I'm currently in Korea on a visa on arrival and have found out that I would need to apply for a Korean E2 teaching english visa from outside the country after I have gotten a job. Does anyone know if this is completely true or any examples where someon has applied from within korea? Again i mean would it be possible to apply within Korea with all the documention then do the visa run after its accepted?
1
hanguk
First, waygook.org is a better place to ask. It's a very active forum for foreign English teachers in Korea.
I don't quite understand your whole question, but I'll give a brief explanation of how you get your visa.
Your first step is to submit all the proper documents to your recruiter/school (background check, transcripts etc.).
They will apply for a visa application number at the immigration office in Korea. Once that number is processed (can take up to a few weeks), the school will tell you what that number is.
You them must go to a Korean consulate to apply for the visa. Once the consulate processes your visa (overnight in some Japan locations, about a week in most others), you are free to enter Korea to work.
You can NOT get an E2 visa in Korea. It doesn't matter where you are when the school sends your information to the immigration office.
It sounds like you're confusing how the process works.
Basically:
You give documents to school.
School gives documents to immigration.
Immigration gives number to school.
School gives number to you.
You go to consulate (not in Korea) and give them passport, number and fill out application form.
Consulate gives you passport with visa sticker (after a waiting period).
You go to Korea, entering on an E2 visa.
You can start working.
NOTE: If this is your first visa, you may be obligated to do an interview at a consulate in your HOME country. Japan may not cut it. This was a few years ago that this applied. Information about this is mixed. If you are a US citizen, the closest consulate is in Guam.
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