Aug 2016 edit: Changed to part 2 from part 1.5; added a new section.
So where I last left off was waiting....waiting for the offer to come in, waiting for my visa stuff, etc. I feel like that's the worst part of this whole process. Hurry up and wait. Get all these documents, and then wait till someone says "I want you to work for me!"
So let's get started shall we?
This post is a continuation of Part 1 which I recommend you go read if you haven't!
THE JOB OFFER
So the way they word the communication so far, you're basically being told: there will only be ONE job offer and you have to take it or NEVER COME TO KOREA EVAARRR!
However, it is possible to be a little selective with your choices. Obviously, they make you feel like this so you don't just reject a place cause it's not Seoul. I actually received a few offers but had to reject them for various reasons, mostly stuff which was out of my control. They way notice works in Prague is that you can't just give 2 weeks notice and leave, it can take a few months before you actually can end working. I also turned down a position because it was less hours (less $$) and it didn't include co-paid health insurance, which seemed a bit weird for me that it was like that. I sent a quick email out saying why i was rejecting it. I guess it helps to really be clear about what contract you want, not just the location. For example, I want housing included or I want the top level of pay, etc.
Luckily, there were more branches looking for teachers. I've been watching a lot of Eat your Kimchi so I had my heart set on Bucheon, but I knew it wasn't going to happen (my recruiter told me there weren't any positions available at the branch in Bucheon).
I read through the offer, checked all the paperwork, and sent back an acceptance email with a signed/scanned copy of the paperwork (official offer contract, another MOU, and the E2 visa form).
I was asked to set up a time to chat with someone from head office. After a bit of confusion, we managed to chat on the phone. It was surprisingly quick. He mostly congratulated me and then asked about if I was ready to go to the emabssy as soon as the visa issuance # arrived. I asked a few general questions about where I was going to be staying, but he wasn't able to give really specific answers because he was from head office. Overall it was less than 10 minutes. I was told it would be about a week or maybe 2 for the issiance #. Really it was closer to 3 weeks.
Now wait!
During my waiting time I have been practicing Korean a little, trying to prepare....hahaha! That's a lie, I didn't prepare at all. The only reason I'm halfway able to leave so suddenly is cause all my stuff basically fits into a suitcase anyways.
Talk to me in Korean is a great listening/learning resource. Or if you're more textbook style koreanfromzero.com has a free downloadable textbook you can print out and use. I've been using both so far and slowly getting into the Korean swing of things.
Visa Issance #
Once your # is ready, you will recieve an email with the information plus an info packet with some instructions to keep on hand in the future.
With this # you will head to your local Korean Embassy. However, what you'll need exaclty varies from embassy to embassy so call or email a head of time to find out exactly what you need. Read the paperwork carefully so you only need to make one trip. Don't, for example, forget to bring a passport sized photo (3.5mm x 4.5mm! Make sure you get the right size) and have to go twice. Some embassies require a sealed transcript, others might want to see your contract. What you generally need is:
-Passport (you will probably leave it with them, so don't plan any travel for a while).
-Photocopy of your passport photo page.
-Recent passport photo (3.5mm x 4.5mm). You will probably have to specify the size when you get it because Canadian standard is much larger.
-Visa fee (again double check this, it often fluxuates due to the exchange or changes in government). Bring exact change in cash or ask a head of time if they accept some other form of payment.
-Visa application form filled out as required (make sure you have the address of the hotel you'll be staying at, you might need it, you might not).
-Any extras as required by your specific embassy.
Once you hand it all in, you'll probably get a reciept of some kind and then told to wait a few days/week-ish/forever and they will call you or email you to come get it.
Wait again and book your ticket
I spoke with my recruiter and let her know I had sent in my visa application. She gave me the go ahead to book my ticket. Sadly I was basically a week and change out from the weekend when I was suppossed to arrive so I was really banking on having the visa stamp in my passport in time. My recruiter reassured me that it would most likely only take 2-3 days, but when I spoke with the embassy they said "we can't guarantee a specific date.. blah blah blah". I wanted to fly out on the friday before so I could have all saturday and sunday to recover/settle in. But with the tiny possibility that my visa might take longer (always plan like Mr. Murphy himself is standing over you softly cursing your every move), I booked a flexible ticket for the saturday before my training. This way I could move it if I didn't get my visa in time.
Get ready to leave
This is most likely the hardest step of everything. You now gotta fit your life into a suitcase, or maybe 2. Luckily I've had a bit of experience with this because I moved from Vancouver to Prague in 2014. I brought 1 large suitcase, and a carry on. I thought I should have brought some more things. I thought I had given away/gotten rid of too much stuff and I would be horribly lacking in Prague for basic essentials. Well, I actually over packed, if anything.
Bring the basics, and a few comfort things. I personally don't really like the clothing styles in Prague so I actually ended up not really even buying too many extra pieces of clothes. Friends of mine brought multiple suitcases filled with things they thought they might need: DVDs, books, etc. Most of them ended up getting rid of all of it because it just wasn't useful for them here. Why watch a film when you can go explore your new city?
Everything I didn't have I could buy easily and cheaply.
Plus, you're going to be living out of a suitcase for 1 week in a hotel. You don't want to have to lug extra suitcases around.
Your visa is READY!!
So probably you got a phone call or an email to go pick it up. One slightly ironic thing is that you should bring a second piece of ID with you. I know, they have your passport, but they still need to confirm your ID before they can give it to you.
What you will see: A full page sticker with your picture on it, your info and most importantly a date of entry and date of last entry.
This is not technically your visa, before you can get your final OK and finsih the registering process you actually must pass a medical exam. This visa is basically an entrance into Korea visa, but it's all you need for now. Hopefully your visa came quickly, and now you're a week or more away from your leaving date so you have lots of time to get ready and pack!
I hope this was helpful. I will be continueing to update with the rest of the process, and the things people forget to tell you along the way!
Sept 2016 A small update about money: Check out this soon to be coming post!
Friday, 29 July 2016
Monday, 18 July 2016
Pausing your Zivno! (Yes, you don't have to cancel it!)
One alternative option to cancelling your zivnostensky list is to pause it! It's exactly as it sounds. If your'e going to not be using your zivno for a while (a few months, a year, not quite sure), you can take a few papers down to the office and pause it.
You will need:
-Passport/ID (bring your visa booklet if you have one)
-Zivno information (for reference)
-Paper from the Social security office showing you have no debt.
Take all three with you to the Zivno office where you registered. They will go through their system and pause your zivno for whatever length you would like. If they do not ask, ask them to de-register you for the social security office, etc. This will put you off the hook for the monthly payments!
Theoretically you could do this for short periods, like 1-2 months, but you will have to re-register yourself for social security and taxes each time.
Once the process is finished they will send notification to your address to confirm it.
It is recommended to check back with the other offices (social security, etc) just in case there was a miscommunication along the way.
You will need:
-Passport/ID (bring your visa booklet if you have one)
-Zivno information (for reference)
-Paper from the Social security office showing you have no debt.
Take all three with you to the Zivno office where you registered. They will go through their system and pause your zivno for whatever length you would like. If they do not ask, ask them to de-register you for the social security office, etc. This will put you off the hook for the monthly payments!
Theoretically you could do this for short periods, like 1-2 months, but you will have to re-register yourself for social security and taxes each time.
Once the process is finished they will send notification to your address to confirm it.
It is recommended to check back with the other offices (social security, etc) just in case there was a miscommunication along the way.
Saturday, 30 April 2016
Applying for Korean Work Visa (Aclipse) Part 1
Hello!
As far as I can see it, you're here to learn about the application process for working with Chungdahm Learning through the recriuting company Aclipse! Ideally, you're from Vancouver, Canada as the process and costs might be different if you're not. If you're from somewhere other than Canada, this post won't be super useful for you.
As of this posting, my application is still being processed, so this is not a finalized posting. I will make another post as the process progresses. I just wanted to let anyone else out there know the info stuffed into my head.
Step 1: Apply to Chungdahm learning or CDL as they call themselves. I did so through Aclipse recruiting, which my friend recommended to me.
Your recruiter will contact you to confirm your application and to ask for some follow up information. Be prepared for the first of many copy+pasta emails.
This first email will include:
- Introduction to CDL
- Rundown of benefits and the basic contract information
- Links to an info packet with a bit more history and info about CDL.
Step 2: Finish the interview process.
This interview has a few parts. The first part is a reading part. You will be sent a short passage and asked to answer some questions about it.
They will also send you a pdf with information about the recruiting and application process. Read the whole thing, it's also helpful to review it every once it a while so you can understand what's next. It can help answer any questions you might have as well.
Part 2 of the interview is the actual interview which was via skype for me, no video. You will schedule this with your recruiter, it must be during their working hours (Boston time).
You will be asked to make a short lesson to teach a 12yo intermediate level student. They give you a few lesson ideas you must use. The demo is 5mins so it's reaaaalllllyyy easy. It's basically to see if you're able to teach since many people apply without any experience. Don't sweat it or overthink it.
My advice: ask lots of questions, get the student speaking, use your questions to guide the lesson. Speak enthusiastically and slowly.
Example: Space travel/aliens -->What are the things you see at night in the sky? Stars. Where do people live? Earth. Do people live in the stars? No. Do you think people might live in the stars one day? Yes? Why?..... etc.
The rest of the interview is pretty standard:
- Why are you interested in CDL?
- What would you do if you had a disruptive student?
- What experience do you have teaching/what would make you a good teacher?
- What interests you about Korea?
Glassdoor.com has a lot of good information on the interview questions you will get.
The interviewer will also go over what you need for the visa and how to get it, and also confirm when you want to come. They will also answer your questions about the process and teaching abroad.
Step 3: Interview success!
At this point you will receive an email saying you're successful and asking you to fill out some forms needed to get the application process going.
You will need to send them:
- Application form and consent form (so they can use your image to send to future school locations).
- Signed and scanned E2 health statement (hopefully you're fairly healthy and no history of serious illnesses)
- A self-intro video that you make yourself. Look on youtube for some examples.
- Scan of your passport.
- CV/resume in word format
- jpeg of yourself looking like the business person you are.
You will have about a week to send all this back to them.
Step 4: Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
After sending back these things from above, you will have a short wait and then you will receive either a rejection or a memorandum of understanding, which is essentially a base contract between you and CDL saying "we want you offer you a job, but we need you to get your shit together first." It gives both you and the company an easy out if something should go wrong during the next few steps (ie. you're not able to go to Korea or get the visa for some reason).
This offer will outline your expected salary, next steps and important deadlines. It's mostly just fun to see that huge number in writing and then tell your friends and family. "Mum, I'm gonna make 2.5 million won!"
Very simple, sign it and scan it and send it back.
Step 5: Document Collection
This is one of the more 'difficult' parts, as you must actually put on pants for this part. I initially tried to do this all via mail as I am/was (depending on when you're reading this) in Prague. However, the criminal background check was going to cost me upwards of $300CAD to get because I wasn't in the USA or Canada. I recommend booking a few week holiday back home and getting it all done while you're there, unless you're lucky enough to be able to get fingerprints done cheaply and are ok spending at least $200 on getting the process initiated via a few certified companies. You will also need to have someone do all your running around for you as the notarization must be done by a Canadian notary in the Korean embassy's jurisdiction.
During my trip home, I spent probably no more than 5-6 hours over the course of 2 weeks getting all the paperwork together.
You need:
- 2 notarized copies of your degree ($40 cash) I used Kitty Lam, super quick and she's next to the embassy. However, you will need an appointment.
- Certification for the 2 notarized copies of your degree by the Korean embassy ($9.40 + 10c) You will need a photocopy of your passport. You can do this in the embassy.
- 2 Fingerprint based criminal record check ($85 x 2) I had to go back twice due to a misunderstanding and miscommunication/lack of knowledge by my recruiter. You need two originals as they will be submitted at different times or something. It might be cheaper/more expensive because you pay a separate fee ($60 for me) for the fingerprinting plus $25 for the check.
- Certification for the 2 criminal records by the embassy ($9.60) + photocopy again (10c).
- 1-2 unopened transcripts ($10-25 each). You will only need 1 for the degree certification. Your second one is for your degree confirmation for Aclipse. Check with your school if they issue specific letters, or else an official unopened transcript is fine.
- At least 9 passport photos I got 12 because of how they printed out (~$26)
- Signed E2 form physical copy. Just send the one you previously scanned.
- Postage to Boston (~$6) plus another $3 for the nice cardboard envelopes so everything stays nice.
Overall I spent about $330 for everything. I had a few extra costs that maybe you won't have due needing to rush some things as I was only in Canada for a short time and needed to mail everything.
Double check you have everything you need, tick off those boxes in the document collection list and then seal it up and thennnnn..........
Step 6: Send it all to Boston.
Now you wait. You'll get an email once it's all received. Once it's received they will send it all off to do whatever magic CDL needs to do with it, and then release you into the 'pool' for managers to decide where you will go and which school needs you.
I suggest checking out eatyourkimchi for some great videos about living and working in Korea by two fellow Canadians! I've been watching them non-stop!
Part 2 is here!
Other posts you might like to read:
Training week Day 1
As far as I can see it, you're here to learn about the application process for working with Chungdahm Learning through the recriuting company Aclipse! Ideally, you're from Vancouver, Canada as the process and costs might be different if you're not. If you're from somewhere other than Canada, this post won't be super useful for you.
As of this posting, my application is still being processed, so this is not a finalized posting. I will make another post as the process progresses. I just wanted to let anyone else out there know the info stuffed into my head.
Step 1: Apply to Chungdahm learning or CDL as they call themselves. I did so through Aclipse recruiting, which my friend recommended to me.
Your recruiter will contact you to confirm your application and to ask for some follow up information. Be prepared for the first of many copy+pasta emails.
This first email will include:
- Introduction to CDL
- Rundown of benefits and the basic contract information
- Links to an info packet with a bit more history and info about CDL.
Step 2: Finish the interview process.
This interview has a few parts. The first part is a reading part. You will be sent a short passage and asked to answer some questions about it.
They will also send you a pdf with information about the recruiting and application process. Read the whole thing, it's also helpful to review it every once it a while so you can understand what's next. It can help answer any questions you might have as well.
Part 2 of the interview is the actual interview which was via skype for me, no video. You will schedule this with your recruiter, it must be during their working hours (Boston time).
You will be asked to make a short lesson to teach a 12yo intermediate level student. They give you a few lesson ideas you must use. The demo is 5mins so it's reaaaalllllyyy easy. It's basically to see if you're able to teach since many people apply without any experience. Don't sweat it or overthink it.
My advice: ask lots of questions, get the student speaking, use your questions to guide the lesson. Speak enthusiastically and slowly.
Example: Space travel/aliens -->What are the things you see at night in the sky? Stars. Where do people live? Earth. Do people live in the stars? No. Do you think people might live in the stars one day? Yes? Why?..... etc.
The rest of the interview is pretty standard:
- Why are you interested in CDL?
- What would you do if you had a disruptive student?
- What experience do you have teaching/what would make you a good teacher?
- What interests you about Korea?
Glassdoor.com has a lot of good information on the interview questions you will get.
The interviewer will also go over what you need for the visa and how to get it, and also confirm when you want to come. They will also answer your questions about the process and teaching abroad.
Step 3: Interview success!
At this point you will receive an email saying you're successful and asking you to fill out some forms needed to get the application process going.
You will need to send them:
- Application form and consent form (so they can use your image to send to future school locations).
- Signed and scanned E2 health statement (hopefully you're fairly healthy and no history of serious illnesses)
- A self-intro video that you make yourself. Look on youtube for some examples.
- Scan of your passport.
- CV/resume in word format
- jpeg of yourself looking like the business person you are.
You will have about a week to send all this back to them.
Step 4: Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
After sending back these things from above, you will have a short wait and then you will receive either a rejection or a memorandum of understanding, which is essentially a base contract between you and CDL saying "we want you offer you a job, but we need you to get your shit together first." It gives both you and the company an easy out if something should go wrong during the next few steps (ie. you're not able to go to Korea or get the visa for some reason).
This offer will outline your expected salary, next steps and important deadlines. It's mostly just fun to see that huge number in writing and then tell your friends and family. "Mum, I'm gonna make 2.5 million won!"
Very simple, sign it and scan it and send it back.
Step 5: Document Collection
This is one of the more 'difficult' parts, as you must actually put on pants for this part. I initially tried to do this all via mail as I am/was (depending on when you're reading this) in Prague. However, the criminal background check was going to cost me upwards of $300CAD to get because I wasn't in the USA or Canada. I recommend booking a few week holiday back home and getting it all done while you're there, unless you're lucky enough to be able to get fingerprints done cheaply and are ok spending at least $200 on getting the process initiated via a few certified companies. You will also need to have someone do all your running around for you as the notarization must be done by a Canadian notary in the Korean embassy's jurisdiction.
During my trip home, I spent probably no more than 5-6 hours over the course of 2 weeks getting all the paperwork together.
You need:
- 2 notarized copies of your degree ($40 cash) I used Kitty Lam, super quick and she's next to the embassy. However, you will need an appointment.
- Certification for the 2 notarized copies of your degree by the Korean embassy ($9.40 + 10c) You will need a photocopy of your passport. You can do this in the embassy.
- 2 Fingerprint based criminal record check ($85 x 2) I had to go back twice due to a misunderstanding and miscommunication/lack of knowledge by my recruiter. You need two originals as they will be submitted at different times or something. It might be cheaper/more expensive because you pay a separate fee ($60 for me) for the fingerprinting plus $25 for the check.
- Certification for the 2 criminal records by the embassy ($9.60) + photocopy again (10c).
- 1-2 unopened transcripts ($10-25 each). You will only need 1 for the degree certification. Your second one is for your degree confirmation for Aclipse. Check with your school if they issue specific letters, or else an official unopened transcript is fine.
- At least 9 passport photos I got 12 because of how they printed out (~$26)
- Signed E2 form physical copy. Just send the one you previously scanned.
- Postage to Boston (~$6) plus another $3 for the nice cardboard envelopes so everything stays nice.
Overall I spent about $330 for everything. I had a few extra costs that maybe you won't have due needing to rush some things as I was only in Canada for a short time and needed to mail everything.
Double check you have everything you need, tick off those boxes in the document collection list and then seal it up and thennnnn..........
Step 6: Send it all to Boston.
Now you wait. You'll get an email once it's all received. Once it's received they will send it all off to do whatever magic CDL needs to do with it, and then release you into the 'pool' for managers to decide where you will go and which school needs you.
I suggest checking out eatyourkimchi for some great videos about living and working in Korea by two fellow Canadians! I've been watching them non-stop!
Part 2 is here!
Other posts you might like to read:
Training week Day 1
Thursday, 18 February 2016
Do you love me? Are you playing your love games with me? (EU Partnership Visa Guide)
You're here in the Czech Republic and you're having fun. Maybe you're teaching, maybe you're just traveling and partying it up. It's amazing, and your blog never looked so good.
It's super clichéd, but you've met someone. Maybe it's something, maybe it's nothing. You don't care because you're just looking for someone fun to be with and why shouldn't it be a hot and spicy someone from the EU!
But what happens when your travels come to and end? Should you do this long distance? Do you go a little crazy and get married? What if you want to stay but you're visa situation is kinda iffy at best?
I met my partner oddly enough way before I even had plans to move to Europe. We met on a random chance through couchsurfing in Canada, and have been solidly dating since then. It's been over 3 years as of this writing.
When I first met him, we knew it would be complicated once his visa was up, but we just decided to play it by ear and see how it went. Well, 1 year came and went, and suddenly it was time to drop my SO off at the airport. Our plan was to give ourselves more time through the Youth Mobility Visa (see my other post about it), so I would arrive once I finished school and our timer would reset.
Well, if you think you'd like to stay, or maybe this is an established relationship that you'd like to keep going without having to get married and figure THAT whole thing out, there's another way.
The EU recognizes 'like family relationships' as valid and makes it fairly easy for you and your EU boyfriend/girlfriend/partner to stay together. From my experience and the experience of others (mostly heard about through friends of friends or via other online posts), it is a relatively easy to apply for visa.
What is it?
Essentially this visa is a catch-all residency-ish type visa that is imposed on each member country of the EU via EU law. However, for this reason the specifics and precedence of what you need to apply vary according to each member country's residency laws. This guide for obvious reasons will be focusing on what you need for anyone looking to stay in the Czech Republic. This guide can also apply to non-Czech EU citizens looking to stay in the Czech Republic with their non-EU partner. It's a pretty quick and somewhat painless process which can be done with or without the help of a visa company.
What do I need to qualify?
This is where it gets a bit tricky. The word of the law is any 'like family' relationship. What does that mean? It means you and your partner must be in a relationship and have the same standard 'behaviours' as a family would.
Main requirements:
-The most obvious of these requirements is that you MUST live together. Both you and your partner must be recognized on your lease or your landlord must be willing to submit a letter in Czech recognizing you (whichever one of you is non-EU) as a resident in the flat/house. Both of your names must also be on the buzzer/door bell and/or on the entrance to your home.
I did not have to do this letter, but it probably should be notarized. Your name must also be
- Visa application (Temporary residency for EU family members).
You will need to put that your reason is family unification. Fill out the form as required. I suggest speaking with someone from IC Praha or Inbaze for help with the specifics if you are really unsure. This must be filled out in Czech.
There are also several other 'supporting documents' you will need:
-Letter of the history of your relationship. This should include specific dates and details of things you have done together. For example, if you both went to visit your partners parents last month, include that. Detail how you met, when you moved in together, etc.
- Photos. Photos of you two together. Photos of trips. Photos of holidays. The more the better, especially if you can document and give specifics of your relationship over time.
- Support letters from friends and family. These are pretty self explanatory. There wasn't a tonne of info given on what we should include, but we went with super formal letters stating who was writing, what their jobs were, where they knew us from, if they had gone on any trips or activities we had done together, and a signature with the date and place of signature. The most important thing to remember is that these must be in Czech, it doesn't have to be an official translation. We had family abroad send us via email their English letters, we translated it, sent it back and they snail mailed us both hard copies signed and dated. These did not have to be notarized.
- 1 passport photo of the non-EU person.
- Extra knick-knacks. Anything else that shows things you have done together or things you share together. Tickets from trips, etc. If you feel comfortable to do this, a joint account looks really good. You will need a letter from your bank on official bank letterhead stating that both of you share this account. From what other people shared via online postings, joint accounts are solid gold.
Helpful tips:
- Book an appointment when applying. It will save you a tonne of annoyance. However, expect it to be at least a month or more before you can get an appointment. If you're not able to go to an appointment then you will want to arrive early to the Prague 10 MOI office. I heard a few horror stories of people standing in line all day and being told to come back another day.
- The information you give them in your application is what they will use to question and verify your relationship on. So if you show them receipts for furniture you bought together, they will ask things like "When did you buy this? Where did you buy it from?", etc. When did you two first get together, when did you move into this apartment? The lawyer at IC Praha advised me that they won't ask anything outside of this information so don't put in lies.
- Keep several copies of the paper they give you showing that your visa is in process. Keep one of these copies on you once your previous visa ends. If you get asked for your passport by the police or foreign police show it to them. You probably won't be able to apply for a zivnostensky list with just this paper though cause it doesn't have an end date of any kind and they require it at the office.
What to expect from the process?
Once you get all your documents together, and you take them into apply. Expect to answer several questions about your original application right on the spot. The employee will go through your documents and file and record what you have brought. They will also ask for some of the information in the things you bring so they can enter it into their own form in their system. We spent about 30 minutes doing this. It was all in Czech.
After they accept your application they have at least 60 days to make a decision. However, this visa is fairly easy to apply for and doesn't require people to travel outside of the country so there are many applications. It may take longer than 60 days, but if it does you can speak with the lawyers at IC Praha or Inbaze and they can do a short write up asking for more information and to speed up the process (or so I was told when I spoke with them).
As part of the application process there will be a home visit and there may be a interview. The home visit is essentially to double check that you live together and where you say you do. This may be something as simple as the foreign police knocking on your door, asking a few quick questions and then leaving or a more in depth visit where they go over all passport documents and double checking information as presented in your application. They will also ask to see the documents of everyone else who is home. This means if your roommate's visa is kinda sketchy, they might want to get that fixed quickly or else they could randomly get surprised by this visit. For example, my roommate's visa was in limbo after several complications and the officers wanted to see all the paperwork she had because it wasn't clear to them that her visa was in process or if she was there illegally. If it is not immediately clear to the officers what your status is, they will take you to immigration jail until they figure out your status. This almost happened to my roommate and it wasn't even her fault and she probably would have been fine if she just hadn't been home when we were visited. Luckily, we talked with the officers and got them to look at all her paperwork and they finally agreed she was in visa processing and not there illegally.
If you are invited to an interview you will need to bring a Czech translator, and this translator cannot be your partner. This is because they will be questioning you about your relationship separately. I haven't actually heard of anyone who has had this happen to them, so make sure you really beef up your application with supporting documents so that this doesn't happen to you. My SO said he probably wouldn't be able to answer any of their questions because his memory is horrible. We joke that it's a miracle that he remembers my name.
How to check your application status:
So this is where it gets a bit tricky. No one will let you know when your visa is accepted, but you will probably receive a letter if you're denied. I don't have experience with that as my visa was accepted, but you can apply for an appeal, I would suggest contacting a visa agency in this case.
But, let's assume it's all well. Once your visa is approved it will appear on this MOI website in a downloadable excel document. You will use your application # (you will get it once you apply for the visa) to search the excel document. It will not have anything but the application #, and the document is updated weekly and some of the #'s will be deleted periodically (not sure how often this is). Keep an eye on this document. My visa was approved and we didn't notice for a long time!
My visa was approved! What do I do now?
YAAAAAAYYYY! Now you go back to the Prague 10 MOI office. If you're lucky you'll be able to book an appointment quickly, but probably you'll be going there and attempting to get your visa on your own. We arrived 40 mins early and there were still many people in front of us. Luckily, we were seen very quickly.
You will receive a new passport type document. It's cool and blue. They will process it all there and stamp it. You can carry this around as your ID now since it's not too hard to replace and unlike your passport, it only costs 100 CZK to replace!
With this visa you are allowed to live and work in the Czech Republic for up to 5 years. After 2 years you can apply to a permanent residency visa which is faster than the normal 5 years for everyone else. You can travel in and out of the country as you wish now. If you want to renew this visa you must apply several months in advance before it ends though. You will still need your normal passport when traveling outside of the country though. Keep both with you in this case.
In 2 months you will have to go back and they will give you a birth number, so you're basically like a real Czech person!
Anything else you need to know and you don't have the answer yet?
IC Praha - I made several appointments with IC Praha and found them very helpful. They are not very quick via email so don't even bother. Just book an appointment.
Inbaze - The MOI office in Prague 3 has a Inbaze employee on site to offer drop-in help and translation services free of charge. The employee was very helpful! You can also go to their actual offices for an official appointment.
CZ visa and immigration - I never paid for their services, but they were really helpful via email consultation! They were even willing to meet up free of cost and look at my documents.
Traveling with your new visa. What should I expect?
I travelled home recently, and had to put my visa into practice. Upon leaving the Czech R. it was fairly easy. I showed my passport and my visa to the customs officers and was waved through fairly easily.
Once arriving in my home country, it was also fairly easy. Apparently, you are to use your new visa as your declared country of living if that comes up on your entry forms. This is especially true if they want to know why you've been out of the country for so long. (last stamp in my passport was from over 2 years ago!)
Leaving Canada and re-entering the EU was also fairly easy. Upon arriving back in the Czech R. I once again showed my visa and passport. There was a bit longer of an inspection of my papers. I believe they scanned and searched for my visa to double check it before sending me off home.
Although I was really nervous about it, it was really easy.
There is no limit on the amount of time you can be away from the Czech Republic once you get the visa, however, if you want to renew it you must be back with plenty of time to do so (I think now it's moved from 45 days to 60 days before the ending date). You can also apply for a permanent residency visa after 2 years apposed to the normal 5 years. I have also heard mixed rumors and stories about whether or not you need to take a language test if you wish to apply for citizenship beyond that.
June, 2016 edit: Going back to get your birth number!
As per usual, I aimed to arrive at least 40 mins early and there were already 10 people in the line. By the time the doors opened there were at least 30 people in line. Granted, many of these people were in groups, but still! Better early than late. I've heard some horror stories of people arriving in the late morning, only to wait basically all day before being turned away due to closing. Heck, I've even spend more than my fair share of time queuing up only to be turned away for one reason or another.
As luck would have it, I got what I think was one of the only English speakers in the office. She was very lovely and helpful. All I had to do was sign a paper, give her my visa booklet and wait about 5 minutes. She printed off a smallish blue and red paper (about 4-5cm bigger than a passport) with a printed birth number on it. She also wrote the birth number into my visa on a blank space.
Now my visa was officially complete.
Saturday, 15 November 2014
Youth Mobility Visa - Canada to the Czech Republic (2014-2015)
I hope this is useful to you, I spent a lot of time collecting and researching as much as I could for my own visa application and I feel like posting it online is the best way for it to be of use to others.
First off, wow! You're looking at going abroad and you've decided to choose the Czech Republic! It's a very beautiful place full of history and wonderful cheese....and beer!
Now, what is the Youth Mobility Visa? It is essentially a working holiday visa that allows you to stay in the Czech Republic for up to 1 year. It is applicable to any Canadian citizen (and some other countries as well, but the details are different) between the age of 18 and 35 who wish to live and travel in the Czech Republic.
What do you need to apply?
It is a pretty straight forward visa application, however, it is a bit tricky because it's a) all in czech, and b) it's still not super well known so there's some contradicting information out there.
Essentially you will need the following:
1) A bank statement, signed/dated by your bank, with about $5,000. Or, proof of a return ticket, plus $4,000. (I had just under $5,000, and no tickets purchased) They say that you need to have a written statement saying you're able to access the funds abroad, but I didn't include that and was never asked for such a statement.
2) A passport that is valid for at least 3 months after your return from the Czech Republic. For example, I had a passport that was good for almost 2 more years, however, my application was to return to Canada in Septemeber of 2015, and my visa was to expire in June of 2015. I had to apply for a new passport, and write a short letter explaining why I needed a renewal so early.
3) 2 EUROPEAN passport sized pictures. Please make sure they are the right size, the Canadian standard is about a 1/2cm too big.
4) Photocopies of your debit card and credit cards. You can include a credit card statement as well to show your limit. I believe this can be used as part of your $5,000 total, but personally, it's better to have cash. Once you're abroad, paying for credit cards is annoying as hell. I didn't include my statements from my visa card and I was not asked for it.
5) A filled out application form for a long stay visa. PLUS a signed copy of a form saying you will make sure to get czech health insurance for your entire stay. DO NOT get regular travel insurance, you are wasting your money. PLUS, another form saying you intend to stay in the country mostly for vacation and with the possibility of getting employment. English versions are available on the embassy website so you know what you're signing, but you must fill out the Czech version.
6) Translated copies of everything that is not already in Czech. It does not have to be an official translation, so if you can find a nice Czech person who can translate it for you for a beer or two, that's fine. Don't spend a tonne of $$ doing so as there is a verification charge at the embassy anyways. It is about $16 a page.
7) ~$133** (the fee is converted from czech crowns, so don't be surprised if they email you saying it's not enough, check with the embassy for proper amount). Plus, $16 for every page that you had a translation for, so that they can validate that it's a correct translation. BS, I know. It's annoying, but it's almost better to send them too much money, and worry about getting it back than to have them delay your visa and wait while you send them more. It's weird, but you might want to add an extra $20 in there, and then they can send the extra back to you. Worst case you're out a few extra bucks, but the embassy doesn't delay your visa. (this fee changes constantly due to the currency exchange! Double check the embassy website)
8) 2 express post envelopes. 1 to ship everything it, and 1 that is a pre-paid return envelope with your address so you can get your passport back. Fold it up inside of the other one. Be sure to keep the carbon paper with the tracking info before you seal it up.
9) Approximately 2 months of time. My visa application took about 1 month, including the delay with me not sending enough money. However, they do reserve up to 2 months to process it. During this time you will not have your passport, keep this in mind if you want to cross-boarder shop or travel abroad during this time. This is why it is frowned upon for you to do this while abroad in the Czech Republic or otherwise. The embassy will not accept applications that do not come in Xpress post envelopes from a Canadian address, so you will need a friend who can be your go between to re-package any paperwork/passports if you want to apply from abroad.
Things to keep in mind:
1) Do not buy travel health insurance for your entire duration of your stay. Ex. BCAA Travel insurance for 1 year. You can do this, but there is a possibility that it will not be accepted for use with your visa. Essentially there was a law passed a while back that mandated that insurance for long stay visa (ie more than 90 days) must be comprehensive insurance and must be from a company registered with the Czech National Bank.
Essentially, the insurance must look like the same type of insurance that Czech nationals have (or like the insurance your province provides so you get free health care), but you gotta pay extra for it. It'll be a bit more expensive than a year of travel insurance, but worth the $$. You can either buy it from a Czech company with an online form (be aware they may/may not speak English) or buy it from the many companies here in the Czech Republic. There are a lot of visa services that could put you in touch with an English speaking company. Expect quotes of about $500-$1000 for your insurance. Try to go cheaper since they're pretty much all offering the same thing.
Personally, I bought travel health insurance for my first 60+ days as I came before my official long stay visa kicked in, and THEN bought the proper insurance for my visa with recommendations from others living abroad in the Czech Republic. I was able to get a really nice deal on health insurance.
2) When you arrive in the Czech Republic, your visa states that you must register with the Foreign Police within 3 days. However, if you don't have health insurance for your visa yet, or a permanent place to live, it's probably a waste of time. You also need to have your rental units owner sign a form stating that he/she is aware you (a non-Czech) are living there and that it's okay with them. Make sure it is the legal owner who is signing it, or the person who has power of attorney! There is a registry to check, but I'm not super familiar with it as I didn't need to confirm (a friend's dad was nice enough to rent me a room in his house). This form is only valid for a short period so make sure you get it signed just before you are ready to go to the Police.
3) The Foreign Police DO NOT SPEAK ANY ENGLISH for legal reas. If you have a friend who can come translate or someone who you want to pay to translate for you, that's probably a good idea. Generally you don't need to have someone there, since it's just them registering your info, but it might be helpful.
4) Bring more things than you think you will need to the Foreign Police. Bring your original paperwork that the embassy sent you (that paper that says you can work in the Czech Republic), bring all your health insurance info, bring your passport (duh!), bring the form your landlord/owner signed, bring your mum, etc. It's better to lug a few extra things than to have to go back again because you forgot something. When I went they looked at nothing aside from my health card, stamped my passport and charged me a fine ($75CAD) because I was super late (fair enough, I totally was). I think they're a little more lax about this in Prague, but I had the luck to go to Plzen, which meant they're sticklers cause it's not super busy. :/
5) If you're planning to teach English as a job (and you don't have experience/a certificate), there are a lot of TEFL courses here in Prague. Most of them are pretty amazing, but they are also expensive and book up very quickly. Through some crazy lucky I got into a class with only 2 weeks notice, but some classes fill up months in advance. Expect to pay about $2,000 for a course. I did a lot of looking and decided on The Language House, which I found was a really great course. It's tough as shit, but worth it. They also offered a whole 12 HOURS OF HANDS ON CLASSROOM EXPERIENCE. They are also fully accredited (you can use this certificate world wide and back in Canada to get a job). This is not to say other courses aren't good if they're not accredited, but if you're gonna spend $2K, I'd like to know I'm getting something at least semi-good. Plus, the hands on work really made me feel less nervous about teaching 'out in the real world'.
I'm sure there is more things I should write, but I think that this is enough for now. I hope this is helpful for at least 1 or 2 people! Feel free to comment with any questions. I'll be in the Czech Republic for a nice long while, I think.
March 2015 P.S.
Once you're here, and you decide you want to stay longer and get a trade license or something, there are lots of companies out there to help you for a price, or you can contact Inbaze, a non-profit that focuses on immigrants to Canada. They also offer free language lessons. Another non-profit to contact is ICPraha, they offer similar services.
Edit: March 2015 - some minor spelling and stuff. Added a few sentences here and there, nothing huge.
Edit: April 30, 2016 - to apply for the Zivnostensky list (trade license) you will need to get a name based criminal record check done shortly before you leave and then bring it with you. You will then go get it certified by the CZ government if you want to get the Zivno. It will also need to be officially translated into Czech. As of this month no embassy will issue these record checks anymore. You do not need this to work, but it can limit your employers if they demand it. Seriously though, in the CZ, where there's a will there's often a way.
First off, wow! You're looking at going abroad and you've decided to choose the Czech Republic! It's a very beautiful place full of history and wonderful cheese....and beer!
Now, what is the Youth Mobility Visa? It is essentially a working holiday visa that allows you to stay in the Czech Republic for up to 1 year. It is applicable to any Canadian citizen (and some other countries as well, but the details are different) between the age of 18 and 35 who wish to live and travel in the Czech Republic.
What do you need to apply?
It is a pretty straight forward visa application, however, it is a bit tricky because it's a) all in czech, and b) it's still not super well known so there's some contradicting information out there.
Essentially you will need the following:
1) A bank statement, signed/dated by your bank, with about $5,000. Or, proof of a return ticket, plus $4,000. (I had just under $5,000, and no tickets purchased) They say that you need to have a written statement saying you're able to access the funds abroad, but I didn't include that and was never asked for such a statement.
2) A passport that is valid for at least 3 months after your return from the Czech Republic. For example, I had a passport that was good for almost 2 more years, however, my application was to return to Canada in Septemeber of 2015, and my visa was to expire in June of 2015. I had to apply for a new passport, and write a short letter explaining why I needed a renewal so early.
3) 2 EUROPEAN passport sized pictures. Please make sure they are the right size, the Canadian standard is about a 1/2cm too big.
4) Photocopies of your debit card and credit cards. You can include a credit card statement as well to show your limit. I believe this can be used as part of your $5,000 total, but personally, it's better to have cash. Once you're abroad, paying for credit cards is annoying as hell. I didn't include my statements from my visa card and I was not asked for it.
5) A filled out application form for a long stay visa. PLUS a signed copy of a form saying you will make sure to get czech health insurance for your entire stay. DO NOT get regular travel insurance, you are wasting your money. PLUS, another form saying you intend to stay in the country mostly for vacation and with the possibility of getting employment. English versions are available on the embassy website so you know what you're signing, but you must fill out the Czech version.
6) Translated copies of everything that is not already in Czech. It does not have to be an official translation, so if you can find a nice Czech person who can translate it for you for a beer or two, that's fine. Don't spend a tonne of $$ doing so as there is a verification charge at the embassy anyways. It is about $16 a page.
7) ~$133** (the fee is converted from czech crowns, so don't be surprised if they email you saying it's not enough, check with the embassy for proper amount). Plus, $16 for every page that you had a translation for, so that they can validate that it's a correct translation. BS, I know. It's annoying, but it's almost better to send them too much money, and worry about getting it back than to have them delay your visa and wait while you send them more. It's weird, but you might want to add an extra $20 in there, and then they can send the extra back to you. Worst case you're out a few extra bucks, but the embassy doesn't delay your visa. (this fee changes constantly due to the currency exchange! Double check the embassy website)
8) 2 express post envelopes. 1 to ship everything it, and 1 that is a pre-paid return envelope with your address so you can get your passport back. Fold it up inside of the other one. Be sure to keep the carbon paper with the tracking info before you seal it up.
9) Approximately 2 months of time. My visa application took about 1 month, including the delay with me not sending enough money. However, they do reserve up to 2 months to process it. During this time you will not have your passport, keep this in mind if you want to cross-boarder shop or travel abroad during this time. This is why it is frowned upon for you to do this while abroad in the Czech Republic or otherwise. The embassy will not accept applications that do not come in Xpress post envelopes from a Canadian address, so you will need a friend who can be your go between to re-package any paperwork/passports if you want to apply from abroad.
Things to keep in mind:
1) Do not buy travel health insurance for your entire duration of your stay. Ex. BCAA Travel insurance for 1 year. You can do this, but there is a possibility that it will not be accepted for use with your visa. Essentially there was a law passed a while back that mandated that insurance for long stay visa (ie more than 90 days) must be comprehensive insurance and must be from a company registered with the Czech National Bank.
Essentially, the insurance must look like the same type of insurance that Czech nationals have (or like the insurance your province provides so you get free health care), but you gotta pay extra for it. It'll be a bit more expensive than a year of travel insurance, but worth the $$. You can either buy it from a Czech company with an online form (be aware they may/may not speak English) or buy it from the many companies here in the Czech Republic. There are a lot of visa services that could put you in touch with an English speaking company. Expect quotes of about $500-$1000 for your insurance. Try to go cheaper since they're pretty much all offering the same thing.
Personally, I bought travel health insurance for my first 60+ days as I came before my official long stay visa kicked in, and THEN bought the proper insurance for my visa with recommendations from others living abroad in the Czech Republic. I was able to get a really nice deal on health insurance.
2) When you arrive in the Czech Republic, your visa states that you must register with the Foreign Police within 3 days. However, if you don't have health insurance for your visa yet, or a permanent place to live, it's probably a waste of time. You also need to have your rental units owner sign a form stating that he/she is aware you (a non-Czech) are living there and that it's okay with them. Make sure it is the legal owner who is signing it, or the person who has power of attorney! There is a registry to check, but I'm not super familiar with it as I didn't need to confirm (a friend's dad was nice enough to rent me a room in his house). This form is only valid for a short period so make sure you get it signed just before you are ready to go to the Police.
3) The Foreign Police DO NOT SPEAK ANY ENGLISH for legal reas. If you have a friend who can come translate or someone who you want to pay to translate for you, that's probably a good idea. Generally you don't need to have someone there, since it's just them registering your info, but it might be helpful.
4) Bring more things than you think you will need to the Foreign Police. Bring your original paperwork that the embassy sent you (that paper that says you can work in the Czech Republic), bring all your health insurance info, bring your passport (duh!), bring the form your landlord/owner signed, bring your mum, etc. It's better to lug a few extra things than to have to go back again because you forgot something. When I went they looked at nothing aside from my health card, stamped my passport and charged me a fine ($75CAD) because I was super late (fair enough, I totally was). I think they're a little more lax about this in Prague, but I had the luck to go to Plzen, which meant they're sticklers cause it's not super busy. :/
5) If you're planning to teach English as a job (and you don't have experience/a certificate), there are a lot of TEFL courses here in Prague. Most of them are pretty amazing, but they are also expensive and book up very quickly. Through some crazy lucky I got into a class with only 2 weeks notice, but some classes fill up months in advance. Expect to pay about $2,000 for a course. I did a lot of looking and decided on The Language House, which I found was a really great course. It's tough as shit, but worth it. They also offered a whole 12 HOURS OF HANDS ON CLASSROOM EXPERIENCE. They are also fully accredited (you can use this certificate world wide and back in Canada to get a job). This is not to say other courses aren't good if they're not accredited, but if you're gonna spend $2K, I'd like to know I'm getting something at least semi-good. Plus, the hands on work really made me feel less nervous about teaching 'out in the real world'.
I'm sure there is more things I should write, but I think that this is enough for now. I hope this is helpful for at least 1 or 2 people! Feel free to comment with any questions. I'll be in the Czech Republic for a nice long while, I think.
March 2015 P.S.
Once you're here, and you decide you want to stay longer and get a trade license or something, there are lots of companies out there to help you for a price, or you can contact Inbaze, a non-profit that focuses on immigrants to Canada. They also offer free language lessons. Another non-profit to contact is ICPraha, they offer similar services.
Edit: March 2015 - some minor spelling and stuff. Added a few sentences here and there, nothing huge.
Edit: April 30, 2016 - to apply for the Zivnostensky list (trade license) you will need to get a name based criminal record check done shortly before you leave and then bring it with you. You will then go get it certified by the CZ government if you want to get the Zivno. It will also need to be officially translated into Czech. As of this month no embassy will issue these record checks anymore. You do not need this to work, but it can limit your employers if they demand it. Seriously though, in the CZ, where there's a will there's often a way.
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