E2 VISA INSTRUCTIONS FOR CANADIANS
You have decided to teach in South Korea, congratulations! We are here for you every step of the way as you embark on this wonderful adventure. We have prepared a helpful guide below to help guide you through how to get an E2 Visa.
And hey, if you haven’t even applied for a job in Korea yet and are just doing your research in advance, we encourage you to fill out our one-minute online application. It’s free and our team will connect you to the hiring directors in the best schools (and help guide you step by step). This saves you time and hassle not having to figure everything out on your own.
Let’s get started! Teach English Abroad. Teach in South Korea. How to get an E2 visa. E2 Visa Guide. E2 Visa Requirements. E2 Visa instructions.
Step 1: Documents
The first step in this exciting process is to collect and authenticate your documents. Below we have broken down the specific steps for each document. You will need all of them completed before moving on to step 2.
1.1 University Degree
- Must be a four-year Bachelor’s degree (at minimum) in any discipline
- Must be from an accredited university
- Your degree must be a notarized photocopy that has the consular seal on it:
- Take your degree to a local notary public. The lawyer will make a photocopy of it and notarize it.
- After your degree copy is notarized, you will take this to the Korean Consulate/Embassy to get the consular seal.
1.2 Criminal record check
- Your record check cannot be more than six months old when you are proceeding to step 2.
- This is a National criminal record check (issued by the RCMP, run your record across Canada, and include fingerprints).
- Have the results sent to you or pick them up yourself.
- If they ask, tell them it is for Footprints Recruiting and provide our address (listed on our home page).
- This report will come certified and will not need to be notarized by a local notary public and lawyer.
Once you have your notarized degree copy and RCMP clearance, send or take them to the Korean Consulate nearest to you for Consular Notarization.
- In-person drop-off: please check with your Consulate regarding the procedure (contact information below).
- Mail in: send by Xpresspost only to Korean Consulates in Canada (ATTN: Notarization Department).
- Include a return Xpresspost (only) envelope with postage and your address.
- Include the fee for the Consular Notarization – ALWAYS CONTACT THE CONSULATE FOR EXACT PAYMENT AMOUNT AND ACCEPTED PAYMENT METHODS.
(See the list for Korean Embassies and Consulates below)
1.3 Health Statement
- This is a simple questionnaire form from the Korean government where you personally answer the questions. Once you arrive in Korea, a full blood test and physical exam will be administered.
- The test will include testing for narcotics, TB, HIV, and other communicable diseases. The government suggests that they are not testing for THC or marijuana but please note that smoking marijuana in Korea is a criminal offense and is NOT handled lightly. Foreigners are not exempt and are in fact targeted. DO NOT BRING ANY DRUGS TO KOREA, OR USE ANY THERE.
- If you do not pass the health exam in Korea you will likely have your visa revoked and will not have a job or health insurance.
1.4 Passport Photocopy
- This is a photocopy the information page of your passport.
- Make sure you have at least 6 months on your passport before it expires.
- Make sure there is at least 2 completely empty pages in your passport.
1.5 Resume
- Print a copy of your resume.
1.6 Signed Copy of School Contract
- The contract will be provided to you by e-mail once you agree to the contract and the school accepts you as a teacher.
1.7 Five Passport Sized Photos
- These are standard passport photos – the same that you would need for a new passport. The photos must not be older than 6 months.
- Have one additional passport photo on hand for the final stage of the overall E2 visa application process, in Step 3.
Step 2: Send Documents to Korea (Visa Reservation Number)
Checklist of Required Documents:
- Notarized copy of your degree with Consular Seal
- Notarized National Criminal Record Check with Consular Seal
- Health check statement
- Photocopy of the information page of your passport
- Copy of your resume
- Signed copy of your school contract
- Two passport-sized photos
Step 3: Submit Application with the Korean Consulate
We move to this step assuming that you have received your Visa Confirmation Number. If you don’t have it, please check with your Placement Coordinator and they will contact the school to see where things currently stand. Korean immigration usually takes 7 to 12 business days to process applications in Korea.
Once you have your Visa Issuance Number it is time to send or take your application and supporting documents to the Korean Consulate or Embassy nearest to you. **Check the links below to find out which office has jurisdiction for your province.
Take or mail the Visa Application form and the required documents to the Korean Consulate with jurisdiction of your area.
Required Documents to Apply for an E2 Visa at the Korean Consulate: How to get an E2 visa. E2 Visa Requirements. E2 Visa instructions.
- completed E2 Visa Application Form
- Passport: Make sure you have your passport ready, that there is 6 months validity left on it and that there is at least 2 empty pages. Make sure it’s signed too.
- Photo: You will need to send a passport picture with your application or a picture that is 2 inches by 2 inches.
- Confirmation of Visa Issuance Number: Fill in the reservation number in the appropriate section of the application form.
- Fee: Please always contact the consulate at the time of applying to confirm the fee and accepted payment methods
Always call your consulate to ensure you are familiar with their procedures.
Each consulate has different processing times (from one hour to 5 days), so ask them when it will be ready and let us know as soon as you know so plans can be made. If you didn’t go in person, call the consulate to make sure they received your documents and to find out when your visa will be ready. Teach English Abroad. Teach in South Korea. How to get an E2 visa. E2 Visa Guide. E2 Visa Requirements. E2 Visa instructions.
Once you have received your passport back with your E2 visa, you are all set to begin your journey to Korea!
Korean Consulate Locations & Jurisdictions
The Korean Consulate in Vancouver is responsible for all of Alberta, British Columbia, NWT, Nunavut, Saskatchewan and the Yukon Territory.
Address: 1600-1090 West Georgia Street, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6E 3V7
Phone: (604) 681-9581
The Consulate in Toronto is responsible for all of Ontario (except Ottawa) and Manitoba.
Address: 555 Avenue Rd, Toronto, Ontario, M4V 2J7
Phone: (416) 920-3809
Only candidates who live in Ottawa should process their visas at the Embassy in Ottawa.
Address: 150 Boteler Street, Ottawa, Ontario, K1N 5A6
Phone: (613) 244-5010
The Korean Consulate in Montreal is responsible for Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, PEI, and Newfoundland.
Address: 1250 Rene-Levesque Boulevard West, Suite 3600, Montreal, Quebec, H3B 4W8
Phone: (514) 845-2555
Useful Resources for Teaching Abroad
We want you to succeed. We want you to have the experience of a lifetime, teaching in places around the world! To help you along your journey, we have curated some helpful resources below:
- Teach Abroad Blog
- How to Write a Teacher Resume
- TEFL Certificate Options
- South Korean E2 Visa Requirements
- Cost of Living Calculator