For those coming up to the end of their contracts and wishing to take a break before starting a new one, the new D10 visa is an absolute godsend! It used to be the case that if you wanted to go home in between contracts you would need to gather all your documents AGAIN and go through the entire E-2 visa process AGAIN too. Not anymore.
The D10 visa (also known as the “looking for work” visa) allows the following without the need for teachers to collect their documents from scratch:
· Up to a maximum of 6 months to find a new job.
· Up to a maximum of 90 days outside of Korea.
D10 Visa Requirements
It should be noted that you can only apply for a D10 visa AFTER your contract has ended. It can take a few weeks to process so make sure you book your flights home a few weeks after your contract ends or better yet hold off until you have the D10 visa in hand if possible.
Here are the D10 visa requirements you must follow when you go to your local immigration office:
· Passport
· 2 Passport Pictures
· ₩60,000 -> 130,000
· Your Alien Registration Card
· Current bank statement (they want to see you can support yourself in this period)
· Letter of Release
· Proof of Residency Form (they may ask to see a residency contract agreement but usually a friend's address will suffice.)
· Plans for Seeking Employment Form (get this at the immigration office)
And that’s it! Once you submit your application it may take up to 2 weeks before you can pick up your new ARC card then you are free to leave for up to 90 days and look for work for up to 6 months.
You can leave multiple times too so if you want a month in Thailand, then back to sign a new contract, then a few weeks in Vietnam before starting the new contract, you can do that with no problems!
Note: Please call the 1345 immigration hotline well in advance of your contract end date. The D10 visa process is relatively new and somewhat shrouded in mystery and can change depending on which immigration office you go to.
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