Visa Application Process

I know a lot of people are a little nervous about this part of the process, because there are always rumors going on about how complicated getting a visa can be. Well I think it really depends on your consulate. For me, things weren't that complicated.

After receiving my acceptance notification, I had to wait for the admission package because that contained my contract and invitation letter, which I needed to apply for the visa. Now because I am not of Korean nationality, I was going for the E-2 visa, which is for foreign teachers. I know some people who got accepted into the TaLK Program who are Korean are going to apply for the F-4. I am not entirely sure what the deal is with that, but as it does not concern moi, we're going to move on.

So I finally got my admission package and discovered I was going to Incheon! Yay! You can read all about my joy over that in my previous post... Moving on...

Now depending on what kind of teaching program you are doing, you may or may not get a visa confirmation number. I didn't receive one of these, but I think it's okay since I am in the TaLK Program. I looked at the Atlanta Korean Consulate website to get some information on the visa process and was dismayed to find out that I would require another interview. Oh, fiddlesticks!

I emailed the Korean Consulate directly to make sure of the required documents and the interview schedule, and soon after I got a reply. Lo and behold, I did NOT need another interview because as a TaLK applicant, I'd already had one! HOWEVER, other TaLK Applicants in other cities were not so lucky. (I know of one guy who just called the consulate in California today, and they told him he would have to come in for another interview...) Well... poor them... But lucky me!

The email also contained a list of required documents and things that I would need. I will go ahead and list them just in case you're curious. But remember, this is obviously not going to be the same for everyone. (Copied and pasted from the actual email)

List of Required Documents:

· TaLK Contract

· TaLK Invitation Letter

· Notarized copy of diploma OR official transcripts

· Completed Visa Application (see attachment)

· Completed Consul Checklist (see attachment)

· Completed Health Statement (see attachment)

· One passport size photo

· Passport- YOU MUST SEND YOUR ACTUAL PASSPORT. THE VISA ISSUING OFFICER MUST STAMP DIRECTLY IN TO THE PASSPORT.

· $45 (cash or money orders only made payable to Korean Consulate. Personal checks are NOT acceptable)

· Postage paid self-addressed EXPRESS MAIL envelope for return of your documents & visa. NO FedEx RETURN ENVELOPES!!!!

Now, I was pretty sad because I had to get another academic transcript (That is 5 whole dollars people), since apparently they had sent the first one to Korea... As for the contract, I'm supposed to print 3 copies of it, so one went to the consulate for my visa application, one is for me, and the last one I am supposed to give to somebody important in Korea- I think the director of my school...

The application itself is pretty easy to fill out. It looks cool though because it's in Chinese- don't worry there is English too. You would think it would be in Korean right? Nope, Chinese. I guess because it is so official. (Back in the old days, everything official was done in Chinese- even newspapers were in Chinese. Old habits die hard, I guess haha.)

Now the thing that irks me the most is that you have to pay like $18.50 or something to purchase a return express mail envelope. They won't let you get a cheaper one, like the priority mail envelope (think that's about 5 bucks). I know that it is for the good of my visa and stuff but still- geez so expensive...

So... Today I got up and found my way to my school campus. My school campus is awesome because I did EVERYTHING there. Oh except for get the money order- I got that at a gas station before I went to campus. But I'm pretty sure I probably could have found somewhere on campus to do that, too.

Adventure to Send Off My Visa Application

My first stop was to the Registrar's office on campus to get another transcript. I had to take a slight detour to the bank across the street from the office to pull some money out... :(

Next, I was on my way to the student center, which has a shit ton of stuff that you'd have to drive all the way across town to get to conveniently in one central location. Seriously- we have a place you can get your passport pictures done, a post office, a copy/print center (think Kinko's or something), etc etc etc.

So my first stop at the student center was the print/copy center. I printed out my contract/invitation, visa application, health statement, and consul checklist and got to work in filling things out. Like I said, it wasn't that difficult. But then-- PANIC! The visa application needs to know the address of where I will be staying in Korea, as well as my guarantor and a few other things. I know from the email that the woman from the consulate sent me that that is no big deal- just put the address of your school and your director. Easy right? Nope! It hits me like a ton of bricks that I don't KNOW the address of my school, or my director. The way the TaLK Program works is that they will tell you which city you've been placed in, but they won't tell you till the middle of July the other information. Well the visa application has to be in by the 26th. Plus I had gone through all the trouble of getting onto campus (I don't have a car, so it isn't easy to just come and go as I please to campus). And, I had just spent all that money on the money order (and the transcript). So I frantically tried calling the Korean Consulate. But I guess they were out for lunch or something, because all I kept getting is this very polite Korean answering machine sounding recording. Now, My Korean is not good so I'm not sure what it was saying. But to me it basically sounded like: "Obviously we're not here right now- oh did you think pressing that button was going to do anything? Nope, the message is just going to continue... So yeah, like I said, obviously we're not here right now so just call back later and by the way, we don't care about whatever question you have." But I finally got through to someone who told me that if I didn't know the information, I could just leave it blank. Yay! Because I really hadn't wanted to leave and come back later or something. I wanted to get this stuff sent off TODAY!

Okay so after I look back and forth between the email and the items on the table in front of me about ten times to make sure I have everything, I make my way to the campus post office(about 40 seconds away from the copy center). I freak out again, making sure I have everything, and then eventually everything is how it should be. I decided to send the documents in a priority mail envelope. I got tracking(I think it was like a dollar extra) so I could see when it gets there, and everything came out to just under 25 dollars. Lucky for me, I got there early enough that it shipped out later on the same day. Woo woo!

Now, I didn't need to get my passport photos done again because I still had a picture leftover from when I got it taken for the TaLK application (they normally come in sets of 2), as that application only required one as well.

Then I went and ate bimbimbop at the Korean restaurant close to campus. Then I waited for the bus, and then I got off the bus and walked back to my apartment. Then I took a nap. Then I woke up and checked the mail. Then I came back and ate some ramen. And then I decided to write a blog post.

So that was my great adventure. All in all the visa application process cost me about $75. I guess that's not toooo bad. If you have to get passport photos done again, that won't add to the price too much. I think they only cost me 8 bucks to get done on campus.

The documents should reach Atlanta in a day or so (I only live about an hour away), and then they will ship back out to me within 2 business days. That means that.. definitely by next Friday I should have my visa in hand. After that, it's smooth sailing... All I have to do is wait for my plane ticket and then go to Korea!

I think I am allowed to have 2 suitcases and it has been hinted at that many things you THINK you need to bring a ton of, you can find in Korea. So I am going to attempt to pack lightly. Heh like I have any choice-- I don't have that many things anyway!

Well I know this post was really long. I just thought people might like to have an inside view of the application process. All in all, I think things went well. I know other applicants might have to do a little bit more work than me to get their visa, but I'm happy that I just had to send in my stuff. I'll keep you guys updated! Have a great night!