The E2 visa in Korea is a legal document required for professionals who want to work as an English teacher in South Korea for a certain period based on rules. All Korean educational institutions need this visa to allow any foreign national to work with them. The Korean consulate usually issues this type of visa in the country. It is sponsored by several educational institutions like schools, colleges, universities, and hagwons (private academies). Let us learn more about the E2 visa in Korea, its eligibility criteria, and other important aspects below.
Steps to Apply for the E2 Visa in Korea
This process to get an E2 Visa in Korea will take about four weeks to complete for a new foreign English teacher who wants to come to the country. It will take exactly two weeks to process on the Korean side and another two weeks to process in the person’s own country. The steps include
- Connect Through Email. The concerned recruiter in Korea will send the selected teacher an email with a personalized, up-to-date Visa application. The email will also include information pertaining to the person’s employment that is already filled out. The latter needs to print out the form and keep it with them.
- Send the Documents. The recruiter will also send the teacher all the required documents that they will need to submit later to the Korean consulate. They should print out these documents, too, and keep them with their completed visa application.
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Prepare the Documents.
The selected teacher must prepare the following documents to take or mail to their local Korean consulate:
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For EPIK and GOE Applicants:
- One photocopy of the personal data page and a valid passport
- Completed visa application
- One passport photo is attached to the applicant’s visa application
- Original notice of appointment & photocopy
- Employment contract
- Self-addressed prepaid envelope for mailing the passport
- Cash (for visiting in-person) or money order (for mailing-in) for the specified amount
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For GEPIK and Hagwon Applicants:
- One photocopy of the personal data page and a valid passport
- Completed visa application
- One passport photo is attached to the applicant’s visa application
- E2 health statement
- Self-addressed prepaid envelope for mailing the passport
- Cash (for visiting in-person) or money order (for mailing-in) for the specified amount
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For EPIK and GOE Applicants:
- Visit the Country. The teacher must visit in person or mail their printed-out application form and all other important documents to their local Korean Consulate. Please keep in mind that the specific area might be under a specific Consulate’s jurisdiction in the country.
- Get Back the Passport. The selected teacher can get the passport back after their visa has been processed. Check inside the same passport to verify that a new page with the South Korean visa has been inserted. Finally, this person is ready to fly to Korea!
Eligible Applicants for the E2 Visa in Korea
The applicant for the E2 Visa in Korea must be:
- A citizen of a particular country that has English as the primary language. (U.S., New Zealand, England, Canada, Australia, New Ireland, and South Africa only.)
- A native speaker or someone who has studied from the 7th grade or junior high level.
- A resident who has stayed for at least 10 years or more in a country where English is the primary language.
- A graduate who holds at least a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institute.
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Documents Required for the E2 Visa in Korea
The E2 visa Korea application process can begin before the individual applies for a job. Here are the documents for E2 Visa Korea:
- Bachelor's Degree from an Accredited Educational Institute: The specific university degree must first be notarized and then apostilled. Most Korean consulates will accept a copy of the degree rather than the original document. The notarization of the document is followed by an Apostille, which is obtained at the Secretary of State's office in the applicant’s home state.
- Sealed Academic Transcripts: The applicants must provide university transcripts for all public school positions. However, some private schools may also ask for these transcripts. Contact the university registrar and ask them to mail the university grades in a sealed envelope with a stamp or signature over the seal. Moreover, the applicants should not open their transcripts.
- FBI Criminal Background Check: Korean Consulates no longer accept any kind of local or state background checks. The applicant must order their FBI Check on the official website. They must order at least two copies because certain private schools require two authenticated copies. The first one is to process the visa in the U.S., and the second one is to register the person as a teacher once they arrive in Korea.
- Health Check Statement: This is an official questionnaire form from the Korean government, and the applicant personally answers all the questions. Once they arrive in South Korea, a full blood test and physical exam will be administered. The test will include testing for TB, HIV, narcotics, and other communicable diseases. If the person does not pass the health exam in Korea, their visa will likely be revoked, and they can lose their job.
- Photocopy of the Passport: Photocopy the specific information page of the passport, which includes the page with the applicant’s picture on it and the adjoining page with their signature. Make sure to have at least six months left on the specific passport before it expires. Moreover, there should be at least one completely empty page in the same passport.
- An Updated Resume: Print a copy of the resume which is also used as an eligible document in South Korea.
- Signed Copy of the Teaching Contract: The contract will be provided to the applicant by email once they agree to the terms and the educational institute accepts them as their teacher.
- Four Passport-sized Photos and Recommendations: The applicants must provide standard passport photos. They must be the same that they would need for a new passport. They will also need two separate letters of recommendation.
Key Terms for the E2 Visa in Korea
- EPIK: English Program in Korea designed to assist all guest teachers with online in-service training to improve their teaching skills.
- GEPIK: The Gyeonggi English Program is a program designed for English teachers and is allotted only to the Gyeonggi province, which surrounds Seoul.
- GOE: Gyeongsangnam-do Office of Education program that indulges in public school English training sessions in Korea’s Southern Gyeongsang province.
- Treaty: A formally ratified and concluded agreement between different states over political, social, or economic matters.
- Immigrant: An individual who comes to live in a foreign country permanently.
Final Thoughts on the E2 Visa in Korea
South Korea has strict rules when it comes to hiring foreign teachers to teach English in the country. That is why interested candidates are required to possess an E2 Visa Korea to make them eligible for the role. They must also have the necessary documents and passports and fulfill the eligibility criteria based on the same visa requirements. However, there is a chance that people might get confused when applying for the E2 visa or the subsequent processes associated with it. That is why interested candidates must seek help from a professional attorney to get all the assistance for their E2 visa application process.
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