

Step Also, Somewhere In There: photocopy your passport information/photo page, and get some passport-sized photos of yourself

Note: the photos need to be actual photographs, not pictures printed off a computer. I learned this the hard way when I showed up at the consulate for my interview.

Here ends the things you can do without an employer; the next steps assume that you have found a job and that your employer has sent you a contract and that you have printed it out (two copies!) and signed it.

Step 4: send all of the stuff listed above to your employer

I sent mine off super fast express priority whatever mail, and it took about a week and a half for my employer to receive my visa issuance number from the Korean government. Waiting is fun.

Step 5: call the Korean consulate and set up an appointment for an interview

Note: The DC consulate required an in-person interview, but some consulates allow you to mail your visa stuff. Double check whose jurisdiction you're under; the consulates cast long shadows because there aren't that many of them, and you're not allowed to have your interview at any consulate but your own. It might be a long drive.

Step 6: take your passport, visa issuance number, visa application, and two passport-sized photos to the Korean consulate for your interview

You might be able to print the visa application off the internet but there are always blank applications at the consulate. And FYI, you are taking your passport because the visa is stamped inside of it; the consulate is going to need it for a few days.

The interview wasn't very long. There were pretty typical questions like, "Why do you want to go to Korea?" "Do you know Korean?" "Are you going to bring any plants or animals to Korea?" They just generally want to know that you're not a terrorist or a druggie.

Step 7: Wait. Book your flights. Pack.

I wanted to visit a friend in LA before going to Korea, so on the application, where it asks where your passport/new visa should be sent, I gave the Korean consulate the address I'd be staying at in LA. This worked out fine and it didn't matter that the visa was being sent out of the consulate's jurisdiction.

Success!

Some number of weeks later, you have a visa! Hope I see you in Korea! :)