::A Geek in Korea::

Today was my last day to renew my marriage visa before it expired. Usually we are exceedingly punctual and very careful about immigration issues, because I like living in Korea and would like to continue to do so with minimal legal hassles. Yesterday I printed off some paperwork from the Internet from the immigration office to fill out to save time. Both myself and my wife would need to be present at the office, so we needed to get it done quickly before work.

It’s always good to be prepared with all the requirements before going to the office. Upon printing off the paper, we noticed there was a spot for a photo. It’s common for documents submitted to the government for immigration, and resumes to request a picture be attached. I had used my last passport sized pictures some time ago, so this morning I needed to get some more taken. I went to a local studio located in an apartment complex and had my picture taken. He asked me for my name, and told me to come back two hours later. I said, "Oh no, I need these now."

He said, "Oh, okay, wait ten minutes." He printed them off right away, and I headed back to our apartment. I have no idea why he wanted me to wait in the first place. As soon as I got home, my wife was ready. She was literally walking out the door as I arrived back with the pictures that had been printed off. We ran off to the taxi together. She had brought the paperwork with her, so I assumed she had prepared all the other remaining documents as well, whatever they might have been.

We got to the immigration office and started filling out the paperwork. Then I get to "passport number" and realize I don’t have a clue. It’s only at this point where we both figure out no one had brought the passport. Crap. We both gave each other dark stares, and pondered our next course of action. If we both went back to the apartment, she would be late for work. If I went there alone, she couldn’t file the paperwork. Would they let us file without some of the information? We asked the information desk, and they suggested we try and see what might happen.

The immigration office has gone through a radical transformation in recent years. It used to be a dark, dingy place that gave off the aura of a principals room in an old high school. There were rooms where people would go in and never expect to return. Now, it’s like a nice, clean bank. You walk in, take a number, and watch television as you wait. The process is streamlined into windows and there are actual signs in languages people can read telling you where to go and what to do. It’s very refreshing in what was once a very stressful environment.

We, however, were sweating bullets. No telling what would happen with out less than complete documentation and lack of a passport. Would we be sent back to the house to pick up the passport? Would I get in trouble for being late for filing my extension?

Our immigration officer was a very nice short lady. She took out paperwork and understood about us forgetting the passport at home. Turned out we didn’t actually need it, as I had my foreigner card and all the information is linked. I’m in their system so they know what I’m up to and who I am. Our apartment move was noted in their machine as well. The woman behind the counter did a double take when she noted our old address. It turns out, she is the owner of the apartment we used to live in! My last school rented that apartment from her, and one time we had gotten a call from her when she had thought about renting the apartment to another individual. What an odd coincidence!

It might have been because our story checked out, or because of the coincidence, but we didn’t need to do anything other than fill out the paperwork we had already finished to extend my stay. They wrote another year on my foreigner card, and I’m still a legal resident. Oddly enough, according to the woman who processed our work, only the application of the wedding visa requires excessive paperwork, such as the sponsor proving legal employment and whatnot. Now that we have the visa, it’s much easier to keep it. In fact, both my wife and I could be unemployed and I’d still be a legal resident! I can now officially leech off the Korean lifestyle! (Knock on wood. I hope that this will never, ever happen.)

It was nice to get caught up and cement my legal status for one more year.