A visa run applies to two groups of teachers: Those who are already in Korea and need to apply for a visa, and those who are not yet in Korea but do not have enough time to process a visa in their home countries. Because the Korean government does not issue visas within the country, visa applicants must leave Korea and visit a Korean consulate or embassy in another country.

The majority of visa runs are done in Japan, either at the Korean consulates in Tokyo, Osaka, or Fukuoka. If you need to do a visa run to Japan, then LiveEnglish will help you arrange a flight to Tokyo or Osaka. (If you wish, you may also take a ferry from Busan to Fukuoka.) Processing takes significantly less time in Japan—on average two days—which is why it’s a good option for teachers in the United States, for example, who are unable to wait one week to obtain a visa.

You must bring the following on your visa run to Japan:

• a. All documents sent to you by your school
• b. 2 passport sized photos
• c. Approximately 7,000 yen

The cost of the visa run will be subsidized, if not completely covered, by your school. To ensure you receive your visa by the next day, you need to submit your application ideally before 3:00 p.m. to be able to pick it up by 4:00 p.m. the following day.