Visa question...

I'm marrying a Korean girl in California in May, and after a short honeymoon, moving to Korea.  I've already bought a one-way ticket to Korea, but obviously one can't get a spousal visa until one is married.  So I thought I'd get a tourist visa when I arrive, and then work on getting the spousal visa once I'm in the country.  But will immigration give me trouble coming into the country on a one-way ticket because of my tourist visa?  Will an explanation of the reason be sufficient?  My wife-to-be will arrive on the same flight.

Thanks,

Eric

Re: Visa question...

Get a return asap - 1- You prob won't get on the plane  2-just in case you want a divorce- lol

Re: Visa question...

Get a return asap - 1- You prob won't get on the plane

 

I've flown into Korea at least a dozen times without a return ticket out, and I've never had any trouble getting on the plane.  No one other than immigration in Korea has ever tried to check (or even asked about) my visa status.

Re: Visa question...

Not my experience from Hawaii. Are you tall? Devlishly handsome? 0069?

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I am not sure what is  policy     for entering korea  on  tourist visa with one way ticket   . However if you have enough cash   or tc s  you may show them that or flash a credit card or two , However when I was flying out of  los angeles on a tourist visa .The airline company told me I could not get on plane with a one way ticket on a tourist visa . However after I did a song and dance they let me get on when I showed them some cash , tcs and cards . So it may also be an airline policy  too .  

Re: Visa question...

I believe it is no longer possible to get an F-6(marriage visa) while in Korea, if you are getting it for the first time. I was told 2 years ago that I had to get it in the U.S. while I was there and then once in Korea it would be extended.

A friend recently had to go to the UK after getting married in Korea to change his Visa status.

Good luck.

Re: Visa question...

I just went through the entire process and got my F-6 visa last week. There isn't a lot of info out there so it took a fair amount of calling and emailing embassies. 

First - Don't worry about a return ticket or money. If they ask - and they won't - just show them your marriage certificate and say you're finishing the visa process.

For the visa, you need both an American marriage certificate and a Korean one. The easiest way to get the Korean certificate is to just bring your local gu office (구청) a copy of your American certificate. They will keep it, so you will want to have at least one extra copy for the embassy. It will need to be translated into Korean. We used this translator in Seoul: 번역닷컴 02-725-8611. 

You can't get the F-6 visa in country if you are coming from a tourist visa. So I went to Osaka. My wife helped immensely with the whole visa process. There are lots of obscure documents you need to collect and forms to fill out. She called the embassy and made sure we had all the documents necessary. The one time I tried to call the embassy I got nowhere. Some Korean Embassies don't process the F-6 visa so you should definitely call ahead.

Korean immigration is notorious for having different requirements for a given visa depending on the office, the person or even the day of the week. So we scanned all our documents and emailed them to the embassy to make sure we had everything we needed. Sure enough, there were more forms they failed to tell us about the first time.

They told us it could take up to 7 days... but after submitting all the paperwork Monday morning, I had the visa Wednesday afternoon.

One last thing - they told us at first we need 30 million won in the bank. That was a problem for us so we frantically looked for someone who could lend us the money. Then, they told us if we didn't have the 30 million, we could just get by with a letter of proof of my wife's employment AND a copy of our apartment rental agreement. So that was helpful for sure. If you have any other questions, PM me.

Re: Visa question...

Congrats- Nowadays, seem to be a lot of complaints of treatment by Government officials. It seems more focused on Foreign Male to Korean female couples wedding relationships. We are behind the mass lines of brides from other areas. I hear they get first preference, get priority  treatment allegedly.

This, especially towards people who wish to make a life here, make a family, get equal rights in jobs,etc. I'm not sure why they seem to be anti-interaccial( not ot be confused with the internet title) with a diminishing workforce, and ageing population.

I think, we should be a Godsend in some way. I mean , lots of good looking people, creating new, beautiful children here, when the birth rate here is almost negative, I read. Perhaps adding to culture, improving small parts of the future ie ESL.

What's bad about people claiming F visas and living here, making it home, esp. if  the locals aren't producing more of their own?? Not meaning this is any dergatory way, maybe Koreans might need new forms viagra perhaps, as an alternative to migration. Not that they don't allegedly , every other edible thing here is viagra, so I'm told, lol.

 In fairness, my treatment in this process, getting my licence, etc ,here was quite easy years ago. I wonder why it has been gettting more difficult allegedly.

Re: Visa question...

Thanks to all who have replied.  Especially to "Bkilrain" for his detailed information.  That will be very helpful.  I believe my wife-to-be is in pretty good shape with her job, apartment, savings, etc., and I'm sure I'd be at a loss without her help in getting things done.  That's why I consider myself a lucky man... ; )

To Chilli, yes, I first moved to Korea at the age of 8 back in 1975, and returned again after college to teach English.  I'm used to racist treatment from some Koreans, though others are very generous.  I think things have improved considerably since I last taught in Korea in the early to mid 1990s.  I could tell you a few stories... ; )

Thanks again...


 

Re: Visa question...

You will also need to get a recent health check for the application although you will be able to get one from here in Korea for about 80,000 won. I was unable to process my visa here in Korea last year (although they told me if I had had all the proper documents it would still take around three months) and had to wait till this year to do it from Canada. It took a week there. You should be able to do it from there before you leave, and the embassy should help you to process the documents you will need to get, family documents, registration of marriage, etc. so that they can issue you the visa. You may need to translate your marriage document into Korean. 

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I don't know how to erase double comments except by this method, sorry... 

Re: Visa question...

The problem is that we are leaving for Korea seven days after our wedding.  If it takes "a week", that would be cutting it really close.  Maybe we should have planned differently, but I'm afraid the die is already cast.  I may go down to Chicago to the Korean consulate to discuss it with them.  Or is that a waste of time?  My fiance (who is still in Korea right now) is also intending to talk to the authorities there for some guidance.