Buhay sa Korea

While blogging on the F-2-1 visa (National Spouse), I remembered that I haven’t sent my Alien Registration Card (ARC) to the Seoul Immigration Office. The immigration official told at the naturalization counter told me to send it to them once I receive my Korean ID, and that was more than a half year ago.

Every long-term alien (non-Korean) in Korea is required to get the ARC. Long-term means staying here for more than 90 days or three months. It is important to get this ID since some transactions involving the government, bank, or sometimes the internet requires this — from opening a bank account to having your own korean cyworld page and even when you leave the country. (You’ll also need it in case an immigration official stops you on the street and asks for your ID — never happened to me!)

I applied for my ARC when my husband and I had my F-2-1 visa extended in October of 2003. I came here in late August, 2003 with the same visa valid for 59 days only (I didn’t want to pay $30 when I applied for the visa at the Korean Embassy).

Here’s how the ARC looks like (or at least mine):

Under the heading “Certificate of Alien Registration” is your ID number. The first group represents your birth date. If you were born on April 28, 1990 it will be shown on the ID as 900428. The second group of numbers (seven digits) is your alien identification number. Foreign women’s number starts at 6. Sorry but I don’t know what it is for foreign men and children.

Below your ID number is your name in this format: LAST NAME FIRST NAME MIDDLE NAME. If you have a long name it will occupy two lines, like mine. Well, I don’t have a long first name but including my last name and middle name (the mother’s family name - traditionally in the Philippines). If your name is MARIA CONSUELO BUENAVISTA Y ALVAREZ, then it would be written on the ID as BUENAVISTA MARIA CONSUELO ALVAREZ.

The PHILIPPINES is my home country while the F-2-1 is the type of visa I hold. The Korean writing below that is my address in Korean.

On the right side is my ID picture and below that is the effective date of the ARC. Under the said date is the expiration of my visa. Below is the back portion of the card:

The blank list is for additions or supplements in relation to your sojourn. The boxes below is for your visa extension, i.e. stay until 2005.08.23 (this is how date is written in Korea).

I really want to keep my ARC as a souvenir. I just hope I won’t get any letter from the immigration.

I still get emails about this. I guess the previous one is too tedious for people to read. HiKorea Portal site has a list of required documents, for those who’d like to visit Korea for a short time, depending on their purpose. I’ve also listed the basic requirements if you would just like to tour Korea. The short-term or C-3 visa is given for the purpose of tourism, transit, visiting relative, conference, religious ceremony.

Applications if of course done at the Korean Embassy in the Philippines located at the Pacific Star Building in Makati and Buendia Avenues. AFAIK, they only accept visa applications in the morning. They give back the passports in the afternoon. The visa processing takes about a week. “Documents received” on your passport means you have been denied. If you were, you might need to wait for six months before you could apply again. The C-3 or short term visa is free for up to 59 days of stay. A Philippine passport holder can only get a tourist visa for up to 90 days (for a fee).

If you are a spouse of a US Army, English teacher or a professional Filipino worker, you could apply for the dependent or F-3 visa.

Here is the list of requirements for the tourist visa:
- Passport
- Photos
- Application form
- Tax Return (BIR Form)
- Certificate of Employment
- Bank certificate
- Invitation letter from a Korean (OPTIONAL)

Document requirements according to the status

Overseas Koreans over 60 years old
- Documents that prove that they are overseas Koreans, as well as those that prove their age(a copy of family register, a certificate of incumbency, household register, identity verification document)

Minors whose either biological parent is Korean national with domestic address
- Document which states the reason of invitation
- Documents related with Inviting parties (a copy of family register, a copy of resident registration, a front and back copy of a certificate of residence, etc)
- Document which proves that he/she is a biological child
- Documents related with the invitees(I.D card, family registry specified all family members, etc)

Those that had come into Korea more than 2 times without record of illegal stay
- Document which proves the purpose of entry
- Documents related with the invitees(I.D card)

Those proven to have had Korean nationality at birth through registration in Korean family register
- A copy of family register(removal) and family registry
- Identity verification document (ex ID card)

Men of merit and their direct relative
- A certificate of a men of merit of national independence or national
- A medal certificate
- A conferment certificate
- A copy of family register and family registry
- Identity verification document (ex ID card)

Those employed under industrial training, training employment or employment license system, that have no record of desertion, and had previously returned to their own country before their period of stay had expired.
- Documents that proves their previous employment.
- Family registry
- Identity verification document (ex. ID card)

Those that are invited by the spouse or cousin of those that have domestic address
- Documents related with Inviting parties(a copy of family register, a copy of the resident registration, a front and back copy of a national identity card)
- Document which proves their relation(Family registry, Genealogical table, old photo, letters communicated for a long-time or KBS-dispersed family certificate, etc)
- Document which proves the financial capability of inviting parties or their spouse(a certificate of incumbency, a copy of business registration, a certificate of bank balance, etc)
- Documents related with the invitees (I.D card, a certificate of holding office, etc.)

Attendance of various Events · Meetings
- Documents proving purpose of stay
- Documents proving · introducing the Meeting
- Documents related with establishment of the institute opening the meeting (a copy of business certificate, a copy of corporation certificate, etc.)
- Documents related with the invitee (ID Card, a certificate of incumbency)

Those that are going to take part in wedding
- Documents related with Inviting parties(a copy of family register, a copy of the resident registration, a front and back copy of a national identity card)
- An invitation card, confirmation of reservation, etc.
- Document which proves their relation
- Documents related with the invitees (I.D card, census registry specified all family members, etc)

An optional requirement in applying for a tourist visa to Korea for Philippine passport holders is the invitation letter. It is called 초청장 (cho-cheong-jang) in Korean and is available at law offices. I’ve been receiving emails asking for a sample of this invitation letter. The one I have is four pages including the cover page. I just scanned the cover and the second pages. Click on the images below to enlarge. Remember, it’s an optional requirement and even if you have the invitation letter it doesn’t guarantee that you’ll receive a visa!