[Eric]

Quote tjg_marantz

What is the answer for Korea? Can a dependant work at all? Full-time, part-time, anytime? If yes, are they not allowed to work teaching jobs or is it fine if they can find someone who will hire them? Does anyone have the answer to this question?

This information is rather obscure and not so easy to get. Here is what I found. This is from the Ministry of Justice Immigration Bureau

F-1 Status (Visiting and Joining Families)

A. The Object of Visa Issuance
F-1 visa is granted to foreigners who wish to stay in Korea to visit their relatives, join their families, be supported by families, help household affairs or with other purposes corresponding to those above. This visa category involves the following individuals :

。who wish to help household affairs of diplomats stationed at foreign Embassy or Consulate ;
。who wish to temporarily stay with their families or relatives having A-1, A-2, A-3 status or having alien registration completed ;
。who wishes to stay for a long period of time without participating in employment activities ; and
。who has not been granted the F-2 status as a wife/child of Korean or a person having F-2 status.
。Korean-foreigner

B. Application and Required Documents

(1) Traditional Procedures

A foreigner shall make an application for a visa to a Korean Embassy or Consulate abroad and required documents are as follows:

ㅇ Passport
ㅇ Application form (refer to Annex 2)
ㅇ Required documents

① In the case of visiting their relatives or joining their families in Korea
- substantiating documents for verifying the relationship of families or relatives(e.g.: marriage certificate, birth certificate or a Korean family tree register)
- reference

* In the case of an adopted Korean-foreigner, a confirmation letter from an organization of adoption or statement of adoptive parents is required instead of a letter of reference.

② In the case of a housework assistant who wishes to help household affairs of diplomats stationed at foreign Embassy or Consulate
- official letter from foreign Embassy or Consulate
- employment contract
- copy of employer's diplomat ID Card

③ In the case of a foreigner student who is enrolled at elementary school, middle school or high school
- substantiating documents for entrance into a school or a certificate of studentship
- certificate of tax payment of the person responsible for supporting the student

※ If necessary, the chief of a Korean Embassy or Consulate abroad may ask an applicant to submit more documents than required.

(2) The Procedures in which a Certificate for Recognition of Visa Issuance is involved

ㅇ A certificate for recognition of visa issuance is issued to a person concerned in Korea(proxy) on the grounds of his application by the chief of a district or branch office. (Ujongbu, Ulsan, Donghae)
ㅇ A person concerned in Korea(proxy) sends the issued certificate by the chief of immigration office to the applicant abroad.
ㅇ An applicant(foreigner) applies for a visa to a Korean Embassy or Consulate with the above certificate, passport and application form.
ㅇ Required documents by a person concerned in Korea(proxy) are the same as those of traditional procedures. If necessary, the chief of a district or branch office may ask a proxy to submit more documents than required.

※ An applicant may ask to issue a certain visa which is not mandated to the chief of a Korean Embassy or Consulate abroad. However, in this case, the chief of a Korean Embassy or Consulate abroad shall get prior approval from the Minister of Justice.

C. The Standard of Visa Issuance

ㅇ The chief of a Korean Embassy or Consulate abroad may issue a single visa(F-1) with 1 year period of sojourn to individuals who are ① to visit their relatives or join their families in Korea and ② to help household affairs of diplomats stationed at foreign Embassy or Consulate without getting permission from the Minister of Justice (excluding China, Cuba and Macedonia).
ㅇ For an applicant from 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)

D. Visa Issuance

When the application is approved, the chief of a Korean Embassy or Consulate abroad shall affix a visa stamp in the passport of the applicant. On a visa stamp, there are the status of sojourn(F-1), period of stay(less than 2 years) and validity of a visa.




F-3 Status (Dependent Families)

A. The Object of Visa Issuance
An F-3 status may be granted to individuals who meet the following requirements :

(a) A spouse of a person who applies to one of D-1 status through E-7 status ;
(b) Children underage and unmarried of the person described in the above (a).


* However, individuals who are involved in D-3 status are excluded from this visa.

B. Application and Required Documents

(1) Traditional Procedures

A foreigner shall make an application for a visa to a Korean Embassy or Consulate abroad and required documents are as follows:

ㅇ Passport
ㅇ Application Form (refer to Annex 2)
ㅇ Required Documents
- substantiating documents for the relationship of families(e.g.: marriage certificate, birth certificate or Korean family tree register)
- certificate of inviter's employment and tax payment

※ If necessary, the chief of a Korean Embassy or Consulate abroad may ask an applicant to submit more documents than required.

(2) The Procedures in which a Certificate for Recognition of Visa Issuance is involved

ㅇ A certificate for recognition of visa issuance is issued to a person concerned in Korea(proxy) on the grounds of his application by the chief of a district or branch office. (Ujongbu, Ulsan, Donghae)
ㅇ A person concerned in Korea(proxy) sends the issued certificate by the chief of immigration office to the applicant abroad.
ㅇ An applicant(foreigner) applies for a visa to a Korean Embassy or Consulate with the above certificate, passport and application form.
ㅇ Required documents by a person concerned in Korea(proxy) are the same as those of traditional procedures. If necessary, the chief of a district or branch office may ask a proxy to submit more documents than required.

* An applicant may ask to issue a certain visa which is not mandated to the chief of a Korean Embassy or Consulate abroad. However, in this case, the chief of a Korean Embassy or Consulate abroad shall get prior approval from the Minister of Justice in advance.

C. The Standard of Visa Issuance

ㅇ The chief of a Korean Embassy or Consulate abroad may issue a single visa(F-3) with 1 year period of sojourn to individuals who are ① immediate family members of the holder of D-1 status through E-7 status(excluding D-3 status) and registered in Korea for the purpose of joining their families and ② accompanying immediate families with the holder of D-8 status without getting permission from the Minister of Justice of Korea. (China : refer to Annex 5,8, excluding Cuba and Macedonia)
ㅇ For an applicant whose country(U.S.A, Japan, etc) has an agreement for multiple visas with the Republic of Korea, a multiple visa stipulated by the agreement will be issued.

D. Visa Issuance

When the application is approved, the chief of a Korean Embassy or Consulate abroad shall affix a visa stamp in the passport of the applicant. On a visa stamp, there are the status of sojourn(F-3), period of stay(less than 2 years) and validity of a visa.

The F3 seems to be the visa you need and it doesn't say anything about NOT working like for the F1. I have friends who have an F4 visa and they are allowed to teach private lessons but must declare taxes. (I don't think they ever do but whatever)

If you go to the link for the Ministry of Justice and go near the bottom of the page you will find the F Status visas. Below that are G Status which might have some value to you as well. Something about a working holiday and being allowed to work though it doesn't seem to apply to americans.

It seems we keep having the same issues in our lives. I was interested in this issue as well and actually had this page bookmarked on my computer. Plus the traveling with pets thing.


Anyway. i hope this helps. its not definitive but it might be a bit more information than you have already required.

eric