On the following page is an explanation of the new visa process required to obtain an E2 visa to teach English in Korea. To make things as easy (and informative as possible) it is best that you know the steps of the process so that you and your representative from ThinkOutside can get everything done in a timely and efficient manner.
What was wrong with the old process?
The changes that took place on December 15, 2007 in regards to the E2 visa process have been in the works for years. The safety of the children has always been a concern for Koreans, as with any parents. These concerns were pushed over the edge with the announcement that Christopher Paul Neil, a man that the international police agency Interpol had arrested on charges of alleged sexual abuse of minors throughout Southeast Asia, had worked in South Korea before being arrested. This alarmed and outraged many parents, already suspicious of foreign English teachers due to a ’60 minutes’ type broadcast that raised social concerns related to foreign English teachers (such as the use of illegal drugs and working under fraudulent qualifications).
In an attempt to quell these problems in one fell swoop, the Korean government passed new regulations which make things like a criminal background check and self-medical check mandatory for anyone who wants to come to South Korea to teach English (not only English teachers in public schools, as had been the case).
Though the complete process takes a bit longer, with ThinkOutside by your side, you’ll have nothing to worry about. After receiving basic information from you, ThinkOutside will do all the work for you, keeping you informed and supported along the way, even after you’ve been successfully recruited for a position.
Step One
Submit the required documents to ThinkOutside (by FedEx, DHL, or UPS only). After you do, retain the tracking number so that you can make sure it was delivered on time.
The documents that are required for the E2 visa are as follows:
- 1. The original bachelor’s degree, obtained from an accredited four (4) year institution of higher learning (or a certificate from a degree verification site, with apostil notarization).
- 2. Official, sealed transcript
- 3. Copy of the information page of your passport
- 4. A signed copy of the employment contract
- 5. 2 passport sized photos
- 6. Self-medical Check Form
- 7. Criminal Record Check
Step Two
ThinkOutside will check all of the documents and pass them onto the school, who in turn will submit all the required documents to the immigration office and get a visa number for you.
Step Three
ThinkOutside will inform you of the Visa Issuance Number. Once you receive the Visa Issuance Number, you must send all the required documents to the Korean Consulate of your home country and conduct an interview with the consul at the Korean Consulate if requested. If the Consulate is located at too great a distance from your house, you may be able to set up a phone interview.
Step Four
After a short interview with the consulate, you will receive a stamp on your passport from the Consulate.
Step Five
Now, you hop aboard a plane and fly to Korea.
After you arrive, and within 90 days, you must visit the immigration office nearest to your school and apply for an Alien Registration Card. You must also submit a medical check issued from a qualified medical center in Korea (which will be paid for by the school). The medical check should include a TBPE test, a Cannabinoid Test and a HIV test.
Note
If you are coming from a country outside Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, United Kingdom or United States (if you had been teaching somewhere else, vacationing, etc.), you may need to follow a slightly varied process. In this case, ask your ThinkOutside representative and they will lead you in the right direction.
