Flights and Airport Information
The flight to Korea is long for anyone traveling from the United States, as the flights range from around 8 hours to 15 hours long. All the information presented here is from the perspective of someone traveling 13.5 hours from California, but the flight is still around 10 hours when flying from Hawaii.
Prepare to be on the plane for a long time; books, tablets, and other entertainment devices are necessary. Don't forget to bring money to buy food to take on the plane with you or pack some food from home. Make sure to stock up on Dramamine or other motion sickness medication and Airborne or other immune system boosters if you tend to get sick while traveling. On top of that, bring a water bottle, like a Hydro Flask, to keep water cold so you can stay hydrated and possibly a hand fan for air circulation. When flying Korean air, you can check two fifty pound bags for free and have a larger amount of leg room than most American flights. However, they do no supply in flight wifi. Make sure to research what you think you need to make you flight more comfortable as well as prices so that you get the most out of your flight.
Airports vary from place to place, but for the most part these things are something universal to keep in mind. Arrive at the Airport early. With the flight being so long and important, you definitely don't want to be late!
Prepare to be on the plane for a long time; books, tablets, and other entertainment devices are necessary. Don't forget to bring money to buy food to take on the plane with you or pack some food from home. Make sure to stock up on Dramamine or other motion sickness medication and Airborne or other immune system boosters if you tend to get sick while traveling. On top of that, bring a water bottle, like a Hydro Flask, to keep water cold so you can stay hydrated and possibly a hand fan for air circulation. When flying Korean air, you can check two fifty pound bags for free and have a larger amount of leg room than most American flights. However, they do no supply in flight wifi. Make sure to research what you think you need to make you flight more comfortable as well as prices so that you get the most out of your flight.
Airports vary from place to place, but for the most part these things are something universal to keep in mind. Arrive at the Airport early. With the flight being so long and important, you definitely don't want to be late!
The Visa Process
Obtaining a visa is mandatory for studying abroad in South Korea if you are not a Korean citizen. For those who are not citizens, the max amount of time one can be in Korea without a visa is 90 days, so there is no way to stay the entire semester abroad without one. The visa process isn't that complicated, and you will need about a week total to receive it.
Although it varies from place to place, there are some things that are generally the same. First, fill out the application, which is the D-2 application for students. Then, get a passport photo, the original acceptance letter, transcripts (if required), bank statement and your passport with at least 6 month validity. Make sure to check online beforehand to make sure that you have all the required materials for the particular consulate that you are going to, as the one in San Francisco requires different things than the one in Honolulu or the one in Chicago. Next, head to the closest consulate to your location (there is one in Honolulu for those in Hawaii, so out of state students may want to get the visa completed in Hawaii if there is not one close to where they reside.
Once at a consulate, all that is required is the materials listed above. Turn them in to the appropriate employee and they will notify you when to come back to the consulate for your passport since the visa is placed inside. Come back on the day they tell you it will be ready for travel. However, they might keep the documents that you gave them, so make sure to copy anything you think is important, such as your acceptance letter.
Although it varies from place to place, there are some things that are generally the same. First, fill out the application, which is the D-2 application for students. Then, get a passport photo, the original acceptance letter, transcripts (if required), bank statement and your passport with at least 6 month validity. Make sure to check online beforehand to make sure that you have all the required materials for the particular consulate that you are going to, as the one in San Francisco requires different things than the one in Honolulu or the one in Chicago. Next, head to the closest consulate to your location (there is one in Honolulu for those in Hawaii, so out of state students may want to get the visa completed in Hawaii if there is not one close to where they reside.
Once at a consulate, all that is required is the materials listed above. Turn them in to the appropriate employee and they will notify you when to come back to the consulate for your passport since the visa is placed inside. Come back on the day they tell you it will be ready for travel. However, they might keep the documents that you gave them, so make sure to copy anything you think is important, such as your acceptance letter.
Alien Registration Card
The Alien Registration Card, or ARC, is something that every foreign student attending school in Korea needs to get in order to re-enter the country as well as stay there. The ARC card also details the date you must leave Korea by, not your visa. That being said, the ARC does not suppliment a visa, so the visa process must still be completed as well as the ARC. The process of completing the ARC needs to be done within the first 90 days of being in Korea. There are several items required for obtaining the ARC. These are a valid passport, application form, 1 color head shot photo (3.5x4.5cm), and the application fee of 30,000 KRW (40,000 if done through the University). Students from China, Sri Lanka, Russia, Uzbekistan, Thailand, Vietnam, India, Nepal, East Timor, Indonesia, Pakistan, Mongolia, Bangladesh, the Philippines, Myanmar, Cambodia, Kyrgyzstan, and Malaysia are required to submit the medical check-up report including the examination for tuberculosis issued from a neighborhood public health center. To complete the application form, just go to the website (here) and submit the form online. Then, print the completed form out and do one of the next two steps, whichever is more suitable to you.
The first option that is completing the process by oneself. Through this, a student will need to schedule an appointment and to go to the Immigration Office (address here). With their completed form, fee and passport, the student will need to turn in their form. Once there you will also be fingerprinted. Once the process is completed, you will need to go back to the office to get your card and passport back.
The second option is offered through Yonsei. The university will provide two days where students can go into the global lounge on campus and submit the form. If a student chooses this option, they will go to the global lounge with the form, fee and passport. An appointment is not needed. Once the application is processed (typically within 2 weeks), students will receive an email stating that they need to go into the immigration office for a quick fingerprinting. Once that is completed, the ARC card will be delivered to the school and available for pick up on a date given to the student when they submitted their application. Pick up is at the same location as the form submission. Although this option costs more, students get to keep their passports with this option.
The first option that is completing the process by oneself. Through this, a student will need to schedule an appointment and to go to the Immigration Office (address here). With their completed form, fee and passport, the student will need to turn in their form. Once there you will also be fingerprinted. Once the process is completed, you will need to go back to the office to get your card and passport back.
The second option is offered through Yonsei. The university will provide two days where students can go into the global lounge on campus and submit the form. If a student chooses this option, they will go to the global lounge with the form, fee and passport. An appointment is not needed. Once the application is processed (typically within 2 weeks), students will receive an email stating that they need to go into the immigration office for a quick fingerprinting. Once that is completed, the ARC card will be delivered to the school and available for pick up on a date given to the student when they submitted their application. Pick up is at the same location as the form submission. Although this option costs more, students get to keep their passports with this option.