Getting a Visa for Public Schools: When you are hired by the Public school in Korea, EPIK will provide you with a Notice of Appointment and an Official Contract. Once you have received your Notice of Appointment and Contract from EPIK, you need to contact the Korean consulate that has jurisdiction in your area and find out when you can book your interview. Every consulate is a little bit different. In most cases, a visa interview is not required for EPIK teachers but the Embassy/Consulate still holds the right to interview. Please contact the Embassy/Consulate to prepare in advance if necessary. As of January 2011, applicants for public schools (EPIK) who have not previously been issued an E-2 English teaching visa by Korean Immigration are NOT required to visit the Korean consulate in the jurisdiction of their permanent address for an interview prior to their work visa being issued. BUT many international consulates are not familiar with the process for issuing E-2 visas and it can be complicated so please contact us for more details about this new regulation!

What to bring to the Consulate: If you are going to be teaching at a PUBLIC School, you must provide the following documents.

Required Documents to Apply for an E-2 Teaching Visa at the Korean Consulate:

  1. Your passport and 1 copy of its personal data page. Make sure your passport is signed, has at least 6 months left on it before it expires, & that there is at least one empty page for the visa!
  2. Completed visa application form
  3. A passport picture (2”x2”/3.5cmx4.5cm, color) attached to the application
  4. Notice of Appointment
  5. Employment Contract
  6. Self-addressed, pre-paid envelope for return of the passport by mail
  7. The Visa Fee* ($65 CAD, $45 USD, NZ $50, A$75, UK￡27) *Fees can change without warning so applicants should check with their local Korean consulate. Applicants not in their home country may incur additional fees. Paid in cash or a money order.
  8. Some consulates may request a photocopy of your criminal record check, 1 copy of your official, sealed transcripts from your university &/or a photocopy of your apostilled diploma. Please make sure to contact your nearest consulate to see what documents they require before you go & apply for your visa.

Each consulate has different processing times (from one hour to 5 days), please ask for an approximate time on completion, and please keep Planet ESL informed of your progress!