If you plan on coming to Seoul for employment purposes, there are several visas for which you may apply, depending on the type of work experience you have. Mainly, the most popular foreign work industries in Korea are information technology, engineering, construction and teaching English as a second language. There are many other reasons, however, why you may be coming to Seoul for work and there is a work visa for each specific situation. While the visa itself may not be difficult to obtain, it can be a frustrating and slow process to get all of your necessary documents in order and wait to hear back from the embassy – especially if you live in a big country like Canada where the nearest Korean embassy is a plane ride away. It is advisable to research and get all of your documents in order as far in advance as possible – at least three months in advance, but more if you can plan further ahead.
While you don’t necessarily have to apply for these work visas in your country of residence, it should be noted that you cannot get your work visa while in Korea. It is far easier to apply and obtain your work visa while in your home country, or if that isn’t possible, a country where there is a Korean embassy within reach. It is highly recommended to apply and obtain your visa in your home country, for simplicity reasons. For more information, please contact your nearest Korean embassy.
The validity of each visa can depend on your work contract, but all generally expire within a year (except the diplomatic or governmental visas, of course). As long as you have the proper paper work, as well as the necessary information from your employer, then all of these visas are easy enough to obtain. However, as in any bureaucratic situation, you should be prepared for roadblocks and rule changes. Patience and good organization skills will be your best friends during this process.
The following is a list of the most popular working visas used by expats in Seoul. The required documents may be prone to change over time and depend on the agreements your country of residence has with South Korea. The cost of a multiple entry visa will cost around $80.00 USD. All work visas are multiple entry as of December 2010, and are valid as long as you have a current ARC card.
A Visas
First of all, there are work visas that fall under the “A” section. These are set aside for expats working for the governments of other countries – mainly diplomats. Here is a more specific list of the types of “A” working visas:
A1 Visa
This visa is exclusively for diplomats.
Required documents:
- A diplomatic or official passport
- Completed application form
- One recent passport photo
- A “note verale” issued by your state government or an official document stating your itinerary and intentions during your stay
A2 Visa
This is for any other government official living and working in Korea.
Required documents: Same as A1 visa.
E Visas
The main work visas fall into the “E” visa category and are as follows:
E1 Visa
This visa is for those coming to Korea to work as university or college professors.
Required documents:
- Valid passport
- Completed application form
- Recent passport photo
- A certificate of visa issuance from the Korean Department of Justice
- Visa fees
- Copy of certificate of degree
- Certificate of career
- Certificate of employment (or expected employment)
- Agreement of exchange/certificate of detachment (if applicable)
- Copy of business registration of institutes
- If teaching in an area of science you may require a letter of recommendation from the Minister of Science and Technology – speak to your sponsoring school for help in obtaining this.
E2 Visa
This is for those teaching ESL courses at private or public schools.
Required documents:
This varies depending on what type of school you will be working for (your school tells you exactly what documents you need), but generally includes the following:
- Valid passport
- Completed application form
- An interview at your local Korean embassy
- A recent passport photo
- Your original university diploma
- Sealed university transcripts (usually two)
- A certificate of visa issuance from the Korean Department of Justice
- Several sets of university or other transcripts
- The visa processing fee
*Also required for an E1 and E2 visa: medical health check (completed in Korea upon arrival) and a criminal background (including vulnerable sector) check from your home country (this sometimes take several weeks to obtain, so apply for one as soon as possible before leaving for Korea).
E4 Visa
If you are coming to Korea for the purpose of teaching or training other professionals in areas of new technology, you will require this visa.
Required documents:
- Valid passport
- Completed application form
- Recent passport photo
- Warrant of detachment or certificate of incumbency
- Copy of technology introduction contract
- Copy of business registration (if applicable)
- Visa processing fee
The required documents largely depend on the instutition/company you will be working with.
E5 Visa
This visa is for formal employment. You will require this visa if you plan to work for a public relations firm or any corporation.
Required documents:
- Valid passport
- Recent passport photo
- Completed application form
- Certificate of qualification
- Letter of recommendation or a document proving the necessity of employment – your company will provide this.
- Employment contract
- Visa processing fee
E6 Visa
If you plan to work in the entertainment industry, you will require this visa.
Required documents:
- Valid passport
- Recent passport photo
- Completed application form
- Visa processing fee
- Letter of performance recommendation
- Personal reference letter
- The applicant will have to submit a health check to ensure the applicant does not carry the HIV virus
E7 Visa
If you possess a specific skill needed by Korean employers, you will require this visa.
Required documents: Same as E1 visa.
E9 Visa
This is a manual labour visa. If you plan to work in this sector, you will require this visa.
Required documents:
- Valid passport
- Completed application form
- Recent passport photo
- Employment permit statement (if applicable)
- Labour contract
- Business registration documents (if applicable)
- Visa processing fee
E10 Visa
If you plan to work in shipping or fisheries, you will require this visa.
Required documents:
- Valid passport
- Completed application form
- Crew labour contract
- Foreign crew employment statement (from the District Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries)
- Coast passenger transportation license or a copy of coast freight transportation registration
- Letter of recommendation (from the Korea Shipping Association)
- Visa processing fee
D Visas
Other work visas fall under the “D” section:
D5 Visa
This visa is specifically for foreign journalists.
Required documents:
- Valid passport
- Recent passport photo
- Completed application form
- Warrant of detachment
- Certificate of incumbency
- Installment license of a domestic branch or office
- Visa processing fee
D7 Visa
This is an intra-company visa. If you are being transferred to an office in Seoul or are being sent to set up an office branch, you will require this visa.
Required documents:
- Valid passport
- Recent passport photo
- Completed application form
- Dispatch warrant or certificate of incumbency
- Copy of branch office or liaison office installation permit
- Evidence of business fund importation record
- Yearly tax payment certificate
- Visa processing fee
D8 Visa
This visa is for corporate investors.
Required documents:
- Valid passport
- Recent passport photo
- Completed application form
- Dispatch warrant or certificate of incumbency
- Foreign investment report
- Visa processing fees
D9 Visa
This visa if for those who work in international trade and will spend an extended period of time in Seoul.
Required documents:
- Valid passport
- Recent passport photo
- Completed application form
- Dispatch warrant or certificate of holding office
- Copy of register or business certificate
- Evidence of business fund importation record or copy of business plan
- Yearly tax payment certificate
- Visa processing fee
D10 Visa
For those who are considered experts in their field, whether professional or academic, and wish to come to Korea to find a job (this visa lasts only six months to enable the visa holder to find a job).
Required documents:
- Valid passport
- Recent passport photo, completed application form
If an experienced professional from one of the top 300 corporations in the world you will require:
- Career certificate
- A letter explaining the reason for job seeking
If you are a graduate from one of the top 200 universities in the world (from graduate school) you will require:
- Original degree from the institution or certificate of expected degree
- Certificate of degree attainment issued by the institution
- Certificate of graduation (including the degree attainment fact)
- A letter explaining the reason for job seeking
- Visa processing fee
E7 Visa
This is a general visa (and the most commonly issued) for people who are required to relocate to Seoul for work purposes. You will be sponsored by your employer and should have no problem obtaining it as long as all of your paperwork is in order.
Required documents for an E7 visa include:
- A valid passport
- Recent passport photo
- Completed application form
- Copy of university degree and original certificate of qualification (if applicable)
- Letter of recommendation for employment or a document stating the necessity of employment in Korea
- Employment contract
- Documents related to the foundation of the organization (if applicable)
- A reference
- Visa processing fees
Dependents
If you are coming to Seoul to work and you have dependents (such as a spouse or children) they will be required to get an F3 visa, or a dependents visa. In comparison to your work visa, these, perhaps, will be relatively simple to obtain. However, you will need to have proof of employment in Korea before they can begin the process of obtaining their visas. They will each require their own visa. In order to obtain this visa, you must be legally married to your spouse and your children must be under the age of twenty. You, as the visa holder, will need to sponsor your dependents and provide the following to immigration after obtaining your alien registration card (which you can only obtain while in Korea):
- Marriage/birth certificate(s)
- A passport for each dependent member of your family
- Your alien card
- A letter showing proof of your employment
- Another document proving employment (such as a pay stub)
- A completed application form (found here: http://www.immigration.go.kr/HP/IMM/imm_forms/image/visa_1_new.pdf ).
After handing these documents over to the immigration office, you will have to wait for a CRV number. Once you get this number from immigration, the dependents take the following documents to the local embassy in their home country. Remember, the work visa holder should be in Korea to apply for their dependents.
- Passports
- The CRV number from Korean immigration
- Two passport photos, a visa application form (found here: http://www.immigration.go.kr/HP/IMM/imm_forms/image/visa_2.pdf)
- Visa fee
If you plan to work with an E9 or E10 visa, you cannot apply for dependent visas.
Changing Your Visa
Once you have obtained your visa it is not impossible but it is also not easy to change it. Also, there really isn’t any reason that you would need to change your visa status while in Korea, unless you change your career to a completely different ” specialty field”, or change from an employee to a student (or visa versa). If one of these two reasons applies to you, then you can contact immigration to assist you with this matter, as it should be handled on a case-by-case basis.
If you don’t want to change your visa type but just want to change your employer, then this can get extremely complicated. Since your employer is also your visa sponsor (and you are only permitted by immigration law to work for them), then they will have to transfer your visa to your new employer. Since this means that they will have lost a lot of money on your recruitment, and visa sponsorship fee’s, it is often quite difficult to convince them to do this. However, if you have a good relationship with your employer then this shouldn’t be a problem. If you can get your visa transferred, then you will not need to leave the country.
Sometimes, you are not so lucky and may have to do a “midnight run”. This is what expats call it when you have to cancel your visa yourself. You can do this by leaving the country, and simply handing in your ARC card to immigration at the airport. This should be a last resort method, and it is frowned upon by immigration for obvious reasons. Still many expats have reported having to do this or know many who have. Once you have canceled your visa then it may be possible for you to apply for a new visa with a new employer sponsorship.
Resources
- To download any of the visa application forms, you can go to this website:http://www.hikorea.go.kr/pt/InfoDetailR_en.pt?categoryId=2&parentId=382&catSeq=&showMenuId=374
- You can check here for the most up-to-date information on all visa related issues: http://www.immigration.go.kr/indeximmeng.html
