What you’ll need to gather if you’ll be teaching in Korea (updated 12/21/09)

To register with most English teacher recruiters, you will need:

• a recent electronic photo
• a resume you can attach (not highly formatted – or post it on a website)

The VERY FIRST THING you should work on obtaining (because it could potentially take the longest) is:

• certified copy of your Criminal Background Check (a.k.a. CBC – which is basically a document saying they ran your name through the state’s records and found nothing)  This is available at some police stations – I had to contact my state trooper’s office in the state capitol)
• once you obtain the certified copy of your CBC, you will need to send it to your state’s Secretary of State, usually in your state capitol, get it officially notarized, and then APOSTILE’d.  Be sure to tell them this is for Korea, and allow plenty of time for this, as you’ve still got the Visa approval process to wait for.

To apply for most English teaching jobs, you will need:

Required Teacher Application Documents

• the Apostile’d CBC
• an Apostille’d notarized copy of your diploma, or the original (not advised to send original!)
• a notarized copy of your teacher certifications (if you are applying for  a level 2 position)
• 2 sealed official college transcript
• 2 passport sized photos
• 2 letters of reference (if you are trying to get a level 2 job, you need a full-time employer’s reference) on letterhead with full contact information
• a resume
• a 300 word essay on why you think you’ll be a good English instructor (this was part of the EPIK or GEPIK application form)
• fill out a self-proclaimed health form (they will give you this)
• 3 copies of your signed contract

If you are obtaining an E-2 Visa, you will want to send your recruiter the Required Teacher Application Documents above, and the Required Visa Documents below.  They will have you FedEx them to their address.  They will return the documents you need to apply for your Visa, and give you a Visa Application Number and an Employment Verification Letter for you to hand to your consulate when you get your  Passport Visa Stamp.

Required Visa Documents

• 2 passport pictures (3×4cm)
• copy of petition of name change – any official paperwork showing your current name and your former name together.
• a copy of your valid passport (if expiration date is less than two years away, your visa will be approved for the validity of your passport) and bring the original for viewing
• a copy of your birth certificate, citizen’s certificate and other documents (depending on your adoptive country) and bring the original for viewing
• Visa application form (download from Korean Consulate website – will update)

If, like me, you are Korean born and foreign raised, the Employment Verification is not necessary,  (But my recruiter wanted copies of all those Visa documents anyway.  grrrr)  and you don’t have to wait for the proof of employment or the Visa confirmation number.  Just head straight to the nearest Korean Consulate instead.  I needed them to help me fill out a few lines, so it was worth the trip.

In both cases, you will need to send all of the required Visa documents along with your passport to the nearest Korean Consulate.  However, since I am lucky enough to live near one, then all I had to do was give them all the documents as well as my actual Passport.  I picked it up two days later, with the Visa stamp glued into your passport.

If you are not near a Korean Consulate, you will need to give them a pre-paid envelope so they can mail you your Passport  (I heard they preferred a trackable FedEx document mailer, but I found out you can’t pre-pay.  You can only give fill in your credit card number on the Fed Ex label, and the delivery will be deducted from your card at time of drop off)

Additional Required Documents for an F-4 Visa (if you want to take advantage of your Korean born, foreign raised residency status)  You will need all of Required Visa Documents above PLUS the following adoption papers:

• certified adoption certificate.  I was told the adoption agency would have this, but that turned out to be false.  I was told by them to contact the county courthouse in the state I was adopted in.  The county courthouse (juvenile division- adoptions office) did not have the original, so they drafted and notarized a passport authorization letter, which can also be used to obtain a Visa.  This might take a little investigation on your part, as each state has a different name for their records offices.
• certified copy of your family registry (also known as your Hojuk) You can obtain this from your adoption agency.
• 2 passport pictures (3×4cm)
• any other official adoption paperwork (not always necessary, but it’s always good to have all documents with you in case the immigration officer asks to see further verification of who you are)
• a copy of your naturalization papers (if  US citizen) and bring the original for viewing
• relinquishment of Korean citizenship form (download from Korean Consulate)

Call your nearest Korean Consulate (google this) to set up an appointment or talk to them and mail your documents if there is not one near you.  It will cost 60′000 Won (reg. fee) plus 10,000 Won (if you are getting an F4 additional fee).  I went to my local consulate and was charged $45 U.S. for the entire thing.  They will take your passport and mail it back to you with your Visa.

You must register at your local Korean Immigration office once you land within 90 days, where you will be given an Alien Registration Card.  To obtain your ARC, you will need:

1. Alien Registration Form (Available at Immigration Offices or can be downloaded at the Korean Immigration Bureau website)
2. Passport or Entry Permit
3. 3 color photographs (3㎝×4㎝)Application Fee : 10,000 won
4. Any additional documents (i.e. school certificate or statement of employment if you’re getting an E2 Visa – whoever you’ve obtained the job with should send you this)

Go to immigration in Mokdong, Seoul. To get there, get off Omokyo station on the No. 5 subway line (purple). Follow the directions to the office. You’ll need the latest copy of your family register, 60,000 won (you’ll need to buy revenue stamps downstairs at the snack shop), and passport sized photos (you can take them at the vending machine downstars in the shop). You should be able to get your ARC within a week.

Once you have arrived at your school assignment, you will be required to get a physical check up.  Someone will probably assist you with arranging this, as well as setting up a bank account with an automatic payment plan. You won’t get your relocation allowance for several weeks, and you won’t get paid until AFTER you’ve done a month’s work, and you only get paid once a month – so bring enough money that you can eat with for at least a month. Also, save all your receipts for airfare, because you won’t be reimbursed for airfare until probably a month after you’ve arrived – and you will need to present those receipts!