Moving to Korea
In mid-1999, a retiree moved to the Osan area with his Korean spouse. They had made the decision that they would live in Korea, and if he got a job that would be a bonus. He contacted the Retiree Activities Office many months before the actual move and so was more or less prepared for it. However, there were a number of lessons learned that he recorded in the process of settling in. The following reflects one man's experience. The fact that his spouse is Korean helped considerably once they arrived. The generous assistance provided by his landlord, such as driving him to the town where he needed to go to obtain his Korean driver's license, also helped. Although you may not have the same experiences, the following description will assist to some degree in understanding costs involved and in navigating the bureaucracies you will encounter.
Throughout the process, you will meet a number of Korean bureaucrats and you may sometimes get the feeling that they are intentionally throwing obstacles in your path. Usually this is not true; they are only following the guidelines set out for them and the guidelines require the many steps. No matter what, always keep your cool and treat them with kindness and courtesy. It will help considerably in getting things done. Rudeness and displays of temper will slow or even stop the process. Remember that you are the visitor to their country.
Moving Company
Hanjin is a Korean shipping company with affiliated moving companies in the U.S. Choosing Hanjin – which he didn't – would have greatly aided in customs clearances for household goods and vehicle.
Shipping a Car
Based on his experience, the recommendation is "DON'T." There are plenty of cars available at reasonable prices, and avoiding the headaches of customs clearance makes local purchase a worthwhile option. However, if you do choose to ship a car, there are some important guidelines to keep in mind.
- You will not be able to take delivery of your vehicle until you have a permanent visa, and you will pay storage charges for each day that the car sits in the Customs warehouse.
- If you ship a foreign-made car, you will pay customs duty based on the original purchase price of the car. If it is a new car, you will pay 100% of the purchase price in customs duty. If the car is one year old, you pay 90%, and the duty is reduced by 10% for each additional year of age. At ten years old, the customs tax stops at 10% and remains at 10% for any older vehicles. If you ship a Korean car, you will not pay a customs tax. This individual shipped an 11-year old Jeep Wrangler.
| Costs in the U.S. | ||
| Shipping Costs from U.S. | $2,000.00 | |
| Insurance | $188.74 | |
| (insurance was $25 per $1,000 of coverage) | ||
| Costs in Korea | ||
| Unload from ship | ₩122,350 | |
| Move from Customs to storage | ₩135,000 | |
| Delivery Order | ₩114,257 | |
| Paperwork | ₩3,000 | |
| Tax Stamps | ₩1,000 | |
| Storage | ₩55,000 | |
| Customs | ₩1,405,430 | |
| (exchange rate at time of shipment was $1.00=₩1,200) | ||
You will also have to consider additional expenses such as train fare to Pusan, and taxi from Pusan train station to the Customs warehouse, which in this case totalled ₩35,300.
| Vehicle Registration | |
| Inspection | ₩24,400 |
| Tax & Registration | ₩373,000 |
| Tax Stamps | ₩2,000 |
| License Plates | ₩13,700 |
A Korean driver's license can be obtained for ₩15,000 if you have a valid US driver's license, and no road test is required. You will be required to take a written test, a vision test and a color vision test.
Shipping Household Goods
If you ship household goods, you can expect to pay tax on certain items. In this case, tax was imposed on the personal computer. There is a list of dutiable items at the "Customs" tab on the Visitors page and then select "Moving to Korea" on the Customs page. The Retiree Activities Office (retact@osan.af.mil) can also assist in obtaining answers to specific questions.
| Household Goods Moving Expenses | |
| 16 Boxes (18"x18"x18") | $68.99 |
| Bubble Wrap | $15.36 |
| Styrofoam Popcorn | $7.96 |
| Corner Reinforcements | $1.51 |
| Tape | $8.48 |
| Shipping (914 lbs) | $715.00 |
| Insurance ($10,000) | $300.00 |
Household Goods Delivery
Household goods delivery was delayed when the member and his wife were given incomplete information on what was required to clear Customs and arrange delivery.Thus, when they showed up at the Customs warehouse at Singal (near Suwon), they did not have the Delivery Order paperwork.When they called the Customs Office in Seoul and asked why they had not been told that the needed the Delivery Order, the clerk responded, "Oh, you have to have a Delivery Order to pick it up."They did not press the issue any further, such as asking why the clerk had not told them that when they visited the Customs Office in Seoul.
| Household Goods Delivery | |
| Delivery Order | ₩135,000 |
| Transport Pusan-Singal | ₩63,600 |
| Singal warehouse processing | ₩98,644 |
| Customs | ₩57,240 |
| Transport Singal-residence | ₩80,000 |
Obtaining a Resident Visa
An F-1 Resident visa can be obtained from the Department of Immigration Office. For residents in Seoul and areas north and east of Seoul the office is located in Mokdong, about midway between Yongsan and Kimpo Airport. For residents in the Osan-Camp Humphreys area and other residents in southern Kyonggi Province, the immigration office is located in Suwon. The basic single-entry resident visa costs ₩60,000 won. An additional ₩30,000 will get you a multiple-entry visa (separate application required). The requirements are as follows:
- Proof of marriage to a Korean citizen.
- Lease for (or ownership of) a house or apartment to prove you are living in Korea.
- Proof of regular income such as military retirement pay. (The F-1 visa is a non-working visa, and working with an F-1 visa is illegal.)
- (Retirees have recently reported this is no longer required) Proof that you have at least ₩30,000,000 won (approximately $29,000) in the bank or credit union.
- A valid passport.
- If you don't have a multiple-entry visa and have to leave Korea, you would have the F-1 visa cancelled when you leave and would have to go through the entire application process again. As an alternative to losing the basic F-1 visa (and if you have time), you could purchase a single re-entry visa at the airport before departure for ₩30,000 won.
(Ed Note: If your spouse is a Korean-born US citizen, then she/he will be able to obtain an Overseas Korean (F-4) visa by providing her/his Family Register, together with the fee and her/his passport. However, the retired member must still have the above documents and financial proof to apply for the F-1 visa. A multiple entry F-4 visa should be requested if your spouse plans to travel outside Korea.)
At the immigration office, you will have to fill out a registration form. It's simple and your Korean spouse can assist in completing it.
You will be required to leave copies of the Marriage License, lease (or home ownership), and proof of income or retirement pay. You will also have to leave your passport, which will be returned to you with the F-1 visa and Alien Registration Card in approximately seven days.
You can get to the Mokdong Immigration Office from Kimpo by taking either bus #22 or a taxi. If you take the bus, you will still have a ten-minute walk from the bus stop, or you can take a taxi. To contact the Immigration Office, call 02) 650-6231, or fax 02) 650-6298.
(Ed Note: The easiest way I've found to get to the Immigration Office is by subway. Take the Blue line to Omokkyo station , the stop before Mokdong, and leave the station through exit #6. The Immigration Office is a ten-minute walk away.)
The Suwon Immigration Office is west of Suwon Station. The extension of the subway to Songtan Station and Pyeongtaek Station make it the obvious choice to travel to the immigration office. Go to the Hwa Seo Station, upon exiting the station, locate the Mormon Church and follow the road next to the church, which leads to the immigration office. You can contact the office at 031-278-3318/3319 (administration section) or at031-278-3316/3317 (evaluation section).
Finally, keep in mind that the above describes one man's experience, and your circumstances may differ.
(with grateful appreciation to Robert A. Hattendorf)
