Getting My F6 Visa In Korea… The End

Take two. I’m going through the process to get my F6 visa here in Korea. Up until this point, I had gathered my passport, my Korean marriage certificate and through a slight debacle hadn’t yet gotten it translated, notarized and authenticated at the US embassy. So, here we are…

After going home to the States and coming back at the end of January, I wrote the addresses of the two nearest offices that could translate and notarize our Korean marriage certificate for us once more for Jae-oo. Since I was still on vacation from school I went with him this time to make sure the translation and notarizing was done properly. It took about an hour, as the office was busy, but if they weren’t it probably would have taken all of 10 minutes for them to type the information in the already prepared form they had. We opted to have lunch while we waited, so it worked out rather smoothly. Once again, I went to the embassy and it was much smoother this time. The form was authenticated and I paid $50 and walked away a happy camper.

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Marriage certificate: English and Korean check and check

Documents to prove financial capability included our apartment contract showing how much money we’d invested into it, aka key money, Jae-oo’s working certificate to show he’s a legit musician, copies of bank account books, etc. I took mine too, but apparently even though I’m capable of making a buck and saving it, it doesn’t matter. Again, it’s all on him to support me.

Documents to prove financial capability: check

Reference of a spouse with Korean nationality was easily shown using Jae-oo’s ID card, I had my photo and the processing fee was paid.

At the immigration office we walked in and out in about 30 minutes as we’d made an appointment through the Hi Korea Website, and called it a day. There was some discussion on why we didn’t have an American wedding certificate but a translated Korean wedding certificate. It wasn’t an issue, just some talk. The point of the English translation is really beyond me, since they can’t read it anyway, but whatever. I was careful to smile and only say as much as hello and thank you in Korean. Government officials always turn on that fake nice demeanor in me. We were told to expect to receive my new ID card with the F6 visa in about three weeks. Three weeks later, we received my new ID card for the F6 visa in the mail, as we’d provided the immigration with a self addressed envelope to have it sent rather than going back to pick it up. The self addressed envelope was gotten at the immigration office as well.

The whole process leading up to the immigration office could have been done in a matter of days if we’d made appointments wisely and kept our heads down and did everything. We took our time and did one thing per day over a couple of months, but the end result is the same. F6 visa marital bliss, hoorah!