Background Investigation for Korean Work Visa - PowerPoint

							        2005.10.


Seoul Immigration Office

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         Contents

1. Background of this material

2. Guidelines on required Immigration Permissions

3. What steps should be taken?

4. General Information about Seoul Immigration




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1. Background of this material

   Seoul Immigration Office has called the attention of AMCHAM Korea to the fact that
   some members of AMCHAM may be in breach of the Immigration act and regulations
   by working as an executive for AMCHAM without obtaining the proper Immigration
   permission.
   This material is provided, by Seoul Immigration Office, in order to help members of
   AMCHAM to avoid problems by guiding them on how to observe the Immigration act
   and regulations.


                                       Note
  This material covers a range of information specially tailored to members of AMCHAM,
  so it does not clarify all the details of Immigration regulations some of which may be
  only applied in cases involving those other than members of AMCHAM.




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2. Guidelines on required Immigration Permissions

1. Permission to engage in the activities beyond the current visa status


1. What is this Permission for ?
    In principle, a foreigner may engage only in the activities authorized by his/her
    current visa status. But, if given this permission, he/she is also authorized to engage
    in other activities not covered by his/her current visa status.

2. Criteria for Permission

    New activities should be classified into another visa status.
    Inadmissible if you put more time in or get paid more from new activities than
    you do from the original work specified in visa status.
    - If the new activities are considered to be your principal work while in Korea, you should either get
      a new visa or change your status of stay to one appropriate to the new activities.

    Short term visa(less than 90 days) holders are not eligible for this permission.


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2. Guides on required Immigration Permissions

    There is no need to apply for this permission, while your current status is valid,
    if you are attending Korean traditional culture or arts courses or learning
    Korean language at a language institution affiliated to an university.

    A spouse of a Korean (F-2-1 Status holder) can engage in employment activities,
    without this permission.

3. Eligibility (Applicable only to members of AMCHAM)
   Personnel of Board of Governors

4. Document Requirements (Applicable only to members of AMCHAM)
   Passport
   Alien Registration card
   Letter of Consent from the original workplace
   Certificate of Corporation Registration (AMCHAM)
   Certificate of Business Registration, or Certificate of Unique Taxation Number
   A letter stating the reason the applicant has been invited into AMCHAM
   Fees : 60,000 won
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2. Guides on required Immigration Permissions

2. Permission to change or add a place of work


1. What is this Permission for ?
    In principle, a foreigner must work only in the place of work designated and report
    to a local Immigration office, in advance. But, if given this permission, he/she is
    authorized to work in another place of work as well.

2. Criteria for Permission
    The purpose of new activities should be considered similar to that of the original.
    Inadmissible if you work longer on or get paid more from new activities than
    you do from the original.
    Adding more than two places of work should be avoided, except for D-8 visa status
    holders.



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2. Guides on required Immigration Permissions

3. Eligibility (Applicable only to members of AMCHAM)
   Personnel of Board of Governors

4. Document Requirements (Applicable only to members of AMCHAM)
   Passport
   Alien Registration card
   Letter of Consent from the original workplace
   Certificate of Corporation Registration (AMCHAM)
   Certificate of Business Registration, or Certificate of Unique Taxation Number
   A letter stating the reason the applicant has been invited into AMCHAM
   Fees : 60,000 won




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3. What steps should be taken ?
1.   Members of AMCHAM working in an executive position are required to apply for the
     permission to engage in the activities beyond the current visa status, or the permission
     to change or add the place of work.
     If they hold D-8 visa status, they should apply for the permission to engage in
     activities beyond the current visa status, as their activities in AMCHAM are considered
     To be classified into D-7 visa status.
     If they hold D-7 visa status, they should apply for the permission to change or add
     the place of work, as their activities in AMCHAM are considered as same in nature
     as them of D-7 visa status but just requiring additional places of work.
2. Document Requirements are the same for the both cases above, as follows ;
   Passport
   Alien Registration card
   Letter of Consent from the original workplace
   Certificate of Corporation Registration (AMCHAM)
   Certificate of Business Registration, or Certificate of Unique Taxation Number
   A letter stating the reason the applicant has been invited into AMCHAM
   Fees : 60,000 won
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3. What steps should be taken ?

3.   How to apply for the permission ?
     In principle, applicants should make an application by visiting a local Immigration
     office in person, except when there are unavoidable circumstances. However,
     Seoul Immigration Office will accept the applications submitted by the proxy of
     AMCHAM in order to collectively handle and further expedite the process.

     The proxy or agent for AMCHAM is requested to prepare required documentations
     for the members working in an executive position such as personnel of Board of
     Governors, while keeping close liaison with Seoul Immigration Office.
      - Informing its members of what is requested by Seoul Immigration Office will also be
       the responsibilities of the proxy or agent.

     The applications will be handled collectively for eligible members of AMCHAM
     but the validity period of permission will be individually given within the period
     of stay given.
      - Thus, each member may be given a different period of validity in relation to the permissions.


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4. General Information about Seoul Immigration

   Organization

                                           Adjudication


                                           Investigation
    Director      Adjudication Division
                                          Visa Issuance

                                                            Resident Service
                                          General Affairs   is included



                                          UI JEONG BU

                                           SE JONG RO          Branch Offices


                                           CITY HALL



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4. General Information about Seoul Immigration

   Area of Jurisdiction

      Seoul and five cities in Gyong-gi province
     - Anyang, Hanam, Kwachun, Kwangmyung, Sungnam

    Major Functions

      Resident Service
     - Alien Registration, extension of Stay, etc.
     Visa Issuance
     - Issuance of the Certificate for Recognition of Visa Issuance.

      Investigation
     - Crackdown on undocumented migrants.
     - investigation into cases involving breaking the Immigration Act.

      Adjudication
     - Impose of fine on Immigration offenders.

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4. General Information about Seoul Immigration

   How to visit

    By subway
    1. Take a subway line 5 and get off at the station of O-Mok Kyo.

    2. Come out of the station through Exit number 7.
       - Within 10 minutes’ walk (straight)

  Telephone Number

   Resident Service Section           02-2650-6223

    Visa Section                      02-2650-6233

    Investigation Section             02-2650-6270

    Adjudication Section              02-2650-6242

   General Affairs Section            02-2650-6217


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