Application Process To Teach In Korea
- Submit your application on the Aclipse Website.
- One of our experienced recruiters will review your application and if there is a good fit they will be in touch to schedule an interview.
- Perform your interview by phone or Skype. The interview is approximately 30-40 minutes long.
- If your interview is successful you’ll fill out some forms and create an introduction video for your recruiter to submit to the school. Make sure to follow these instructions prior to making your video.
- If the school likes you they will make an offer and your recruiter will email you the details.
- You accept the offer and begin collecting the required documents.
- Once you have obtained the required documents the school will confirm your placement and issue the final contract.
- You accept the contract and the school applies for your visa code through Korean immigration.
- Once your visa code is issued you apply for your visa at the nearest Korean consulate.
- After you receive your passport back with your visa affixed you’ll book your flight to Korea.
- Travel to Korea to begin your teach abroad adventure!
Application Questions?
If you have any questions, before getting started, submit your question below.
Visa Requirements To Teach In Korea
To be eligible to teach in Korea you need:
- Citizenship from the US, the UK, Canada, Ireland, Australia, South Africa, or New Zealand
- 10 years of education in one of the countries listed above (from grade 7 onward)
- A Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university
- A national background check with no charges from your country of citizenship
- Commitment to a one-year contract
Required Visa Documents
Below is the list of the documents needed to obtain a visa to teach in Korea. Your name on all of your documents must match exactly the name that is on your passport. Make and keep copies of each of these documents for your own records as they cannot be returned once submitted.
- One apostilled national criminal background check (Korean consulate certified for Canadians).
- One apostilled photocopy of a Bachelor’s diploma (Korean consulate certified for Canadians).
- A Latin degree translation if your diploma is written in Latin. If your diploma is not written in Latin you do not need to do this.
- Two passport photos if you are an E2 visa candidate.
- A copy of your passport. Make sure it is valid through the year you would be teaching in Korea.
- The Korean immigration issued health statement (this form will be provided to you by the recruiter).
- A letter of graduation OR a transcript from your university that confirms your degree and date of graduation
You can also get advice from former teachers who have already recently gone through the process from their respective countries. Click on the links below for first hand experiences by country of origin.
Document Information
Please utilize the links under the Document Information tab to get all the information you will need regarding how to properly obtain your visa documents to teach in South Korea. We have provided step-by-step procedures on how to go about getting your documents, along with sharing examples of what the documents should look like based on the country you are a citizen of. If you have any questions please contact your assigned recruiter. Also, we encourage all candidates to scan and email their recruiter a copy of all your visa documents once you obtain them to ensure they were done correctly before you mail them to the Aclipse office.
Apostille And Authentication Procedures
United States Citizens
Canadian Citizens
What is an apostille?
Certain documents intended for use abroad (such as birth certificates, marriage certificates,
criminal checks, adoption papers, etc.) require authentication to ensure they are legitimate in the
country in which they are to be used. The government provides this authentication in the form of an apostille. Citizens of countries that are party to the Hague Convention must submit documents, namely criminal background checks (CBCs) and diploma photocopies, with apostille authentication. Without an apostille affixed to these documents, a visa cannot be issued.
Visit Travel.State.Gov for more information on the Apostille and Hague Treaty.
NB: As Canada is not a party to The Hague convention Canadians must provide authentication by having the documents notarized (by a public notary) and then certified (stamped) by the Korean consulate. See below for more details.
How do I get the Apostille for my diploma photocopy?
Pay the $55 apostille fee here. Then provide a high quality scan of your diploma to your recruiter
How do I get the Apostille for my FBI CBC?
As the FBI issued CBC is a federal document it needs to be apostilled at the federal level. There are two ways to do this. You can mail the CBC yourself to the US Department of State to apply for the apostille. This costs $8 per document, but could take as long as six weeks to process and has in the past resulted in start date delays. More information can be found here: https://travel.state.gov/
In order to expedite the process, Aclipse has partnered with a company called Monument Visa to expedite this process. If you do this, pay the $55 apostille fee here. Then send the electronic file of your FBI CBC to your recruiter.
Obtaining Authentication: Please also call to confirm with the consulate
Please be advised that as of 19 April 2021, the Canadian documents for use in Korea are required to be additionally authenticated by the Global Affairs Canada Authentication Sector (JLAC) or the Provincial Government Authentication Service before the legalization by the Korean Consulate in Toronto.
※ Since Canada is not a Country member of the Hague Apostille Convention, all official Canadian documents must be LEGALIZED in order to be officially accepted and have full validity in Korea.
List of authentication offices
[email protected]
1-833-928-1551
ON: Ministry of Government and Consumer Services
416-625-8416
MB: City of Winnipeg, Commissioner for Oaths/Notary Public Appointments, Renewals and Authentications
[email protected], 207-945-3654, 1-866-323-4249 (in Manitoba)
1. In-person
- ORIGINAL RCMP CRIMINAL RECORD CHECK which has been authenticated by the Global Affairs Canada Authentication Sector (JLAC) or RCMP CRIMINAL RECORD CHECK which has been firstly notarized by a lawyer office in Ontario or Manitoba and additionally authenticated by the Provincial Government Authentication Service
- Fee: C$5.20 per copy *cash or debit card only
- Applicant’s passport
2. By a Third party
– If you currently reside in Korea, you must apply through a representative who resides in our jurisdiction (Ontario and Manitoba).
- ORIGINAL RCMP CRIMINAL RECORD CHECK which has been authenticated by the Global Affairs Canada Authentication Sector (JLAC) or RCMP CRIMINAL RECORD CHECK which has been firstly notarized by a lawyer office in Ontario or Manitoba and additionally authenticated by the Provincial Government Authentication Service
- A photocopy of the applicant’s passport (picture page only)
- A photo ID of the representative
- Fee: C$5.20 per copy *cash or debit card only
3. By Mail
- Application for Notarial Service (attached)
- ORIGINAL RCMP CRIMINAL RECORD CHECK which has been authenticated by the Global Affairs Canada Authentication Sector (JLAC) or RCMP CRIMINAL RECORD CHECK which has been firstly notarized by a lawyer office in Ontario or Manitoba and additionally authenticated by the Provincial Government Authentication Service
- A photocopy of the applicant’s passport (picture page only)
- Fee: C$5.20 per copy – Money Order (Payable to:“Korean Consulate“)
*We do NOT accept personal cheque!
*Outside Canada: KEB HANA BANK MONEY ORDER ONLY - (Within Canada) PREPAID AND SELF ADDRESSED Xpresspost return envelope (Xpresspost – CANADA POST ONLY)
(Outside Canada) PREPAID AND SELF ADDRESSED DHL return envelope (Air Waybill must be included)
THE INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE AUTHENTICATION PROCESS FOR DIPLOMAS ARE SIMILAR AND CAN BE FOUND HERE.
Korean consulates in Canada
TORONTO
ON (except Ottawa), MB residents
555 Avenue Rd
Toronto, ON, M4V-2J7
(416) 920-3809
VANCOUVER
BC, AB, SK, YK, NWT, NT residents
Suite 1600-1090 West Georgia St
Vancouver, BC, V6E 3V7
(604) 681-9581
MONTREAL
QC, NB, PEI, NS, NL residents
1250 Rene-Levesque Blvd West, Suite 3600
Montreal, QC, H3B 4W8
OTTAWA
Ottawa, Gatineau and driving distance to Ottawa
150 Boteler Street,
Ottawa, ON, K1N 5A6
(613) 244-5010
Other E2 Citizens:
Obtaining an apostille in your home country is very similar to the procedures in the US.
UK citizens visit: https://www.gov.uk/get-document-legalised
Australian citizens visit: http://www.apostille.com.au/
South African citizens visit: http://www.dirco.gov.za/consular/legalisation.htm
Irish citizens visit: https://www.dfa.ie/travel/our-services/authenticating-documents/
New Zealand citizens visit: https://www.govt.nz/browse/nz-passports-and-citizenship/proving-and-protecting-your-identity/use-your-nz-documents-overseas/#how-you-apply
Apostille For Your Fbi Background Check And Diploma
To ensure timely and hassle-free authentication of your FBI criminal background check and/or diploma, Aclipse offers services to obtain your apostilles without delay and ensure your visa documents are ready as soon as possible!
Aclipse has partnered with Monument Visas (MV) in Fairfax, VA. An MV staff member will personally take your FBI criminal background check or diploma to the local Washington DC Secretary of State office to receive the apostille immediately. Each apostille costs $55 and this fee will ensure that your apostille will be returned to Aclipse without delay. Pay the fee online ($110 for both apostilles) using the paypal link below:
Once you’ve made payment, send an electronic copy of your CBC and/or diploma to your recruiter who will confirm the information as well as quality of the diploma scan.
Criminal Background Check Procedures
All foreign citizens who wish to teach English in Korea must obtain and submit one original national criminal background check authenticated with an apostille (or, in the case of Canada, certified by the Korean consulate).
Below are the instructions and information on how to obtain a criminal background check for citizens of the US, Canada, and other E2 visa countries. If you need further assistance, please contact your Aclipse recruiter.
THE NAME ON THE CRIMINAL BACKGROUNG CHECK AND DEGREE MUST BE EXACTLY THE SAME AS THE NAME ON THE PASSPORT (INCLUDING THE MIDDLE NAME).
United States
Canada
Britain And Wales
Scotland
Ireland
New Zealand
South Africa
Australia
US citizens have two options when applying for an FBI background check, (1) applying directly through the FBI or (2) using FBI channeler services. We highly recommend using an FBI approved channeler. While the cost can be higher going through a channeler, processing time for Option 1 can be as high as 14 weeks, causing difficulties with departure timing.
When choosing a channeler, please make sure that their CBCs have not had issues being apostilled by the US State Department. Some CBCs have been rejected by the US State Department for apostilling, which means they cannot be submitted to Korean immigration or the MOE. The channelers we have featured below have confirmed with Aclipse that their CBCs are currently being apostilled without issue. We recommend using the first channeler, National Background Check, as they can email you an electronic copy of your CBC, which will decrease the amount of time for you to receive it. If you select this option however, you can only access your CBC for 24 hours upon receiving the email. It is for this reason we encourage you to print out a copy, along with saving it on your computer, as soon as you receive it.
Please inform your Aclipse recruiter once you have submitted the CBC request. It is ideal if you can find out from the channeler when your CBC will be issued. This is so that we can predict when your CBC will be ready for visa processing and teaching start dates. Once Aclipse receives the CBC, we will send it to a service in Washington DC to get an expedited apostille. The cost for the service is $55.00. Payment can be made on the Aclipse website if you wish to use our services. If you do not wish to use this service, you will then need to mail your CBC to the US Department of State to have them apostilled. Please see the Apostille Instructions document for more information and contact your Aclipse recruiter with any concerns about timing as the State Department can take much longer.
Channelers (Please note that Aclipse is not able to confirm procedures for particular channelers.)
National Background Check, Inc. www.nationalbackgroundcheck.com (877) 932-2435
National Credit Reporting www.myFBIreport.com (800) 441-1661
Please visit this page to find the list of Korean Consulates and their locations to ensure your visa documents meet the requirements for the visa application. Please make sure you refer to the consulate website that services your jurisdiction.
To obtain your criminal check please visit http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/en/steps-getting-a-certified-criminal-record-check for full instructions. Please note that only fingerprint RCMP checks will be accepted by Korean immigration. Once your check has been issued it’ll need to be certified by a Korean consulate. Make sure your CBC has both your fingerprints and photo on it. Please review the instructions for certifying the documents at the link above.
- all your addresses for the last 5 years and the dates you lived there
- your National Insurance number
- a debit or credit card
- proof of your identity, for example a passport, valid driving licence or birth certificate (if you haven’t used GOV.UK, verify before)
Citizens from Scotland must submit an apostilled copy of a Basic Disclosure. This copy must have been issued within the last 6 months. The process takes at least 14 days so please apply for it ASAP!
Step 1: You can apply online, if your current address is in the UK and if you have been living at this address for at least twelve months.
– Apply Online: http://www.disclosurescotland.co.uk/apply-online/ – If you do not satisfy the above criteria, you will have to apply using a paper application form. The fee for a Basic Disclosure is £23. You will need to pay using a credit or debit card. All major cards are accepted. This will appear as BT Disclosure Scotland on your account statement. Please have your card details handy before you proceed. You will need the following information/documents on hand to fill out the online application:
- Passport*
- Driving Licence*
- National Insurance Number*
- Electricity Bill
- Previous Disclosure
- Address details covering at least the last five years
- Employer’s address if your Disclosure is to be sent there
- Credit or debit card
- A utility bill (e.g. gas, electricity or telephone) or another document issued by a government dept. or your local authority which confirms your current address, and
- Either your passport, driving licence or birth certificate which confirms date of birth details.
- Email – [email protected]
- Fax – 0870 609 6996
- Post – Disclosure Scotland, Basic EHU, PO Box 250, Glasgow, G51 1YU
- By phone – on 0870 609 6006
- By email – to [email protected]
Irish citizens can apply for a criminal background check by clicking the link below:
New Zealand citizens can apply for a criminal background check by clicking the link below:
Link: https://www.justice.govt.nz/criminal-records/get-your-own/
South African citizens can apply for a criminal background check by clicking the link below:
Link: https://www.saps.gov.za/services/applying_clearence_certificate.php
Australian citizens can apply for a criminal background check by clicking the link below:
Link: https://www.afp.gov.au/what-we-do/services/criminal-records/national-police-checks
Document Examples
Click the links below to see document examples of what they should look like for each country. Please make sure all your documents have the same name as your passport. That means if your passport has your first, middle and last name all your documents should have that as well. If your diploma for instance just has your middle initial, or doesn’t have either an initial or middle name, you will need to obtain a letter from your university to confirm that you are the same person that your passport identifies you as.
United States
Canada
United Kingdom
South Africa
Australia
New Zealand
Ireland
United States Document Examples
The following are examples of what a criminal background check, an apostille for your background check, a notarized diploma and an apostille for a diploma looks like. Please make sure the name on your diploma and criminal background check matches the name on your passport.
Criminal Background Check
* Depending on where you get your CBC from it maybe white or blue.
Criminal Background Check Apostille
Notarized Diploma
* Your diploma must be notarized and apostilled in the same state.
Diploma Apostille
* Each state has a different apostille cover sheet, but make sure the cover sheet says "Apostille" on it.
Canadian Document Examples
The following are examples of what a certified criminal background check and a certified diploma look like. Please make sure the name on your diploma and criminal background check matches the name on your passport.
Certified Criminal Background Check
Certified Diploma
United Kingdom Document Examples
The following are examples of what a criminal background check, an apostille for a background check, a notarized diploma and an apostille for a diploma looks like. Please make sure the name on your diploma and criminal background check matches the name on your passport.
Criminal Background Check for Britain and Wales
Criminal Background Check for Scotland
Criminal Background Check Apostille
* This is usually located on the back of your CBC.
Notarized Diploma
Diploma Apostille
South African Document Examples
The following are examples of what a criminal background check, an apostille for a background check, a notarized diploma and an apostille for a diploma looks like. Please make sure the name on your diploma and criminal background check matches the name on your passport.
Notarized Criminal Background Check
Criminal Background Check Apostille
* The apostille for the diploma looks the same.
Notarized Diploma
Australia Document Examples
The following are examples of what a criminal background check, an apostille for a background check, a notarized diploma and an apostille for a diploma looks like. Please make sure the name on your diploma and criminal background check matches the name on your passport.
Apostilled Criminal Background Check
Notarized Diploma
Diploma Apostille
* The apostille is usually put on the back of the diploma.
New Zealand Document Examples
The following are examples of what a criminal background check and an apostille for a background check and a notarized diploma look like. Please make sure the name on your diploma and criminal background check matches the name on your passport.
Criminal Background Check
Apostille for a Criminal Background Check and a Notarized Diploma
Irish Document Examples
The following are examples of what a criminal background check, a cover sheet for a notarized diploma and an apostille for a notarized diploma and a criminal background check look like. Please make sure the name on your diploma and criminal background check matches the name on your passport.
Criminal Background Check
Notarized Cover Sheet for Diploma
Apostille
* The apostille is usually put on the back of the diploma and criminal background check.
Secretary Of State Offices
Secretary of State Offices in the U.S.
Below is the contact information for the Secretary of State offices for all 50 states in the U.S.. You will need to either mail in your diploma, or visit in person, the Secretary of State office in your home state to get your diploma apostilled. If you are on a tight timeline and wish to get your diploma apostilled in person, the websites have a list of all the offices you can visit. Finally, make sure you get your diploma apostilled in the same state that it was notarized in.
To get your criminal background check apostilled, you can either use Aclipse’s services or you can send in your CBC directly to the U.S. Department of State.
* All costs mentioned below are the cost to have one diploma apostilled. If you need to have your document expedited due to timing you may have to pay a larger fee.
ALASKA
Office of Lt. Governor
Authentications Department
240 Main St., Room 301
Juneau, AK 99801
(907) 465-4081
Cost $5
ARIZONA
Secretary of State
Attn: Apotille Dept.
1700 W. Washington St., Fl. 7
Phoenix, AZ 85007-2808
(602) 542-6187
Cost $3
ARKANSAS
Secretary of State
1401 W. Capital, Suite 250
Little Rock, AR 72201
(501) 682-3409
Cost $10
CALIFORNIA
Notary Public
P.O. Box 942877
Sacramento, CA 94277-0001
(916) 653-3595
Cost $20
COLORADO
Colorado Secretary of State
Notary Program
1700 Broadway, Suite 200
Denver, CO 80290
(303) 894-2200
Cost $5
DELAWARE
Division of Corporations
John G. Townsend Building
401 Federal St., Suite 4
Dover, DE 19901
(302) 739-3073
Cost $30
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Office of Notary Commissions and Authentications
441 4th St., NW
Washington, DC 20001
(202) 727-3117
Cost $15
GEORGIA
GSCCCA
Attn: Notary Division
1875 Century Blvd., Suite 100
Atlanta, GA 30345
(404) 327-6023
Cost $3
HAWAII
Office of the Lieutenant Governor
State Capital, Fifth Floor
Honolulu, HI 96813
(808) 586-0255
Cost $1
IDAHO
Secretary of State's Office
Attn: Notary Department
P.O. Box 83720
Boise, ID 83720-0080
(208) 332-2811
Cost $10
ILLINOIS
Illinois Secretary of State
Index Department
17 N. State St., Suite 1010
Chicago, IL 60602
(312) 814-8218
Cost $2
INDIANA
Indiana Secretary of State
Authentication Department
302 W. Washington St., Room E-018
Indianapolis, IN 46204
(317) 234-8156
Cost $0
IOWA
Iowa Secretary of State
Business Services
First Floor, Lucas Building
Des Moines, IA 50319
(515) 281-5204
Cost $5
KANSAS
Kansas Secretary of State
Attn: Notary Clerk/Certifications
Memorial Hall, 1st Floor
120 SW 10th Ave.
Topeka, KS 66612-1594
(785) 296-2239
Cost $7.50
KENTUCKY
Office of the Secretary of State
Authentications and Apostilles
P.O. Box 718
Frankfurt, KY 40602-0718
(502) 564-3490
Cost $5
LOUISIANA
Louisiana Secretary of State
Commission Division
8585 Archives Ave.
Baton Rouge, LA 70809
(225) 922-0330
Cost $20
MAINE
Secretary of State
101 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333-0101
(207) 624-7752
Cost $10
MARYLAND
Office of Secretary of State
16 Francis St.
Annapolis, MD 21401
(410) 974-5521
Cost $2
MASSACHUSETTS
Secretary of the Commonwealth
Commissions Section
One Ashburton Place, Room 1719
Boston, MA 02108
(617) 727-2836
Cost $6
MICHIGAN
Michigan Department of State
Office of the Great Seal
7064 Crowner Drive
Lansing, MI 48918
(202) 647-5002
Cost $1
MINNESOTA
Retirement Systems Minnesota Building
Minnesota Secretary of State-Certification
60 Empire Drive, Suite 100
Saint Paul, MN 55103-2141
(651) 296-2803
Cost $5
MISSISSIPPI
Secretary of State
Capital Towers
125 S. Congress St.
Jackson, MS 39202
(601) 359-1615
Cost $5
MISSOURI
Commissions
Secretary of State's Office
600 West Main, Room 322
Jefferson, MO 65101
(573) 751-2783
Cost $10
MONTANA
Secretary of State
Notary and Certifications Services
P.O. Box 202801
13016th Ave
Helena, MT 59620-2801
(406) 444-1877
Cost $10
NEBRASKA
Nebraska Secretary of State
Notary Division
P.O. Box 95104
Lincoln, NE 68509
(402) 471-2558
Cost $10
NEVADA
Nevada Secretary of State
Notary Division
101 North Carson St., Suite 3
Carson City, NV 89701
(775) 684-5708
Cost $20
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Secretary of State's Office
107 North Main St., Room 204
Concord, NH 03301
(603) 271-3242
Cost $10
NEW JERSEY
State of New Jersey
DORES
P.O. Box 452
Trenton, NJ 08646
(609) 292-9292
Cost $25
NEW MEXICO
New Mexico State Capital North
325 Don Gasper, Suite 300
Santa Fe, NM 87501
1-(800) 477-3632
Cost $3
NEW YORK
New York Department of State
Division of Licensing Services
Apostille and Authentication Unit
99 Washington Avenue 6th Floor
P.O. Box 22001
Albany, NY 12201-2001
(518) 474-4429
Cost $10
NORTH CAROLINA
Authentication Office
NC Secretary of State
P.O. Box 29622
Raleigh, NC 27626-0622
(919) 807-2140
Cost $10
NORTH DAKOTA
North Dakota Secretary of State
Authentications Division
600 E. Boulevard Ave., Dept. 108
Bismarck, ND 58505
(701) 328-2901
Cost $10
OHIO
Ohio Secretary of State
Client Service Center
180 E. Broad St., Suite 103
Columbus, OH 43215
(614) 466-2655
Cost $5
OKLAHOMA
Secretary of State
Certification Department
421 NW 13th St., Suite 210
Oklahoma City, OK 73103
(405) 521-4211
Cost $25
OREGON
Secretary of State
Corporation Division
255 Capital St. NE, Suite 151
Salem, OR 97310-1327
(503) 986-2200
Cost $10
PENNSYLVANIA
Pennsylvania Department of State
Bureau of Commissions, Elections and Legislation
Room 210 North Office Building
Harrisburg, PA 17120-0029
(717) 787-5280
Cost $15
RHODE ISLAND
Division of Business Services
RI Department of State
148 West River St.
Providence, RI 02904-2615
(401) 222-3040
Cost $20
SOUTH CAROLINA
SC Secretary of State
1205 Pendleton St., Suite 525
Columbia, SC 29201
(803) 734-2512
Cost $2
SOUTH DAKOTA
Secretary of State
Capital Building
500 East Capital Ave.
Pierre, SD 57501-5070
(605) 773-2797
Cost $25
TENNESSEE
Business Services Division
Tre Hargett, Secretary of State
State of Tennessee
312 Rosa L. Parks Ave., 6th Floor
Nashville, TN 37243
(615) 741-0536
Cost $2
TEXAS
Secretary of State
Authentications Unit
P.O. Box 13550
Austin, TX 78711-3550
(512) 463-5705
Cost $15
UTAH
Utah State Capital
350 N State St., Suite 220
P.O. Box 142325
(801) 538-1041
Cost $15
VERMONT
Office of the Secretary of State
1078 US RT 2, Middlesex
Montpelier, VT 05633-7701
(802) 828-3700
Cost $10
VIRGINIA
Secretary of the Commonwealth's Office
Authentication Division
1111 East Broad St., 1st Floor
Richmond, VA 23219
(804) 692-0114
Cost $10
WASHINGTON
Corporations Division
Apostille and Certificate Program
P.O. Box 40228
Olympia, WA 98504
(360) 725-0377
Cost $15
WEST VIRGINIA
West Virginia Secretary of State's Office
Attn: Business and Licensing Division
1900 Kanawha Blvd. East
Charleston, WV 25305
(304) 558-8000
Cost $10
WISCONSIN
Wisconsin Secretary of State
Certification Desk
P.O. Box 7848
Madison, WI 53707-7848
(608) 266-8888
Cost $10
WYOMING
Wyoming Secretary of State
2020 Carey Ave., Suite 600
Cheyenne, WY 82002-0020
(307) 777-5343
Cost $10
Korean Consulates And Embassies
Korean Consulates in America
ATLANTA
(GA, AL, FL, NC, TN, SC, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands residents)
229 Peachtree St., Suite 500 International Tower
Atlanta, GA 30303
(404) 522-1611
BOSTON
(MA, NH, RI, ME, VT residents)
300 Washington St., Suite 251
Newton, MA 02458
(617) 641-2830
GUAM
(Guam and Northern Mariana Islands residents)
153 Zoilo St.
Tamuning, Guam 96913
(671) 647-6488
HONOLULU
(HI, American Samoa residents)
2756 Pali Highway
Honolulu, HI 96817
(808) 595-6109
HOUSTON
(TX, AR, LA, OK, MS residents)
1990 Post Oak Blvd., #1250
Houston, TX 77056
(713) 961-0186
NEW YORK
(NY, CT, DE, NJ, PA residents)
Public Office (Visa Section)
460 Park Ave. (57th St.) 6th Fl.
New York, NY 10022
(646)674-6000
SAN FRANCISCO
(Northern California, CO, UT, WY residents)
3500 Clay Street
San Francisco, CA 94118
(415) 921-2251
SEATTLE
(WA, ID, MT, OR, residents)
115 W Mercer St
Seattle, WA 98119
(206) 441-1011~1014, [email protected]
WASHINGTON D.C.
(Washington D.C., MD, VA, WV residents)
2450 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20008
(202) 939-5654
Korean Consulates in Canada
Korean Consulates in United Kingdom
Korean Consulates in Ireland
Korean Consulates in Australia
Korean Consulates in New Zealand
Korean Consulates in South Africa
Visas for Ethnic Koreans
Figuring out which visa you are eligible for can be confusing. We hope that this document helps clear up confusion regarding visa and citizenship status for applicants of Korean descent. Please note that you should confirm everything with the Korean consulate and know that there can be special cases which will require a different procedure or documentation.
There are three typical situations for teachers of Korean descent teaching in South
Korea:
- Dual citizenship while working on a Korean passport
- The F4 visa (most common scenario)
- The E2 visa (least common scenario).
Your first step is to contact your nearest South Korean consulate and explain that your family is from South Korea and that you want to teach in Korea. Teachers whose families are from South Korea have to work with a Korean consulate to determine eligibility. Please keep in mind that you will not be able to choose which visa you get. The Korean government determines this and if this is not worked out and the required paperwork processed, you will not be able to teach in South Korea.
Korean Citizenship
Occasionally, when someone contacts the consulate, he or she learns that they are still a Korean citizen. That is, they have dual citizenship. You can teach ESL in South
Korea with Korean citizenship. If you have Korean citizenship, you will need to apply for a Korean passport and I.D. number. You can do this through your nearest Korean consulate. In most cases, it takes a few weeks. If this is the case, please inform your Aclipse recruiter as paperwork necessary to submit for ChungDahm will be slightly different. **If you are male, then you will need to obtain a military exemption to avoid conscription.
F4 Visa
- Your passport
- A completed F4 visa application with passport photo attached
- Documents proving Korean origin (Korean family registry, birth certificate, etc.)
- Document proving completion of Korean nationality renunciation report
- Any other documents required for your case (confirm with consulate)
Please note that if you were adopted from South Korea, papers proving your adoption can usually be submitted in place of some of the documents above.
E2 Visa
In rare cases, you may find out that you will need to get the E2 visa. If the consulate advises you to do so, you will need to submit the following along with your visa paperwork to Aclipse:
- Your birth certificate
- Your father’s citizenship papers
- Proof of father/child relationship
Please note that if your father became a citizen of the country of immigration after your birth, you are not eligible for the E2 visa and will need to get either the F4 or Korean citizenship.
Finally, please keep in mind that we understand this can be very confusing and some people get conflicting information. If you are told anything that contradicts the information here, please let your Aclipse recruiter know. Requirements can change at the discretion of the Korean government and there may be special situations that we have not encountered before.