Living in Korea: How I Got My Permanent Resident Visa

(Note: This post is NOT to be used as a reference for Korean Immigration policies. This is just to share my experience in applying for a permanent resident visa in Korea.)

After I finished my sixth year in South Korea, I was told I could already apply for a permanent visa since I held an E-7 visa continuously for six straight years. But at that time, I was required to present a TOPIK Level 2 certification, which I didn't have. TOPIK stands for Test of Proficiency in Korean, and I needed to pass at least Level 2.

But after my tenth year, that TOPIK Level 2 requirement was waived; I no longer needed it in my application for a permanent visa since I was told I completed a ten-year continuous stay in Korea under the same visa type.

So, I went to the Seoul Global Center in Jongno, Seoul, and with the help of the Filipino staff Robely, I was able to get the list of documents I needed. Robely helped me call the Immigration hotline 1345, who then enumerated to her the required documents and faxed to her the forms (other than the application form) I needed to accomplish. 

These are the standard requirements I submitted:

1. Application form with photo
(Download application form here.)


2. Passport and alien registration card

3. Current employment contract

4. Your employer's business registration 

5. Apartment rental contract (if the contract is not in your name, there's a document in Korean to be signed by the person who is the signatory to the lease contract of the apartment you live in).

6. Any postmarked letter addressed to you at the current address where you live. (The address should be the same as the one in the apartment rental contract.)

7. Letter of guarantee from a Korean citizen. (There's also a prescribed form for this letter written in the Korean language).

8. Latest income tax return (You can request this from any National Tax Service office. Your previous annual income in Korea should be 100% more than the per capita income in Korea.)

9. Transcript of records from my university with apostille. (In my case, I requested my transcript from my university and I had it apostilled with the Commission of Higher Education of the Philippines, which then sent it the Department of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines (DFA) for authentication. After claiming it from the DFA, I asked a friend in Manila to bring it to the South Korean Embassy in Manila for authentication. I gave an authorization letter to that friend so she could request authentication on my behalf.)

10. Clearance from the National Bureau of Investigation of the Philippines (I applied for the clearance at the Philippine Embassy in Seoul and had the application sent to the Philippines. And when I flew home for a vacation that year, I visited the nearest NBI office to facilitate the process. The clearance was released days after and was claimed by someone whom I authorized.)

11. Processing fee of KRW230,000

Other than the standard documents required above, I also submitted these documents which I thought could help in the approval of my application:

12. Photocopy of my Korean bankbook (I photocopied the last page and the information page that included my name, signature and bank account number).

13. The latest statement of pension plan balance from the National Pension Service. (This statement is sent to any pension plan holder in South Korea, or you can visit their office and request for your latest statement).

14. The latest statement of investments from the securities firm to which my annual severance payments were deposited. 

15. Certificate of Award from the Seoul City Mayor when I won in the Seoul International Essay Writing Competition

16. Certificate of Appointment as a World Korea Blogger from the Director of Korean Culture and Information Service (KOCIS)

17. Letters of blood donation result from my numerous blood donation at the Korean Red Cross over the years. (Since I didn't have any certification from the Korean Red Cross, I submitted these letters as proof that I was a regular blood donor. These letters are sent to the blood donor days after the actual bloodletting; it contains the blood tests done on your donated blood.)

Note: You can add more documents, e.g., scholastic diplomas from Korean schools/universities, certificates of awards in Korea, certifications from your volunteer work in Korea, certificates from competitions you won, and other achievements in Korea. I wasn't married, so I wasn't required to submit any marriage contract.

I submitted all those documents in mid-November and I received an SMS on my phone late December (about 36 days after) advising me that I could already get my new alien card. So in my case, it took about 36 days for the processing and approval of my application. 

                              *  *  *  *  *

As I mentioned above, this post is only to share my experience in applying for a permanent residency visa in Korea. Do visit the Korean Immigration website for official policies:

http://www.immigration.go.kr/HP/IMM80/index.do

The Creative Masks @ Bacolod City's 2017 Masskara Festival

When elaborate masskaras start to be displayed around Bacolod City in the Philippines, it only means one thing: it's the Masskara Festival!

My mom and I stumbled upon this display of masskaras while we were at a local mall in Bacolod City, and were impressed with the creativity and ingenuity.

                (A feng shui masskara that would 
           probably balance the energies of your face)

The Masskara Festival was organized in 1980 when the city of Bacolod and the province of Negros Occidental needed 'something' to raise the spirit of the city and the province from the gloomy atmosphere brought about by the tragedy of the sinking of M/V Don Juan and the decline in the prices of sugar, which is the main product of the island.

The maritime vessel M/V Don Juan carrying passengers from Bacolod City and Negros Occidental sank upon its collision with a tanker. About 700 Bacolodnons and Negrenses perished. That time, everyone in Negros Occidental knew someone who knew someone who died in the tragedy. It was a very sad year.

        (This is the most elaborate masskara I have 
              ever seen, and probably the one that 
                 would break my neck if I wore it)

   (This one looks like an elegant peacock from afar)

              (Black feathers and gold motif)

Then came the idea of the Masskara Festival.

The organizers of the festival thought of naming it mass-kara, a combination of the word 'mass', meaning crowds, and 'cara', the Spanish word for face, because if you're attending the Festival, it will be crowd of smiling faces, capitalizing on Bacolod's reputation as the City of Smiles.

              (This looks very Carmen Miranda)

               (This masskara looks very irony)

And with the masks came the competitions such as masskara costume-making, street-dancing, and Masskara Queen, a beauty contest. All these inspired by Venice's masquerades, Rio de Janeiro's Carnival, and New Orlean's Mardi Gras.

    (This reminds me of a Venetian mask costume)

             (Looks like the creator used recycled 
               materials to create this masskara)

             (The creative masskaras on display at a 
                           Bacolod City mall)

So, if you're attending the Masskara Festival in Bacolod City this week, with or without a mask, you'll definitely be wearing a smile all week long!

Have fun!

Chicken Inasal @ Bacolod City's Masskara Festival!

It's the Masskara Festival again in Bacolod City in the Philippines next week. And aside from the colorful and creative masks that you'd definitely want to try on, the Negrense cuisine should also be in your must-try, or in this case, must-eat list!

And on top of that list should be chicken inasal!

And for every tourist that takes a bite of the most famous Negrense barbecue, I am sure that the memory of that bite - a bite of the chicken barbecue marinated in vinegar, lemongrass, soy sauce, calamansi, brown sugar, ginger, sweet lemon soda, and black pepper, and basted with annatto oil, salt, calamansi, and margarine will definitely stay on longer than the colorful mask.

So if you're like me who's dropping by Bacolod City soon for the Masskara Festival, you'll not only enjoy the flavors of the Negrense cuisine, but will also keep coming back for more! :-)

A Pinoy @ The Movies: American Assassin

Since the cinemas are about an hour's ride from where I live, I just had to make sure I was efficient with my time in the mall. I studied the screening hours of the movies that day, and watched two: American Made and American Assassin. (The ticketing ladies already recognize me; I'm their patron who watches more than one movie in a day.)

American Assassin is like the kindergarten's version of SALT. It had vengeance, a nuclear threat, and rigorous hand-to-hand combat training, but without the Angelina Jolie's killer action scenes. 

In the movie SALT, there's an endearment to Angelina Jolie's character. She was both a victim and a 'good guy'. Of course, more than anything, she was very gorgeous! (I have seen her in person, by the way. And my jaw dropped, too!)

Here in American Assassin, Dylan O'Brien's character was just a heartbroken guy, who joined the CIA because he wanted revenge for his girlfriend's death. 

Although I like the movie's multiple European locations, such as Ibiza, Istanbul, and Rome, because I felt like a tourist watching it, the film looked like it was just a walk-through on how bad guys organize a terror plot and how good guys respond to it. 

Dylan O'Brien looked like all aspiring actors in Los Angeles, and Michael Keaton's character as his trainer could have been played by a dozen other guys, too. But what surprised me though was Taylor Kitsch showing up as Ghost, a rogue agent who peddled weapons-grade uranium and double-crossed them in the end.

If you haven't seen Taylor in John Carter, he was the earthling who teleported between Earth and Mars half-naked. Here, in American Assassin, I initially didn't recognize them until he spoke in that husky "ock ohem ocktei wies Barsoom" voice. That movie, John Carter, had one amazing theme song, by the way.

Perhaps, I shouldn't be asking too much from this film. After all, I watched two films that day with one being worth the sitting. Okay, two were worth the sitting. But I only recommend Tom Cruise's American Made. Ha-ha-ha!

Now, when is the next movie day? Or rather, movies day? :-)

A Pinoy @ The Movies: American Made

Although I am somewhat hesitant to spend two hours these days watching a Tom Cruise movie, I was thankful this one was worth the sitting.

The last time I saw a Tom Cruise movie, it was a comedy, The Mummy. Yes, it was supposed to be fantasy thingy, but it turned out to be a comedy of sorts.

I have seen Tom Cruise in person. It was sometime in 2009 when he went to Seoul to promote his movie, Valkyrie, a movie where his character died. 

He was having the Valkyrie premiere in the mall where I was getting some goodies to bring home to the Philippines as my flight was a day away. I never intended to squeeze myself with the thousands of his screaming Korean fans that night. But since I knew the mall's floor plan very well, I just positioned myself at the cinema floor next to an elevator. I figured, he would be going up the cinema level using the lift because it was freezing outside. I only sat on a bench nearby and observed the security personnel's movements. I guess I should have been a spy myself. Ha-ha-ha! Because when I noticed them looking jumpy, I stood up and stayed near the barricade. And I was right! 

A few moments later, Tom Cruise got out of the elevator along with his not-so-friendly-looking bodyguards, and he started shaking hands and having selfies with his fans. A Hollywood superstar was just an arm's length from where I stood and I could have shaken his right hand, but I did not. I didn't want to share the millions of viruses and bacteria in his hands after touching other people's. Ha-ha-ha! So I just took his photo, and left the chaos to get my grocery downstairs. I knew my priorities.

Another movie where he died was Collateral.

We can add another one, American Made.

American Made is a true story of Barry Seal, who was a commercial pilot before he got bored flying the usual routes. The story on how he ended up working for both the CIA and the Medellin Cartel is even more fascinating because it is a true story. 

I didn't know he was involved in that Iran-Contra affair that shook the White House! And I was even amazed he personally knew the legendary Pablo Escobar! And Tom Cruise spoke Spanish!

You'll like this film, too, not because Tom Cruise was sort of Jerry Maguire-ish smiling character, but because it was well made and very informative, especially on how CIA, the Medellin Cartel, and the rebels made this man very rich, so rich that he had to bury suitcases of cash in his backyard!

So, if you have time this week, you better catch Tom before the Medellin Cartel does. :-)

PS. Watch out for the last scene where his wife ends up working at KFC but wearing a thick diamond bracelet.

Eigasai Japanese Film Festival: Sweet Bean (An)

Fortunately for me, the local news carried a clip of its opening day at a local cinema. That got me interested. With a boring Hollywood film showing that week alongside some Filipino films I found corny, these very fine Japanese films courtesy of the EIGASAI, the annual Japanese film festival in the Philippines organized by the Japan Foundation in Manila, provided me my best cinema experience that week.

As I scrolled down the list of Japanese movies on their list, I zeroed in on the Saturday time slot, and was curious about the 4PM movie: Sweet Bean (An).

'An' is the Japanese word for sweet beans, and sweet beans are the ingredients of my favorite snacks in Seoul: patpingsu (red beans in shaved iced) and patpang (red bean bread). So what better way to enjoy the weekend than watching a Japanese film that features my favorite snack!

When I got to the SM Cinema in Bacolod City, the queue was already long, and they only had 300 seats available. My fellow Bacolodnons only waited for about 30 minutes before we were allowed in.

     (My pasta lunch in the mall before the movie)

(The long line for the Sweet Bean movie screening)

Sweet Bean is a story of how a middle-aged man struggling in his sweet bean bread business as well as in his miserable life learned both about life and a few culinary lessons from an old woman, who was discriminated by neighbors and society because she had leprosy.

Although the plot seemed simple, it was the dialogue that made me love this film. And with the help of the English translation of the Japanese actors' words, I sensed the soul of the film. Bravo to the translators!

Bravo, too, to the main actors, Kirin Kiki, playing the old woman, and Masatoshe Nagase, playing the middle-aged man. This is what I love about Japanese actors. Just like their minimalist homes, their acting is about 'less is more'. 

And if you like cherry blossoms, you will love the scenes where the trees are abloom with the dainty petals decorating the streets and alleys of their neighborhood in Japan. It made me wonder where in Japan was the setting of the movie. 

Sweet Bean is both a culinary lesson and an existential reminder for me. 

The process on how sweet bean paste as shown by Kirin's character made me appreciate the effort put into making the paste made of beans that have seen the four seasons, and before they are turned into one of my favorite snacks (in Korea).

And the lines, especially those spoken by Kirin's character, reminded me that we all should live in the moment and appreciate the good things, however small.

And in case you have the chance to watch Sweet Bean, make sure you read the English subtitles carefully. Those words will not only make you appreciate the movie; they'll also make you appreciate your life.

Again, thank you to Eigasai!

Summer in Seoul: Yachting On The Han!

                             (My boat ride!)

About a kilometer west of the Sebitsome, or the three man-made islands in Banpo Park in Seoul, is a small harbor. I had never been to this spot before.

Yachting isn't exactly popular along the Han River because there isn't much to see anyway, and putting up a marina doesn't sound like a smart or profitable thing to do.

            (The marine was on the Gangnam side 
                         of the Han River)

But one summer day, I was lucky to have been able to enjoy a yacht ride along the Han. I already did the Han River cruise on a ferry boat from Yeouido before. This time, I was on a smaller boat with fewer passengers!

I know the Han River so well. My neighborhood, Hannam-dong in the Yongsan District, is next to the river. When I needed to stretch my legs, I'd usually stroll along the river bank up to the Banpo Park. Sometimes, even during the cold months, I still managed to brave the freezing temperatures just so I could burn some calories.

             (The Banpo Bridge from our yacht!)

But on this summer day, I didn't have to worry about freezing or tiring my legs. I just had to be careful I didn't fall overboard. Ha-ha-ha! We all had to wear life vests by the way. No worry about drowning there; only getting wet in the murky river.

        (How I wanted to help out pulling those ropes. 
           But I worried I might fall overboard!)

              (Sail away! Sail away! Sail away!)

The free yacht ride was actually courtesy of an event partially sponsored by the Korea Tourism Organization. And since it was free, you can just imagine the long lines of people who wanted to get into that boat for a short cruise along the waters of the Han River. 

Our boat didn't really cruise the stretch of the Han. We merely circled around the waters near Banpo area for about 20 minutes. Although I wanted the ride to have been longer and reached up to the Yeouido area, I was just thankful for the free ride and for the time under the summer sun that day.

           (The Dongjak Bridge and the silhouette 
              of the Ichon-dong neighborhood)

In the Philippines, I have done a lot of boating around the clear blue waters of the archipelago where you can see lots of fish and other aquatic creatures of different shapes and colors. We probably take our boating for granted there. But here in Seoul, some people might not have even able to experience boating, much less being on a yacht! 

So, the next time you see a yacht cruising along the Han River, you'd probably want to try it yourself.

Have fun!