AUSTRALIA
STEP 1 - SENDING VISA DOCUMENTS TO KOREA
As soon as you accept a contract with a school, the 1st step of the visa process will start. The first thing you will be asked to do is gather a set of important documents that are required to lodge an application for an E2 confirmation (visa) number at the Korean consulate. The documents need to be sent exactly as requested or they will not be accepted by the immigration office. Our visa representative will email full instructions to you as well, along with the shipping address and any additional requirements for your particular school. The instructions below are meant as a general guideline.
STEP 2 - E2 VISA APPLICATION AT THE KOREAN CONSULATE
When your Step 1 documents arrive at the school, they'll be checked and if everything is accurate, they'll be submitted to the local immigration office. Normal processing time is between 5-10 business days, but during peak times, it can be longer.
As you wait for your E2 number to be issued, you can prepare your visa application documents for the consulate, so once your E2 number is issued, you'll be able to submit your application in person or by mail. A general outline of requested documents can be found below, but we advise you to contact your local consulate in advance, as requirements can vary.
When your E2 number is ready, it will be sent to you by email (no physical documents will be sent to you by the school, unless you're an EPIK teacher).
CONSULATES BY JURISDICTION
Visa document verification and visa applications can only be processed by the consulate in your jurisdiction. Below is a list of the contact information for each consulate, including the areas they cover. It is possible to complete your visa outside your jurisdiction, as long as you apply in person. This also applies to other countries. Your must be completed before you can fly to Korea as there are not Korean consulates or embassies in Korea.
Note that consulates only accept visa application in the morning hours (approx. 9:00 am - 12:00 pm) and passports can be picked up in the afternoon (approx. 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm).
Visa applications take the same amount of time to process whether they are submitted in person or by mail. We advise that you apply in person whenever possible, to ensure that your documents are accepted.
Sydney
New South Wales (Sydney, Newcastle etc)
Queensland (Brisbane, Gold Coast, Cairns etc)
Northern Territory (Darwin, Alice Springs etc)
Address : Level 10, 44 Market Street, Sydney, NSW 2000
Tel : +61(0)2-9210-0234
Hours of Operation : Monday – Friday 09:00am-12:00pm, 1:00pm-4:00pm
Processing Time: min. 7 business days
Melbourne
Victoria only
Address : Level 10, 636 St. Kilda Road, Melbourne, VIC 3004
Tel : +61-3-9533-3800
Hours of Operation : Monday – Friday 09:00am-12:00pm, 1:00pm-4:00pm
Processing Time: 7 business days
Canberra
Canberra, Adelaide, Perth, Tasmania
Address : 113 Empire Circuit, Yarralumla, ACT 2600
Tel : +61(2)-6270-4100
Hours of Operation : Monday – Friday 09:00am-12:30pm, 1:30pm-4:00pm
Processing Time: 7 business days
STEP 3 - Alien Registration (in Korea)
When you arrive in Korea, you will have 90 days to pass your medical exam and to apply for your Alien Registration Card (ARC). You will not be allowed to leave Korea to travel until you have the ARC, because most E2 visas are issued with a single entry. You will also not be able to set up a bank account or any utilities in your name until you have the ARC, so it's beneficial to get the medical exam done as soon as you arrive. Most schools will provide assistance with these steps and some will pay for the expenses associated with the medical exam and the ARC.