Today was just a good day. A really, really good day.
Showing posts with label visa. Show all posts
Showing posts with label visa. Show all posts
Friday, January 18, 2013
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Planning a Vacation
Last week I got some bad news that my boyfriend will not be able to visit over Lunar New Years like we had been hoping. I haven't seen him since July 31 and by Feb 9 it will be over 6 months without seeing each other. Thankfully we have FaceTime, but of course that only helps so much. Anyway, it was very depressing news, so I decided that I needed to take advantage of this upcoming holiday (4-day weekend) rather than mourn my lost time with Michael.
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Visa
Today I got my Visa back from the Korean Consulate. I already began describing all the preparations that go into preparing for a trip such as mine, but receiving this reminded me of all the hard work that went into getting it.
After all my paperwork was gathered (detailed more in "Redtape"), I had to mail it all to my school in South Korea. I say it again, MAKE COPIES of your papers before you mail them! I mailed my stack of papers via DHL, and it cost $54 to send priority. Holy crap! It is worth it though, because once they receive the papers, the school must submit them, as well as their own paperwork, to the Immigration office. Immigration then reviews everything, makes sure I am not a criminal or a dropout, then gives the school back a visa-issuance number. That process took almost 3 week after the school received the papers. This is not even the last step! That's why I put a rush on the papers' delivery.
The waiting periods during this whole process are obnoxious. Waiting for the background check, waiting for the apostille, waiting for some approval, waiting for a signature. Now I have to wait for the country of KOREA to tell me it's okay that I come.
Finally, I got the email back from my recruiter giving me the issuance number. The email thankfully included lots of other documents about what to do from here. Basically, I fill out 2 more forms, pay some more money, and give the copies of everything as well as the documents to the Korean Consulate. I was extremely lucky because there is a Korean Consulate in Houston. I looked it up and there are like less than a dozen in the country, and one was 45 minutes from my house. Thank goodness! If I hadn't been able to drop my stuff off at the Consulate, I would have had to mail it in, and that just scares me. Lost mail, wrong or incorrectly filled out documents, etc. Yikes!
The funny thing was that when I took my paperwork to the Consulate, the processing guy told me that all he needed was the application, photo, and the money. (ps - here is where an additional passport photo is needed. You now have used 5/6 photos, 4 in the packet sent to Korea, 1 here) I thought it was hilarious that I went through all the trouble making sure I had copies of everything, gathering all of it up, and triple checking my checklist. He needed basically none of it. If I had mailed my application I would have included all this and they wouldn't have even needed it. So, at least now I still have copies of all my stuff (just in case!).
Once I submitted my application for the visa at the Consulate in Houston, it was ANOTHER waiting game. For one more time, I had to wait and hope they would not stamp my application with a big, fat "DENIED".
Four business days later, it was ready to be picked up. Unfortunately, it was ready about 7 hours after my flight left for Miami. Really?! Thankfully I have amazing parents who went to get it for me. :) They mailed it to me here in Miami since I will need it on my cruise in a few weeks. So, I finally laid eyes on my long-awaited Korean Work E2 Visa. Wow! All that hard work for a little sticker in my passport (granted, it is a badass sticker!)
Now I wait for my school to book my ticket to Seoul! I want to say this is my last step, but realistically it isn't. I still have to pack, take a lonnnnng plane ride, go through an extensive health exam, apply for an Alien Resident Card, go through orientation, and then actually begin learning how to do my job. THOSE are my last steps.... Ha!
But for now, I have an awesome addition to my passport. :)
After all my paperwork was gathered (detailed more in "Redtape"), I had to mail it all to my school in South Korea. I say it again, MAKE COPIES of your papers before you mail them! I mailed my stack of papers via DHL, and it cost $54 to send priority. Holy crap! It is worth it though, because once they receive the papers, the school must submit them, as well as their own paperwork, to the Immigration office. Immigration then reviews everything, makes sure I am not a criminal or a dropout, then gives the school back a visa-issuance number. That process took almost 3 week after the school received the papers. This is not even the last step! That's why I put a rush on the papers' delivery.
The waiting periods during this whole process are obnoxious. Waiting for the background check, waiting for the apostille, waiting for some approval, waiting for a signature. Now I have to wait for the country of KOREA to tell me it's okay that I come.
Finally, I got the email back from my recruiter giving me the issuance number. The email thankfully included lots of other documents about what to do from here. Basically, I fill out 2 more forms, pay some more money, and give the copies of everything as well as the documents to the Korean Consulate. I was extremely lucky because there is a Korean Consulate in Houston. I looked it up and there are like less than a dozen in the country, and one was 45 minutes from my house. Thank goodness! If I hadn't been able to drop my stuff off at the Consulate, I would have had to mail it in, and that just scares me. Lost mail, wrong or incorrectly filled out documents, etc. Yikes!
The funny thing was that when I took my paperwork to the Consulate, the processing guy told me that all he needed was the application, photo, and the money. (ps - here is where an additional passport photo is needed. You now have used 5/6 photos, 4 in the packet sent to Korea, 1 here) I thought it was hilarious that I went through all the trouble making sure I had copies of everything, gathering all of it up, and triple checking my checklist. He needed basically none of it. If I had mailed my application I would have included all this and they wouldn't have even needed it. So, at least now I still have copies of all my stuff (just in case!).
Once I submitted my application for the visa at the Consulate in Houston, it was ANOTHER waiting game. For one more time, I had to wait and hope they would not stamp my application with a big, fat "DENIED".
Four business days later, it was ready to be picked up. Unfortunately, it was ready about 7 hours after my flight left for Miami. Really?! Thankfully I have amazing parents who went to get it for me. :) They mailed it to me here in Miami since I will need it on my cruise in a few weeks. So, I finally laid eyes on my long-awaited Korean Work E2 Visa. Wow! All that hard work for a little sticker in my passport (granted, it is a badass sticker!)
Now I wait for my school to book my ticket to Seoul! I want to say this is my last step, but realistically it isn't. I still have to pack, take a lonnnnng plane ride, go through an extensive health exam, apply for an Alien Resident Card, go through orientation, and then actually begin learning how to do my job. THOSE are my last steps.... Ha!
But for now, I have an awesome addition to my passport. :)
Thursday, July 5, 2012
Redtape
After the excitement of actually getting a real job offer, I had to start collecting all my paperwork. Actually, before I had my interview I started this process because it is a somewhat long and tedious one. I just REALLY had to make it happen once I had signed a contract. My recruiter sent me a list of things to get done...
I suppose for those out there who don't have the benefit of a recruiter, I will go into some detail here.
First thing to request: Background check from the FBI. This takes the longest to complete, so request it straight away! I got my fingerprints done at the local police office (check with your station because they may do fingerprints only on certain days). They have official fingerprint cards there, but you do have to pay a fee to have them done. You will later need to get an apostille from DC of your completed background check, so be sure to request a "pre-authenticated" check. I typed out a short letter to "whom it may concern" requesting it, printed and signed. Include that letter, your background check request application (found here the FBI website), and your fingerprint card, and payment (no personal checks accepted, you can print a cc authorization form from their website which is probably easier than money order or cashiers check). Include all this and a completed FBI checklist in a priority mail envelope (I believe you need to include a prepaid for return envelope, but check on the FBI checklist!)
Second most time consuming process: requesting an apostile copy of your diploma from the Dept. of State. You must take a photocopy of your actual diploma to a notary, each of you sign and date, and send that off to your capitol, Austin in my case. Unfortunately, the first time I did this, I forgot to sign (actually, I didn't forget, i just didn't know!) This process should take a few weeks or less (mine was about 2 weeks).
Make sure you have 2-3 copies of your transcripts
You should definitely have ALREADY obtained your passport (you want to work OVERSEAS, right? hehe) You also need several copies of a passport photo; HOWEVER, most countries need it in their standard form. For this, rather than trying to get the Walgreens photo specialist to understand why I didn't want US-standard sizes, I went to the website here. You can select the photo size you want, upload your OWN photo (yay!) and choose how many. For the standard 2 photo sheet, the prices is about the same as Walgreens. But I needed 6 photos, so their "best value" of 6 photos was DEFINITELY cheaper! I was very happy with this service.
To be honest, this is a process I went thru about 2 months ago, and I am now staying in Miami (rather than Houston) so I don't have immediate access to all my paperwork to refer to. I will try to go back and edit this post when I get all my information back at hand.
Oh, don't forget - make photocopies of EVERYTHING! Make 2 copies just in case! You will need copies for the Visa office later down the road... ;)
I suppose for those out there who don't have the benefit of a recruiter, I will go into some detail here.
First thing to request: Background check from the FBI. This takes the longest to complete, so request it straight away! I got my fingerprints done at the local police office (check with your station because they may do fingerprints only on certain days). They have official fingerprint cards there, but you do have to pay a fee to have them done. You will later need to get an apostille from DC of your completed background check, so be sure to request a "pre-authenticated" check. I typed out a short letter to "whom it may concern" requesting it, printed and signed. Include that letter, your background check request application (found here the FBI website), and your fingerprint card, and payment (no personal checks accepted, you can print a cc authorization form from their website which is probably easier than money order or cashiers check). Include all this and a completed FBI checklist in a priority mail envelope (I believe you need to include a prepaid for return envelope, but check on the FBI checklist!)
Second most time consuming process: requesting an apostile copy of your diploma from the Dept. of State. You must take a photocopy of your actual diploma to a notary, each of you sign and date, and send that off to your capitol, Austin in my case. Unfortunately, the first time I did this, I forgot to sign (actually, I didn't forget, i just didn't know!) This process should take a few weeks or less (mine was about 2 weeks).
Make sure you have 2-3 copies of your transcripts
You should definitely have ALREADY obtained your passport (you want to work OVERSEAS, right? hehe) You also need several copies of a passport photo; HOWEVER, most countries need it in their standard form. For this, rather than trying to get the Walgreens photo specialist to understand why I didn't want US-standard sizes, I went to the website here. You can select the photo size you want, upload your OWN photo (yay!) and choose how many. For the standard 2 photo sheet, the prices is about the same as Walgreens. But I needed 6 photos, so their "best value" of 6 photos was DEFINITELY cheaper! I was very happy with this service.
To be honest, this is a process I went thru about 2 months ago, and I am now staying in Miami (rather than Houston) so I don't have immediate access to all my paperwork to refer to. I will try to go back and edit this post when I get all my information back at hand.
Oh, don't forget - make photocopies of EVERYTHING! Make 2 copies just in case! You will need copies for the Visa office later down the road... ;)
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Preparations
It has been a few months since I have started my preparations for my adventure in Seoul. All the while I have been scouring the internet for others' experiences in preparing paperwork, obtaining a visa, packing, etc. While I have found some information, I feel like there were still many questions that remained unanswered, despite an enormous amount of Google searches.... Hopefully this blog can assist those future teachers of Asia in their preparations.
First I will tell you about where I am going. I will be teaching at a private school in Seoul, South Korea. It is a language school, and I will be a foreign English teacher. (Pardon me if my blog does contain some grammatical or spelling errors; yes, I can be anal about these things, but this is also a personal blog that I write on my spare time for FUN. So I may not be too picky as I type... bare with me.) I decided that before I settle into a career and family, I wanted an adventure (preferably one that can also pay the student loans stacking up...) So, I did a 60-hour TEFL certification (which I came to find out I did not really need...) and started applying at recruiting sites. I applied at several, but the one I ended up working with was the one who personally reached out to me to set up a time, and worked with my chaotic retail schedule. I worked with gone2korea.com out of Canada. I have not had any complaints, but go with whichever recruiter floats your boat.
After an initial interview with some guy in Canada, who wanted to know basic things like Why teaching? Why Korea? etc, they confirmed my place with their agency. I did NOT pay for this service! If anyone tries to get you to pay them, DON'T DO IT! These recruiters make their money from the schools that we work for; do not pay them a dime! Anyway, after that interview, my primary contact was a Korean (I assume) who also spoke great English. I think of her as my middle-man. She basically found out what levels I wanted to teach, what type of school (public or private), my resume/qualifications, etc. Then she basically found school(s) that fit my criteria, and I fit theirs.
Once a suitable school was found, she emailed me some information on them. If the sample contract looked good to me, she would set up an over the phone interview with the school directly. (I accepted an interview from the first school she asked about - how was I to know the difference?!) The interview has been my ONLY direct contact with the school. I'm not sure how I feel about this, but it seems pretty normal when you work with a recruiter.
One other thing my contact did was put me in touch with another teacher currently at the school I was interviewing with. This was a HUGE help! There are many websites that "rate" schools and work experiences, but I have found that those are biased and only the very unhappy seek out the sites to vent to. So, after reading some unsettling claims on one website, I was able to email my contact at the school and talk candidly about my concerns. She definitely gave me a better perspective. I felt much better after speaking with her.
During my interview, the director of the school asked normal interview questions, some of which I had prepared a little bit for. I kept my resume in front of me (since I knew she was also looking at it) and referenced that. She asked a few questions that threw me off such as "What is the most important aspect of learning English?" and "What do you do to relieve stresses of daily life?" I had to think on my feet but it ended well. I felt very good about the interview!
Only 2 hours later, I received an email from my recruiter saying that the director liked me a lot and has decided to offer me a position. She sent a contract offer with all the details for me to look over. I only had about 2 full days to look it over and make a decision. The schools are usually in need of people year-round, and are trying to fill spots ASAP. I had no idea what I was looking for, so I signed and faxed my signature back. (Since this time, I found a website where veterans of teaching abroad will look over contracts for loop holes and pit falls that inexperienced teachers may fall victim to. It is here at "Dave's ESL Cafe." Thank goodness by the time I found it and uploaded my contract, no one found any major flaws!
In my next blog, I'll go into all the details of collecting paperwork! What a tedious business... Hope you're either very interested or have nothing else to do! ;)
First I will tell you about where I am going. I will be teaching at a private school in Seoul, South Korea. It is a language school, and I will be a foreign English teacher. (Pardon me if my blog does contain some grammatical or spelling errors; yes, I can be anal about these things, but this is also a personal blog that I write on my spare time for FUN. So I may not be too picky as I type... bare with me.) I decided that before I settle into a career and family, I wanted an adventure (preferably one that can also pay the student loans stacking up...) So, I did a 60-hour TEFL certification (which I came to find out I did not really need...) and started applying at recruiting sites. I applied at several, but the one I ended up working with was the one who personally reached out to me to set up a time, and worked with my chaotic retail schedule. I worked with gone2korea.com out of Canada. I have not had any complaints, but go with whichever recruiter floats your boat.
After an initial interview with some guy in Canada, who wanted to know basic things like Why teaching? Why Korea? etc, they confirmed my place with their agency. I did NOT pay for this service! If anyone tries to get you to pay them, DON'T DO IT! These recruiters make their money from the schools that we work for; do not pay them a dime! Anyway, after that interview, my primary contact was a Korean (I assume) who also spoke great English. I think of her as my middle-man. She basically found out what levels I wanted to teach, what type of school (public or private), my resume/qualifications, etc. Then she basically found school(s) that fit my criteria, and I fit theirs.
Once a suitable school was found, she emailed me some information on them. If the sample contract looked good to me, she would set up an over the phone interview with the school directly. (I accepted an interview from the first school she asked about - how was I to know the difference?!) The interview has been my ONLY direct contact with the school. I'm not sure how I feel about this, but it seems pretty normal when you work with a recruiter.
One other thing my contact did was put me in touch with another teacher currently at the school I was interviewing with. This was a HUGE help! There are many websites that "rate" schools and work experiences, but I have found that those are biased and only the very unhappy seek out the sites to vent to. So, after reading some unsettling claims on one website, I was able to email my contact at the school and talk candidly about my concerns. She definitely gave me a better perspective. I felt much better after speaking with her.
During my interview, the director of the school asked normal interview questions, some of which I had prepared a little bit for. I kept my resume in front of me (since I knew she was also looking at it) and referenced that. She asked a few questions that threw me off such as "What is the most important aspect of learning English?" and "What do you do to relieve stresses of daily life?" I had to think on my feet but it ended well. I felt very good about the interview!
Only 2 hours later, I received an email from my recruiter saying that the director liked me a lot and has decided to offer me a position. She sent a contract offer with all the details for me to look over. I only had about 2 full days to look it over and make a decision. The schools are usually in need of people year-round, and are trying to fill spots ASAP. I had no idea what I was looking for, so I signed and faxed my signature back. (Since this time, I found a website where veterans of teaching abroad will look over contracts for loop holes and pit falls that inexperienced teachers may fall victim to. It is here at "Dave's ESL Cafe." Thank goodness by the time I found it and uploaded my contract, no one found any major flaws!
In my next blog, I'll go into all the details of collecting paperwork! What a tedious business... Hope you're either very interested or have nothing else to do! ;)
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