How to obtain an E-2 Visa
An E-2 working visa will take 3-4 days to process.
Application and Required Documents
Traditional Procedures
A foreigner shall make an application for a visa to a Korean Embassy or Consulate abroad and required documents are as follows:
- Passport
- Application form (http://www.moj.go.kr/ – Ministry of Justice of Korea)
- Required documents
- Employment contract (any consultants can help you with this)
- Your original diploma or notarized copy of your diploma
- Substantiating documents for a foundation of institution or organization
- Reference(s)
There are times when you might be required to submit more documents. Send your documents to the consulate that you want to apply your visa from. You will have to wait for a Visa authorization letter from them after which you can proceed.
Certificate for Recognition of Visa Issuance
The chief of a Korean Embassy or Consulate abroad would issue a Visa for a period of 1 year to individuals who are recommended by the Minister of Education to instruct in educational institutions of elementary school and higher levels without getting permission from the Minister of Justice (excluding China, Cuba and Macedonia) However if you are from the U.S.A. which has an agreement for multiple visas with the Republic of Korea, a multiple visa stipulated by the agreement will be issued (refer to Annex 6).
A table of Multi-visa Issuance for Foreign Nationals from U.S.A, etc.
| Country Agreements | Status of Sojourn | Period of Stay | Validity | Remarks |
| Argentina | Short-term Business(C-2) | 30 days | 3 years, multiple | |
| Australia | Short-term Business(C-2) | 90 days | 1 year, multiple | Fee exemption |
| Brazil | Short-term Business(C-2) | 90 days | 5 years, multiple | |
| Canada | Short-term Business(C-2) | 90 days | 1 year, multiple | |
| India | Short-term Business(C-2) | 30 days | 1 year, multiple | |
| U.S.A | A 60 month multiple visa is available to any kind of visa holder [For a work visa (C-4, E-1 through E-7), a multiple visa is issued within the maximum period of stay permitted one time during the working period.However, a two-year multiple visa is available to an overseas Korean residents(F-4)] | |||
Visa Issuance
When your Visa application is approved, you will receive a Visa letter from the consulate. Take the VISA LETTER and your passport to the nearest Korean Consulate; they will stamp your visa in your passport. It’s good to make a phone call to the Consulate before going there. It usually takes 2-5 days to get your visa. The chief of a Korean Embassy or Consulate abroad shall affix a visa stamp in the passport of the applicant. This has the status of sojourn (E-2), period of stay (less than 1 year) and validity of a visa.
Additional Notes:
The E-2 is a teacher’s visa. This allows you to work as a teacher for any legitimately registered educational institute in Korea. You can choose from an English language school, public school, or language center. These visas can be renewed after a year’s validity that they come with. However this means that you will have to work under the same management that sponsors you. You cannot work for another company with an E2 teaching visa, not even have another part time job- unless your sponsor allows you to and writes a letter granting you permission. You can only terminate your contract with a letter from your employer. After the termination, you can sign another contract and won’t have to travel to Japan for another visa. Your visa will be transferred to the new school. However if you decide to leave you can’t come back until after your contract has expired. You must give your boss two months notice before you leave giving enough time find a replacement.
- If you are not a native speaker of English, you can’t work even if you have a Masters in English.
- You must have a Bachelor’s degree to obtain an E2 work visa. Graduates with diplomas cannot obtain this visa although they may have a TESOL certificate.
Listed below are Korean Consulates in the United States:
Maryland, Virginia (Washington DC) Area
2320 Massachusetts Ave. NW
Washington DC 20008
TEL: 202-939-5663
Connecticut, Delaware, Kentucky, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania or West Virginia Area
460 Park Ave. 5th Floor
New York, NY 10022
TEL: 212-752-1700
Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, or Rhode Island Area
1 Financial Center 15th Floor
Boston, MA 02111
TEL: 617-348-3660
Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota,
South Dakota, Ohio, or Wisconsin Area
NBS Tower
455 North City Front Plaza Dr.
Chicago, Illinois 60611
TEL: 312-822-9485
North California, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, or Wyoming Area
3500 Clay Street
San Francisco, CA 94118
TEL: 415-921-2251
Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, or Texas Area
Suite 1250 / Three Post Oak Central Building
1990 Post Oak Blvd.
Houston, Texas 77056
TEL: 713-961-0186
South California, Arizona, or New Mexico Area TEL: 213-385-9300
3243 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90010
TEL: 713-961-0186
Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina or Tennessee
Suite 500 / Cain Tower
229 Peachtree St.
Atlanta, GA 30303
Idaho, Montana, Oregon, or Washington Area
Suite 1125, United Airlines Building
2033 6th Avenue
Seattle, WA 98121
TEL: 206-441-1011
Florida, Virgin Islands, or Puerto Rico Area
201 South Biscayne Blvd.
Suite 1350
Miami, FL 305-372-1555
TEL: 305-372-1555
KOREAN CONSULATES IN CANADA
Provinces of Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island or NewFoundland Area
1002 Sherbrook St. West Suite 1710
TEL: Unavailable
Montreal, PQ H3A 3L6
TEL: 514-845-3243
Provinces of Ontario, Province of Manitoba
Consulate General of the Republic of Korea
555 Avenue Road
Toronto, ON M4V 2J7
TEL: 416-920-3809
Provinces of British Colombia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Yukon, or Northwest Territories
1600-1090 West Georgia St.
Vancouver, BC V6E 3V7
TEL: 604-681-9581
Sources:
http://www.koreanconsulate.org/english/
http://www.moj.go.kr/HP/ENG/eng_03/eng_306030.jsp
http://www.julice.co.kr/sub/allvisa.htm
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