South Korea E2 Visa -- frustrations getting my criminal background check (the sensitive position one) and notarized degree stamped to send to Korea...

This morning my dad and I drove from London to Toronto to visit the Korean Consulate (555 Avenue Road, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M4V 2J7 -- Tel: (416) 920-3809 Fax: (416) 924-7305)

After my dad got his Tim Horton's coffee we headed out to the highway . . .

I keep noticing how 'flat' Ontario is compared to Korea, lol.

Part of the paper work process a foreign English teacher has to do to get a new E2 visa is bringing their notarized copy of a criminal background check (for us Canadians it has to be a sensitive positions check) and notarized copy of your university degree to the Korean Consulate to be stamped by them. After getting the requisite stamp you then send those two items along with a pile of other documents off to the recruiting company's office in Korea (if that's what you've been told to do) so that they can process it and then send it on to the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education.

Once it has arrived at SMOE someone there then does whatever they have to do and they then send you a 'letter of appointment' stating that you do have a teaching position with them.

After receiving the letter of appointment you then head back to the Korean Consulate (or mail it, but I prefer doing things in person) to apply for a new E2 Visa. And after it has been processed you then go back (or get it mailed to you) to pick it up.

NOTE: I just re-read the entire booklet I was emailed by the recruiting company I'm using and still didn't see instructions clearly stating what you need to do when doing the first initial visit to the consulate to get your degree and criminal check stamped.

This is what you have to bring.

1. photocopy of information page on your pass port
2. notarized copy of sensitive positions criminal background check
3. notarized copy of university degree
4. a sealed university transcript
5. stamping fee: $9.00

In defense of the very well organized and well thought out booklet this is the only thing I've come across that needs tweaking.

On the other hand the booklet DOES say you should get the criminal check notarized on the pages about applying for your E2 visa--but there is so much information that even an expat teacher like me with a fair bit of experience doing the E2 visa thing can get confused . . . and act stupidly.

I usually try to do OVERKILL PREPARATION any time I'm dealing with paperwork for Korea. I did that today by bringing extra copies of my transcripts and other stuff--and that saved me a headache and further delays with moving the process along. I foolishly thought I didn't need to get my criminal check notarized because it was already verified and certified and stamped by the police--nope, if you're told to notarize ANYTHING bite the bullet and just do it even if you think it's overkill.

Anyways, back to my story . . .

Well . . . after arriving at the Consulate and waiting for a bit my number comes up and I walk up to the clerk. She looks at my photocopied and notarized university degree, and then picks up the certified criminal background check for a sensitive position . . . and that's when my heart sinks--argh!

She tells me that I have to have it notarized--I tell her that it's already been certified by the police. She looks at the imprinted stamp and then says the same thing again. I begin to get a little pissed but I keep myself in check, polite, and try again--same response.

She then tells me I'm also missing items: 1) a sealed university transcript, and 2) a photocopy of the information page on my passport.

I look at her and politely but probably with a bit of an edge to my voice say, "The consulate website says nothing about needing these items to get a stamp on the two documents." She replies that it does. In my head I'm thinking that it might be possible that she just doesn't get that the website has instructions for when you are applying for an E2 visa--but it doesn't say what to do when you just want to get your criminal check and degree stamped to send to Korea.

The instructions she referred to here are for getting a confirmation number--I wasn't in the consulate to do that. (OR SO I THOUGHT AT THE TIME).

She then tells me again that I need to give her 1) a sealed university transcript, 2) a photocopy of the information page on my passport, and of course 3) a notarized copy of the original criminal background check . . . in spite of it already being certified by the police stamp on it--yeah, can you hear how thrilled I was?

ARGH!

UPDATE: Damn! It is ON the Korean Consulate website--see here. It's found under the tab "Affixation of the Consular Seals" . . . when I saw that title for some reason it didn't register with me that that was regarding getting stuff 'stamped.'

The website says,

In case of applying by mail, a Prepaid Return Envelope (only Xpresspost is accepted) is also required to return the documents.

The Consular Seals will be affixed on the Official Documents issued by the local government, and organization in the Consulate’s jurisdiction (Ontario, Manitoba)
This Office shall only affix the Consular Seal when it is determined to be appropriate.

Each document requiring the Consular Seal must first be notarized by a notary public or a lawyer registered in Ontario or Manitoba.

A: Degree Confirmation

1. Original degree

2. Notarized degree (Notarization on the photocopy of original degree)

3. Photocopy and an original of the photo ID ( Driver's License or Passport)

4. A University sealed transcript (Consulate will open and keep the transcript for verification purpose)

5. $4.40 per document (Cash or Money Order only, Personal cheque is not acceptable)

B: Criminal Records Search Certificate Confirmation

1. Notarized criminal records search certificate (Notarization on the photocopy of original certificate)

2. Original criminal records search certificate.

3. Photocopy and an original of the photo ID ( Driver's License or Passport )

4. $4.40 per document (Cash or Money Order only, Personal cheque is not acceptable)

Note:

If applying by mail

- a self addressed prepaid envelope (only Xpresspost is accepted) is required.

- DO NOT send an original photo ID(passport).

NOTE TO SELF: It's a good thing you stayed polite because you're the dumbass who missed the information that was on the website.

And back to the original story . . . with me assuming that I was right--uhm, noooope.

I leave the consulate fuming. I go back to my dad's car and get in and tell him we have 2 hours to find a lawyer/notary public in downtown Toronto on a Friday with no appointment because the consulate only does visa application stuff from 9am to 12pm on weekdays . . .

We drive for about two minutes and see a Shoppers Drugmart. I go in and photocopy the information page of my passport and then my dad notices a sign for a lawyer's office. We decide to head in and see if we can get my criminal check notarized without an appointment. We also had no idea if the law office would even do this kind of thing . . .

Inside a very posh office I politely ask the secretary if I could get my criminal check notarized. She says she'll ask one of the lawyers if he has a few minutes to help me. My dad and I sit down. About ten minutes later I meet a really nice guy and he brings me back to a small conference room.

He tells me I'm like the TENTH person who has walked in off the street after having been at the Korean Consulate to ask about getting a sensitive positions criminal check notarized. He then mentions to me that he wonders what is going on at the consulate and why they don't realize that the criminal background check is ALREADY certified by the police, and that a notarization is extreme overkill. I won't say what else he said but suffice it to say he was puzzled and irritated by the whole situation, and also sympathetic to it. He leaves me in the conference room and goes to notarize a copy of my criminal check.

Five minutes later he comes back in and the deed is done. He then hands me his card and asks me to email him later letting him know if this is what the consulate wants, and I agree to do it. I'm guessing that other people will be visiting him in the future and he just wanted to know if he was doing his job correctly--too bad other people in certain offices over in a certain country don't seem to have the same idea . . .

Oh yeah . . . . this little extra wrinkle in the whole E2 visa process: $40.00 fee. Nice . . . not.

I then head back to the consulate . . . (saw this sign later while driving through Toronto).

I take a number and wait . . . . and wait . . . and finally get back to the same clerk. Her attitude was actually really nice and a little sympathetic. I tell her that the lawyer had said that the notarization was completely unnecessary, and that it cost me more money. She then proceeds to have a discussion in Korean with a guy who I assume must be some kind of supervisor in the consulate. They both look a bit puzzled and kind of frustrated too. Unfortunately I'm not told the gist of the conversation but I think they also thought that Seoul Immigration needs to learn a few things . . .

The clerk and I chat as she opens the copy of my sealed transcript, and checks my notarized degree against the info in my transcript--I was really happy that she did that because if she had done nothing with the transcripts I was going to be . . . annoyed with more mindless paperwork policy that isn't really for any purpose.

While chatting she says that the real problem with the process for getting a stamp on my criminal check is that the Seoul Immigration Office won't recognize the criminal background check without a notarization letter and seal--period. I really appreciated the fact that she could understand that this was utter nonsense . . .

She then asked me where I got my notarization done so quickly. I tell her and she asks if I would give her the address--I become reluctant because I don't want the consulate sending a flood of E2 visa process refugees running to this really decent lawyer's office without him being aware that he's been set up as the go to guy. She then asks me how much it cost me--and when I tell her 40.00 she then asks me again saying that she thought I'd said the notarization of my degree had been 25.00 (which it had been--back in LONDON). . . when she realized that I'd just spent a lot more money to do something I didn't need to do, and which other people wouldn't want to spend that much money either she quickly let her idea go.

Anyways . . . long story short I got the stamps, maintained a polite and friendly attitude when I wanted to pull a Mad Cow protest in the consulate (imagine me running around mooing and saying "I ate an American burger, moowhahahaha!"), and left with my some semblance of sanity remaining after having experienced yet another E2 visa process crazy event.

My dad and I headed to Swiss Chalet to grab some lunch. I ordered a chicken and 1/3 rack of ribs meal. It was pretty good and I began to feel more human again.

Now that some time has passed and I've been trying to figure out a logical reason for wanting me to have 1) a sealed university transcript, 2) a photocopy of the information page on my passport, 3) a notarized copy of the original criminal background check, and 4) a notarized copy of my university degree . . . I thought back to how she entered my name and information into the computer. After doing that she stamped both documents, put a sticker on them, and then wrote some information.

I really should have looked more closely at what she had done to the two documents to see if a visa issuance number had been created for me . . . if it had been then it DOES make sense that she'd need a bunch of things from me . . . it just sucks that applicants don't seem to be TOLD this BEFORE they get to the consulate.

I guess the other reason that just occurred to me is that when SMOE gets my pile of documents they need to know if they're valid before sending out the 'letter of appointment' saying I have a teaching position. This is the best reason I can come up with for the process you have to go through just to get your criminal check and degree stamped when you're not actually applying for a new E2 visa yet.

The bugger with all this is that I wish I'd known BEFORE going to the consulate that I needed these things . . .

The drive home was pretty uneventful and I enjoyed taking pics of the fluffy white clouds in the blue sky . . .

I'll close with this,

"SERENITY NOW!"

J

Getting my criminal background check and renewing my passport . . .

I got on the bus this morning to get my criminal background check and apply to get my passport renewed . . .

I began to remember how much I used to HATE taking the bus because of the crappy schedules and waiting and waiting and waiting for the damn bus to arrive . . .

Getting on the #12 Wharncliffe I quickly realized that the route had changed since I'd last been on it . . . luckily it still went downtown.

Seeing Canadian Tire in the background was strange because I felt this bizarre urge to go in and wander around when I had no reason at all to do so . . . lol.

My dad earlier on in the week had pointed out how Loblaws grocery store company has changed its name to Loblaw--don't know why and I think it's just weird. Why drop one letter?

After finishing a new part of the route we began to head downtown . . . but not before I was taken by this construction site--the last time I was home it had just been a huge farmer's field . . . talk about things changing.

Then there was a big patch of Wharncliffe road under construction . . . I really don't know why I took this pic other than it looked a little interesting . . . maybe because there weren't 20 workers and 10 supervisors roaming around the site like you see in Korea . . .

Crossing the Thames River (yes, there's more than one) I noticed some giant water streams in the far background and wondered what the heck they were . . .

Once I arrived in the downtown core area (London, Ontario) I headed to a place called Kinkos to make a photocopy of my passport info page before I had to turn it in for the renewal process . . . the girl inside wouldn't let me do color copies or a scan so I just did a black and white for 0.25 (2 copies). When I finally get all 13 items that the recruiting company I'm using, and SMOE, want I'll be mailing them; a copy of the information page on my passport is one of the items on the list.

Walking around the downtown core I cringed to see that somebody had decided to install metal tree sculptures and paint them with garish colors . . . I guess they add 'something' to the downtown core atmosphere . . . 'something' . . .

After getting my copies done I jumped on another bus for the 2 minute ride up to the police station.

Inside I handed my I.D. and form to a clerk who then proceeded to ask me a bunch of questions for the sensitive positions check . . . I was laughing at myself because I hadn't bothered to read over the box with the questions for 'office use only' and kept getting surprised by them.

For example, would I be supervising the children alone? handling their money? etc, lol. I said no to almost everything . . . and then wondered how they check you for the things you do say you'll be doing for your job . . . the best question was 'would I be in a position of trust with children?'--uhm, yes, and whenever I play card games as part of a lesson activity I make sure to cheat so they learn the lesson that they should never unconditionally and blindly trust a teacher--it's really funny once they realize I am 'capable' of cheating when playing card games like Uno with them; I put together five or six cards and place them on the pile like they're a single card . . . the more socially saavy kids catch on pretty quick . . . and then we all have a good laugh with a lot of "Teacher, NO!" comments . . .

I THINK Canadians are now being allowed to do the basic criminal check (ah Korea, make up your freakin' mind!) but I opted to go with the sensitive position one just to be on the safe side--I really don't feel like hearing from my new Korean supervisor or an immigration officer in the Toronto Korean consulate, or worse yet the one back in Korea, that I have the 'wrong' background check when I've already done all the legwork . . .

The one thing that sucks about the sensitive position check is that it takes 7-10 days to process and get back--so I'm going to photocopy the receipt and mail it with the other 13 items/documents and show the actual completed check itself later on . . . hopefully that works out. I think it will cause the recruiting company wants the documents ASAP, and one cannot get blood out of stone.

Speaking of legwork I walked about 10 blocks to get to the passport office . . .

Inside I asked what I needed to do to renew my passport and was handed a form. I thought I'd prepared everything I needed (passport photos, etc) but then when I got to the part about filling in the names of two people who have known me for more than two years who can vouch for my identity . . . I stumbled because I didn't have the addresses and other info the form wanted me to fill in for them . . .

I also asked myself who the heck was I going to put in the slots as I've pretty much lost touch with most of the people I knew as acquaintances and friends because that's generally what happens when you move to the other side of the planet to teach English . . . I thought back to the Health Psyschology course I took in university and one of the fundamental rules of relationships: proximity is a major influential factor in who you are friends with. I figured out who I'd ask but then realized I'd have to return to the passport office tomorrow because I just didn't have their phone numbers and addresses . . . argh. You think you're prepared and there's ALWAYS something that is missed, or a surprise . . . oh well.

Back outside I began walking to where I'd catch the bus home and saw this lovely little car,

Nice . . .

I then missed the damn bus by 10 seconds . . . I decided to head over to the Galleria mall that is in the downtown core of London to see what movies were playing.

Unfortunately nothing was playing that I wanted to see. The only movie that looked interesting to me was Johnny Depp's new movie, "Public Enemies" but I would have had to wait 2 hours to see it . . . no thanks.

Instead I decided to walk around the mall to see what had changed--pretty much the entire mall's stores had changed . . . wow.

To 'calm my nerves' I decided to grab a booster juice (aka smoothie) and head back out to the bus stop to catch my ride home.

All in all not the most productive day, but at least my jet lag is beginning to dissipate . . .

J

A month without kimchi -- woohoo!

After arriving back in Canada I gave myself one day to rest and recover from jet lag, and spend time with my parents.

I then began the task of compiling the THIRTEEN items the recruiting company and Seoul Metropolitan Education Office want me to submit . . .

The first thing I had to do was fax them a signed copy of my contract with a waiver against suing the recruiting company. I thought the waiver was quite amusing and have been trying to imagine reasons why an individual would sue a recruiting company for helping them find a job teaching English in South Korea, lol.

The fax cost me $21.00 . . . I freaked out for a minute when I realized that I wasn't sure if I had to fax my contract to a number inside Canada or if I had to fax it to a Korean number--check out the international fee PER PAGE! I had to fax 14 pages . . .yikes!

I then got new passport photos done because I have to get my passport renewed as it expires in about 4 months. I decided to get 6 made so that I have extras on hand when I need them: the cost? 19.99 fee for taking my picture and first two copies, 9.99 per two copies after that . . . the total? $45.00

While I was in the shopping mall where my mom's bookstore is I later saw outside the building that played a fairly large role in my middle school and high school years for socializing and seeing movies. It was being torn down . . . my sister and I used to go see movies here all the time. The theater showed titles that had been out for at least a year but nobody cared because the ticket prices were 80% less than at the regular theater--you can't beat 2.00 to see a movie on the big screen.

This is a shot of the bus stop outside the townhouse complex where my parents live. They're kind of on the edge of the city although there has been a lot of development and expansion of the area lately--it's always surreal to come home and see massive big box stores have been built while you're gone, etc.

It's amazing how place and memory can be so intertwined . . . this bus shelter has a LOT of memories for me from middle to high school to university . . .

Looking down the street waiting for the bus to come. On the left is the townhouse complex where my parents live (and I used to live), and on the right is a very small patch of forest with a large farmer's field . . .

I took the bus to my university (pictures of that to come later) . . . and I went to the student services office to get new copies of my transcripts. Four copies and $48.00 later I was on my way . . .

I then headed downtown to my city's police headquarters to apply to get my criminal background check . . . however, I found out that I had to show them proof of residence in Canada to apply. They wouldn't let me use the addresses in South Korea where I've been living for the past five years for the blanks on the application where I had to write my addresses for the past five years . . . uhm, okay . . .

When I explained to the clerk why I was applying and where I'd been living she said, "Well then, the Korean government should be doing their own checks" with a scathing tone of voice--I agreed, laughing, and said, "Yeah, expat teachers have been saying that for YEARS!"

Anyways, I go back this morning (it's 4am here, and yes my jet lag has messed with my sleep schedule) with a bill in my name with my 'permanent address in Canada' on it so that I can get my criminal background check done while I wait which is cool cause I was worried it'd take forever to get one done--7-10 business days is too long a wait for me because I need to send these documents in one big package back to Korea to the recruiting company's office who will then send it to Seoul's education office who will then send me a 'letter of appointment' saying I have the job so that I can then go and apply for a new E2 work visa . . . ugh.

One irritating thing about the document gathering process is that I will have to go to the Korean consulate in Toronto (a two hour bus ride plus travel time inside the city itself, bus ticket cost will likely be $90.00) to get a Korean consular stamp on my criminal background check and university degree . . . apparently this is only for Canadians, other nationalities have a slightly different process . . .

Anyways, on a lighter note my dad made my mom and I dinner. Hmmmmm, chicken and vegetables . . .

Note the absence of kimchi and anything red and spicy!

Oh baby . . .

Well, time to go watch some TV--hundreds of channels in English to choose from with hundreds of programs in ENGLISH--oh so many choices . . . oh yeah.

J

Today I renewed my E2 Visa for a 5th year in Korea without any problems---OTIKE!!!

This afternoon I went to renew my E2 Visa for a fifth year in Korea . . . wow, to put that in a few words belies the enormity in my mind of beginning a FIFTH YEAR here . . .

I met the Education Department secretary at her office at 3pm. I would advise every foreign instructor to always go with a Korean to the immigration office. You never know when you're going to need someone who speaks fluent Korean, and understands the culture in ways that we can never begin to comprehend.

Anyways, I walk into the office and the secretary is saying, "Otike, otike . . ." ('Oh my god') over and over, lol. The phone is ringing, she's on the computer working, and it seems like a thousand things are all going on at the same time--I felt sorry for her.

She asked me to sit down and "Wait a moment." A moment turned into about 20 minutes, but after living in Korea for as long as I have I've learned that set times for doing things almost never actually happen. I teased her as she worked saying that with the upcoming semester and the BIG NEW THING (more on that later) that she was going to be doing the work of ten secretaries--which got more "Otike!" out of her while we both laughed.

After she finished up her tasks, we walked off campus and jumped into a taxi to go to the immigration office.

Arriving at the office the secretary went to FOUR different ticket dispensers, taking a ticket from each before realizing it wasn't the correct dispenser unit for the right desk that we had to go to--I think she was a little more overworked and overwhelmed than I realized, lol.

We waited for about 10 minutes. I chatted her up about her mother who is going into the hospital for surgery. She told me she will stay with her during the next five days to take care of her. This is a major cultural difference from how things work back in Canada. In Korea, a family member is pretty much at your side 24/7 when you're in the hospital. They help you with anything and everything . . . when Julianne had to go to the hospital in Seoul I had to sign some kind of form stating that I was responsible for her while she was in the hospital--wow.

Finally, the time came to go up to the desk and begin the process of renewing my E2 Visa and getting a multiple re-entry stamp put into my passport so that when I leave the country on vacation I can come and go as many times as I want to.

The immigration officer was very very good. She was friendly, polite, and spoke fluent English--wow!!!

After handing back 2 forms (not sure what they were) to the secretary that apparently we didn't need to submit, and giving me back the originals of my contract with the university and its translation, she began processing the stuff in the computer.

At this point, she paused, printed something out, and then looked at it in concern--I think that's when my pulse began to race a little . . .

While the officer was doing her thing, the secretary put on leather gloves, and I jokingly told her, "You look like a criminal getting ready to do something."

She laughed, and told me she "had a plan ready." I laughed too.

The immigration officer then asked me if I had another copy of my criminal background check from last year--I said no, I had submitted the original last year, and didn't know if I had a copy in my files back at the university. I usually bring anything and everything related to immigration that I have in my possession for the 'just in case scenario'--and I hadn't this time because I was trying to believe that everything was going to go smoothly, and that what the immigration officer had told me to bring when I called at the beginning of January was all that I needed--I guess this proves my rule: bring EVERYTHING, every time.

She also looked confused at the fact that on her computer screen the digitally scanned copy (I didn't know they do that) said, London Police. So I explained that in Canada there is a London, Ontario (where I'm from). After I said that she showed me a printed out copy of my criminal background check--the bottom half of the paper was blank. I think that this is where the embossed seal stamp usually is . . .

My blood pressure began to rise . . . I was just waiting for her to begin to say, "You need to get a new crimin---" and I would scream, "Nooooooo!"

The immigration officer stood up with the printed copy of my criminal background check from last year and walked away for a minute. When she came back she asked me to see if I have a copy in my files when I'm back in my office . . . but never asked me to bring a copy of it to her . . . not sure what that was about, so I just let it go.

She explained to me (which surprised me, usually immigration officers don't volunteer information in a helpful way in my experience) that whoever had scanned my criminal background check last year didn't do it correctly and that she was unable to print off a copy for this year's E2 renewal process because of their error.

I nearly fell over dead from the shock of a Korean immigration officer admitting that another Korean immigration officer or clerk had made an error, and that she also wasn't expecting me to have to do anything to fix it--usually it doesn't matter if it's someone else's fault, I almost always end up having to be the one that does whatever it is that needs to be done to fix the problem someone else caused . . . . I still can't believe how amazing her professionalism was.

She typed a few more things into the computer, and then wrote the new expiration date on the back of my alien registration card. I then handed her the 50,000won renewal fee, and 30,000won more for a multiple re-entry stamp in my passport for the coming year.

The multiple re-entry used to be an ink stamp but apparently now it's a sticker that kind of looks like a train ticket. The visa renewal was also a sticker. Both of them fit onto one page of my passport--cool.

And that was it. No new criminal background check for 2009. No new medical health check with blood testing for HIV, and drugs. Wow . . . I guess all of the problems that the new immigration policy created have forced immigration to alter the manner in which they process foreign teachers who have already jumped through all of the hoops once. I guess that as long as I remain at the same university I won't have to jump through the hoops--if I change employer, however, I'll have to do everything that a first time in Korea foreign instructor has to do . . .

I'm still in shock that everything went smoothly. I bowed fairly deeply to the immigration officer when I stood up to leave. A small look of surprise flashed across her face. I think she thought that because I'm foreign, male, possibly a little older than her, and teach at a national university of education that I'd somehow think of myself as a 'higher rank' than her that shouldn't bow--but screw that, IF that was the case, because she was extremely helpful, professional, and spoke excellent English. The VALUE of those things to me, and the fact that everything went smoothly-- in large part due to her--you're damn right I was going to give her a bow of respect and thanks!

And that's my story . . .

J

A Canadian renewing his E2 Visa -- 2nd confirmation that I don't have to get a medical check and VSS criminal background check

I'm sitting here waiting for the university secretary to call me back after she calls the immigration office in Chuncheon. She's going to ask them to re-confirm this 'new' policy for the Chuncheon area that if I'm renewing my E2 Visa with the SAME employer that I do NOT have to get a VSS criminal background check from Canada, and also do NOT have to get a medical check . . .

I wonder about the medical check part. I think there may be some kind of confusion about that in the immigration office because they may know that all national university of education profs get a check every year--but this check does not include the HIV and drugs testing that is required in the E2 Visa policy . . . . I don't know . . . the medical check, frankly, is an easy to get done thing--it's the VSS I'm worried about because it looks like I'd have to pay the airfare to go home to apply for it and get the paperwork done. The university would not reimburse my airfare which would really really suck.

After having read this last night I'm angry--really angry that whatever information I may be told right now it could all change because of this,

"On December 30, 2008, a bill was introduced to the Korean National Assembly proposing an amendment of the Immigration Control Act. The bill seeks to establish the “legal basis to require foreigners applying for an employment visa to submit a criminal background check and health certificate”

I have a strong feeling of despondency that regardless of what the immigration office says that if this bill is passed it will change what I have to do . . . meaning I'll have to shell out the cash to get on an airplane home to do the paperwork . . .

"E-2 visa holders are already required by the Korea Immigration Service to submit to drug checks, medical checks including an HIV test, and criminal background checks, however, the proposed bill states the revision would apply to “foreigners applying for an employment visa”. This is a markedly larger group of foreigners than just E-2 visa holders. Further, by becoming an Act of the National Assembly, it becomes much more difficult to challenge."

I'm worried that the immigration office might do a 2009 re-interpretation of their re-interpretation of the 2008 E2 Visa policy so that it is actually somehow in line with the language of the bill in the national assembly--though the problems with translating the language of a Korean bill into English, and then the problems of how each immigration office across the country interprets the actual in the flesh implementation of the policy still leaves everything wide open . . . sigh.

Update: Scribblings of the Metropolitician has a post here that talks about this new bill with a bit more detail and comments.

Alright . . . I just got the call from the secretary. Here are the requirements for me to renew my E2 visa as of January 6th, 2009 in Chuncheon, Gangwon province.

Keep in mind I'm a Canadian and that I'm finishing up my fourth year in Korea. Add to the mix that I work at a national university of education which I suspect may have a degree of influence over how the E2 Visa policy is interpreted.

1. passport
2. alien registration card
3. 30 000won fee
4. original copy of my contract
5. photocopy of my contract
6. appointment as an English instructor document written and signed by the university president
7. document proving that the university is a registered education facility with the government education office

Wow . . . wow . . . wow . . . I'm still in shock. And I keep thinking about how a colleague of mine is back in Canada on vacation right now and how she thinks she has to get a VSS criminal background check and is doing all the paper work and legwork to get one before she comes back to Korea . . . she's going to be really really 'happy' to hear about this 'new' policy . . .

I wonder what all the other Canadian teachers in Korea are being told . . . ? Please post a message if you read this and your requirements are different. I've had email correspondence going on now for a while with other Canadian teachers I know in Korea. The requirements for renewal of their E2 Visas do NOT match what I've just had confirmed for a second time . . . wow.

Wow . . . I'm just going to keep banging my head on a piece of wood (knock on wood) and keep thinking that somehow I'm 'lucky' . . .

thunk . . . thunk . . . thunk . . .

J
*I just have to keep telling myself that every time I think something in Korea is going to go horribly wrong, and it does go horribly wrong, that everything always seems to work out in the end . . . it's that middle part that I really hate, argh.

E2 Visa Health/Medical Check for Renewing a Contract -- One of the things I truly dislike about living in Korea

Proviso: The following description of a medical/health check in Korea is based on ONE individual's experience. Every foreign teacher who gets a medical check done in Korea will have a different experience due to a wide variety of factors. The only way you can prepare is to bring a Korean co-teacher or friend who speaks Korean fluently with you to the clinic. Have every document (alien registration card, passport, etc) with you in case you're asked for it. And most importantly--check your assumptions and expectations at the door because it's very likely at least ONE part of the process will be different than how things are done in your home country and culture.


About 2 weeks ago I had to go get a medical check. The university I work at makes all of its faculty go every year. I considered trying to explain that I had ALREADY gone for a medical check this past February 2008 when I was applying for my E2 Visa . . . but because I didn't keep a copy of the medical report, and because EVERYBODY IS DOING IT (being the individual who doesn't go is not an option), I just gave up and went. The one good thing about the whole situation was that it was free.

I've heard medical/health check fees in Korea run from about 30 000 up to 75 000 . . . depending on where you are at the time, and who is running the medical check. The ludicrous truth is that there is NO SET STANDARD of what tests are done at these medical checks. Yet the supposed public concern of the government and parents of Korean students to safeguard their children who are being taught by foreign teachers doesn't seem to have developed and implemented across the nation a standard set of criteria that must be tested. Even the HIV and drug test are missed by doctors running the tests . . . oh, and IMMIGRATION officers . . . which totally blows my mind.

Last February when I was getting all of my paper work processed at the immigration office I had to insist 3 times that the officer check my medical documents to make sure that they were accurate and fulfilled the E2 Visa criteria of HIV test and drug test. The medical report was MISSING that information! If I hadn't insisted on it being checked I wonder if the error would have been found. So the officer called the international clinic in Incheon International Airport where I had had my medical check done and asked the nurse to confirm over the phone (something else that blows my mind--you can do that? How do they KNOW that the person calling is a doctor/nurse/immigration official and not one of my students or any Mr. Kim that feels like finding out my medical info?) that the tests had been done, and that I had passed . . . unbelievable.

Anyways, I went to this four story clinic that specializes in doing medical checks with a coworker and friend. I hadn't been to the clinic in Chuncheon that apparently specializes in doing medical health checks before so I took some pictures.

My friend and I had tried to be proactive by getting the form we thought we had to fill out BEFORE going to the clinic. We got a copy and had the more difficult parts of it translated into English.

These are some of the questions LOOSELY TRANSLATED into English.

1) Have you had a serious illness/disease in the past? Do you have one now?
If so, please list what it/they are.

2) Has anyone in your family ever died of a serious illness or disease? If so, please list who and what they died of.

3) Do you have any disease/s you worry about now? If so, please write about them.

4) What do you prefer to eat on a daily basis?
a) vegetables only
b) meat only
c) vegetables and meat

5) How often do you drink?
a) rarely
b) once a month
c) 1-2 times a week
d) 3-4 times a week
e) almost every day

6) If you drink SOJU (as opposed to other kinds of alcohol, like there's a difference), how much do you drink in one sitting?

I found #6 VERY INTERESTING. Why is there a difference between beer/wine/whiskey and soju? Is drinking soju generally considered to be 'less harmful' because it's a Korean traditional drink? I suspect that a government sponsored public awareness campaign might be desperately needed in Korea about drinking alcohol and the health related consequences.

7) How much do you smoke?

8) If you smoke, how much do you smoke every day?

9) How long have you been smoking?

10) How often do you exercise every week?

11) Have you felt exhausted recently?

I carefully filled out the form and brought it with me thinking that I was prepared and everything would go smoothly--DOH! You'd think that I'd know better after nearly four years of living in Korea that NOTHING EVER GOES SMOOTHLY when I have to get something done for a government agency in Korea . . . n-o-t-h-i-n-g.

This (below) is the main waiting room on the first floor. You fill out forms (four pages apparently, but I was never asked to complete all of the pages after handing in my one page form I had brought with me--not sure why) in Korean and then after waiting you get called up to the desks at the front.

The doctor (?), technician (?), clerk (?) who took my information had a hard time reading my name printed clearly in English (that or he had never heard of the name "Jason" before so didn't know how to type it into his computer in Korean). So I handed him my alien registration card and medical insurance card. He typed in some info on the computer and then handed me a clipboard with my forms on it and said in Korean to go to the second floor.

On the second floor I saw this long counter with two technicians behind it. There were about 30 seats with several Koreans waiting in them. I then realized with a growing sense of dread that EVERYTHING I was about to get done on this floor would be open to the viewing pleasure of the Koreans waiting in the seats . . . this is one of the cultural differences that I really can't get past. I deal with it--but I don't like it.

The second floor is where you get to pee in a cup and have your blood taken. Luckily the first task can be done in the bathroom . . . lol, sigh.

I took a few pics and then chatted with my friend while waiting for my name to be called.

The technician on the right was calling out names and handing out paper cups with your name and info on a label pasted onto the side of the cup. You were then expected to go to the bathroom and fill it.

I didn't understand who I was supposed to give my sample cup to after completing the trip to the bathroom. I was confused and alarmed about walking around with a paper cup full of . . . and when I walked up to the counter to give it to the technician he gestured towards the back of the room and said something in Korean that was way too fast for me to understand . . .

Walking towards the back of the room with a total sense of "cultural vertigo" ('a dizzying sensation of tilting within stable surroundings or of being in tilting or spinning surroundings') was odd for me because I generally think I handle cultural differences and shocks fairly well now . . . well, nope, not this time. "Cultural vertigo" is something I coined just for this posting . . . I think it articulates what I was feeling a lot better than "culture shock."
______________________________________________________________
UPDATE: I realized that I said (above) "cultural vertigo" is something I coined just for this posting" without doing a Google search to see if anyone else has put those two words together and defined it in the same way or something similar . . . here is what I found.

1. http://www.culturalvertigo.blogspot.com/

2. NewsCube: "Cultural Vertigo: Islam and European Immigration" (S01E03)

3. and there's the third search result . . .

Life in these British Isles

Cultural vertigo, plus All-new featured Scottish word

"Fellow blogger Hadashi introduced me to this term, cultural vertigo, of which I am digging on. This is the feeling of which I blogged about so unsuccessfully in the last few entries. I like this cos it really did feel like a dizziness. Hadashi's husband is in the same boat as me, living in a culture outwith his own. It makes me wonder if this is his choosing -- if he had a chance, would he move back home?"

4. Sketchpad Cultural Vertigo blog posting

"Last Sunday we went over to the hotel to enjoy brunch, but it just wasn't the same. I felt totally uncomfortable, uneasy, irritated. I felt my blood pressure rising. The food was great, as usual. The staff was helpful and attentive. I knew something was wrong - my body kept trying to tell me something was wrong - but I just couldn't figure out what it was. Normally I would just brush it off - forget about it, but this had me worried. Our infrequent brunch treats mean a lot to us, and I didn't want to lose that. The rest of the day I kept replaying the brunch back, over and over again, in my head - trying to figure out the puzzle. What was wrong?"

Anyways . . . I think some people expect blogs to use standards of academic writing and research because the blog content is 'published'--the thing about that is that a blog is to a large degree an online journal or diary. For myself, and my own blog, my writing style, and the topics I sometimes engage with, can have an 'academic tone' and some of the readers of my blog are 'academics,' professors in Korea and overseas (Canada for example) and so on . . .

So for the sake of defining what I personally mean by "cultural vertigo," within the context and medium of my personal blog on the Net, it is this,

"cultural vertigo" is a combination of the physical sense of "vertigo" ('a dizzying sensation of tilting within stable surroundings or of being in tilting or spinning surroundings') within the context of a cultural experience in a foreign country/socio-cultural moment. Add the element of 'cognitive dissonance' to the definition and this is what I mean when I use the term.

So, in one sentence my own definintion of 'cultural vertigo' is "the mental and physical sensations of stable ideas, expectations, and assumptions being turned upside down and inside out, if not completely ruptured by an experience within a foreign culture to the point of having lost one's sense of equilibrium or equanimity"

Since this blog is not an academic paper or being written with the express intent of conveying academic info I'm not inclined to try to trace the etymology of the term 'cultural vertigo'--especially online . . .
____________________________________________________________

Arriving at the back of the room I saw this setup--and experienced one of the biggest culture shocks I've had in Korea so far.

This is where you're supposed to leave your paper cup after depositing your sample . . . some people might say, "What's the big deal?" And I'd reply, "Uhm, hygiene issues, bio-hazard issues, privacy and confidentiality issues . . . HELLO?!"

At this point I need to stress that I hadn't seen this kind of setup before in Korea when getting a medical check done. In the Incheon international medical clinic there was also a table like this but it was behind a counter inside a lab. A technician took my cup from me that time and put it in a semi-secure area out of the way of the general public . . .

After dealing with my cultural vertigo I waited for my name to be called to have my blood drawn. With about 20 Koreans watching me I got to walk up to the front and sit down in the chair where the nurse/technician drew my blood. I'm sure it was quite interesting to everyone sitting behind me with a clear view of everything that was being done.

I don't know a lot about the procedures for taking blood and what hygiene protocols are necessary but I suspect that not wearing latex gloves and cleaning the counter where dozens of patients' arms rest regularly are some of the things that would not pass an inspection by the WHO. I also had a moment of "OH MY GOD" when I saw a drop of blood on the counter below my arm while the tech was taking my blood . . . seriously, I really don't get how the facilities can be so modern and yet the methods . . . not.

As with every cultural perspective everything is relative. I'm sure people who live without the kind of medical care I've had my entire life would think I'm a complete idiot for even being bothered by something so trivial as a drop of blood, being watched by a group of people getting my blood drawn, etc.

I would respond by saying that EVERYBODY has something that triggers their sense of 'cultural vertigo,' their sense of this is not "normal" or this is not 'how things are supposed to be done' . . . and for me, medical stuff is one of those triggers . . .

Finishing the 2nd floor nightmare I was told to go up to the third floor for X-rays--but I didn't understand anything that was said to me in Korean other than 'go to the third floor' . . . so I went up to the next floor wondering what I would see next.

X-rays . . .

The X-ray technician was a nice guy who asked me if I spoke Korean IN KOREAN (the IRONY of asking this kills me every time, lol) and I said very little. He then proceeded to tell me in Korean that I needed to press my torso against the machine's screen, hold my arms behind my back, take a big deep breath, and hold it while he took the X-ray. I know that it's not realistic to expect Koreans to understand that the odds of an expat English native speaker knowing enough Korean language, and having a high enough level of listening ability to understand fluently and quickly spoken SPECIALIZED language for hospital X-ray situations to SLOW DOWN FOR THE FOREIGN GUY--but seriously, isn't that kind of intuitive?

Later on I had a conversation with my female coworker about the gendered differences in the medical check. I guess women are asked if they're single or in a relationship (meaning 'sexually active'). How being single means you are NOT having sex is highly amusing to me because of the number of assumptions that have to be made to reach that conclusion. I think if you say you're sexually active and/or you're in a relationship you then have to get a 'lower regions' exam done. I don't know if this applies across the board in all clinics and medical checks for foreign women in Korea but it's something to be aware of.

Women also may get a breast exam done, too. Guys, however, don't get the 'turn your head and cough' check, and they also are not asked to 'bend over' while the doctor puts on a rubber glove and . . . you fill in the rest.

It makes me grin like an idiot to think of how quickly a mass exodus of male foreign English teachers would take place if a prostate exam is added to the E2 Visa medical check--LOL!!!

Essentially, female foreign English teachers should be prepared to answer questions that would NEVER be asked back in our home countries, and possibly to do tests with a MALE doctor who may or may not speak English.

On the fourth floor I saw a wide range of diagnostic equipment set up along a wall out in the open . . . in the center of the room was a long line of chairs where people can sit and watch everything that is going on--meaning, watch the foreign guy get his medical check done.

Not sure what these things are as I didn't get tested with them . . .

I was told to stand on the two yellow feet painted on the floor. I then got my waist measured . . . the nurse didn't bother measuring my chest which I found amusing because they did the last time I had a medical check . . .

I then had my eyes tested. It was very weird. I had to look at the figure of an "E" on a computer screen while covering one of my eyes. It would change position (facing up, to either side, or down) and I had to point in the direction the figure was facing for the nurse.

I then stood on a digital scale and height measuring device--I was waiting for it to say my weight out loud with a volume high enough to carry down to the other floors of the building . . . but it didn't do that. I winced at my weight--yes, exercise and nutrition are something that need to be improved--and then got off the machine.

After being weighed and getting my height measured I got to get my blood pressure checked. I thought it was very funny to do the weight check BEFORE the blood pressure because I imagine that everybody, myself included, generally tends to feel anxious when being weighed in a room with several Koreans all watching you. Anxiety = stress = raised BPM and blood pressure . . . hmmmm, it's not really a good idea to make your patients feel anxious because of the test that is before the blood pressure station, is it?

Update

I got the results of my medical check back a couple days ago. I realized that I had not asked if they test for HIV or drugs (mandatory parts of the medical check that you must have done to get an E2 Visa in Korea). I asked the university secretary to call the clinic's office to confirm those two items hadn't been done--yep, not done.

Because I was a part of the group of university professors getting their medical checks done HIV and drugs were not on the list of things to be checked. The interesting assumption here being if you're a Korean and a professor that drugs and HIV don't need to be tested for--but if you're a foreign professor they do need to be tested for . . . methinks something about the policy has a rather biased ethnic perspective . . . which is putting it politely in order to avoid using the big "R-word" about this whole topic . . .

So I went and got this medical check done when I didn't need to do one because everyone else was doing it--and while it was free, I'll still have to go and pay for another medical check because HIV and drugs weren't tested . . .

. . . or will I?

This is where things get really interesting . . . I decided to ask the university secretary to call the immigration office to see if I could get a form in Korean language to take with me for my 3rd (sigh) medical check of 2008. While she was talking to the immigration officer I asked her to also confirm that I need a medical check with HIV and drug test, and a criminal background check/VSS for Canadians done . . .

The officer told the secretary that I do NOT need a medical check or a criminal background check done IF I am renewing my contract and E2 Visa with the SAME EMPLOYER as of December 16th.

I . . . blinked . . . picked my jaw up off the floor . . . and asked the secretary to confirm what she had just said.

I still couldn't believe it. The secretary handed me the phone saying that the officer could speak English (wow) and I asked the officer when the E2 Visa policy had changed. She repeated everything again . . .

I still couldn't believe it. Every Canadian English teacher in Korea that I know is going through HELL right now trying to do the bureaucratic nightmare paperwork in order to get a VSS criminal background check . . . and I had just been told I don't have to do it?

I told the immigration officer that I was having a hard time believing the policy had been changed. I told her that I was very very worried that when I go to the immigration office in January to renew my E2 Visa that I was concerned a different immigration officer would tell me a different interpretation of the application process and policy.

I asked her if the policy was on the immigration website--no. She told me that the best way to find out the current criteria for the E2 Visa policy was to call the immigration office . . .

I'm going to check again this coming week if the policy is the same as what I was told over the phone. I wonder if the secretary gets a different immigration officer on the phone if the information will change . . .

I also wonder how it's possible for the E2 Visa policy to be implemented so differently across an entire country. I suspect that because my employer is a national university of education that I am getting the least strict interpretation of the policy. I bet that hogwan foreign English teacher applicants have to have their DNA tested (not really, but it sounds so much more melodramatic, doesn't it?) along with a billion other items, public school teachers slightly less, and so on and so forth 'up' the ladder in terms of how different types of teachers are ranked socially in Korea in terms of status.

I'll write more about the E2 Visa renewal policy for out here once I find out that things have changed and that I wasn't just getting ONE officer's idea of how the policy is supposed to be done, and on another day with a different officer hearing something else . . .

J