So, I went to the Embassy of the Republic of Korea on Monday and I got the bad news that I can’t get a visa if I don’t study at a University. I can’t quite understand why BestFriend didn’t tell me so, because after I told them I got this reply:
I have checked your class schedule. I found why your visa was rejected. I notified that you have applied class for four month.
The longest class you can take at BestFriend is 3-month with tourist visa.
One option I can give you is that you can take classes for 3 months. If you do, you should be able to get tourist visa.
This is ridiculous. Why didn’t they tell me before I paid? Now I paid too much and I won’t get it all refunded. Not even the money for the extra 2 months. They’ll refund only one month of my accommodation while I booked 2 months too many. I’m kind of angry at BestFriend for being ignorant. But I’m also a bit angry at myself for not checking thoroughly if I could go with a visa… Anyway, don’t you think they could have told me before I paid instead of now telling me ‘oh I know what you can’t get a visa’ and ‘the longest class you can take at BestFriend is 3-month’.
I’m really confused and angry and I don’t really know what to do, because every time I ask them something they reply with something like ‘if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask’ thus ignoring my question…
yoooya 
I’ll send it right away 🙂 I see, I really hope you can get the visa! It’s strange because I don’t need one for a stay of 90 days! Yes, that’s true, let’s hope you don’t need to pay it.
Indeed, I thought the same! I literally asked ‘can I come for more than 3 weeks?’ and they said yes… I don’t really think there are such countries, maybe 2 or 3 but not many. Yeah maybe, but I think the school can be trusted, I just think they sometimes don’t understand what we’re trying to say because they don’t understand as much English as we do… But there should be a warning, that’s right!
Oh really, a fireworks festival? It would be great to go there! ^^ Well I don’t know much about the homestay yet, they’ll let me know next week or something. But it would be great to meet with you, I’m actually really happy I already know someone before going there! 😀
Hmm paying either $90 or $500, then I guess it’s better to just change flights… But it’s a pity you can only stay for 2 weeks then. Are you sure you can’t get the visa?
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Okay, you can send it to my neng.geoliz@gmail.com , i am just curious.Yes, i need visa. More over i actually plan to stay there for 1 month and 1 week. I booked the flight on October 1st and the return is November 6st . $500 is a lot! It can be used to buy one notebook. i can kill my self if i lost that much lol.
Yeah..about the application,there should be validation/warning if people choose more than 3 months.Anyway, do you know there will be any countries that will be allowed to entry Korea for more than 3 months without student Visa??don’t you think it’s like a trap if they know they can’t issue student visa but keep the application allow to choose more than 3 months?
What will you do when you are in homestay ? do they will accompany you everyday ? If not every day, please make time to meet with me hahaha. If i am not wrong there will be fireworks festival on october 6st near 63 building.
By the way i will be charged around $90 for 1 flight. Does that $500 is the flight change cost too? $90 is not that big compared yours but it can be used to stay for 6 days in dorm hostel 🙂
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Wow that’s a really strange reply from them! I did not have to pay for the invitation letter nor the letter of acceptance, they sent it after I made the payment.
I think you should ask them to explain properly, because I too don’t understand what they are trying to say. $500 is really too much, maybe they made a mistake and meant to say $50? I would ask them again to explain the situation, what do they mean by “that the invitation letter has effected by the law”, that’s really not clear!
I heard from someone who’s studying there that it’s a great school but their management kind of lacks. I think they should hire someone who is a native English speaker, because their English is somewhat terrible! I’m trying to get a part of my money back now (read the blog post where I write about the visa things), and it’s been more than I month and they still haven’t sent it…
Oh and all of a sudden they changed their website and now there are more possibilities! It’s a pity, because there are things I like better now but I’ve already paid. 😦
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Duh yooya, this really make me lost my appetite. Anyway the invitation they sent to you, did they send it through e-mail? is that really invitation letter or acceptance letter? Anyway i don’t interested to apply for their accommodation.I doubt that i can get visa if i only use acceptance letter. Anyway, i twice asked about invitation letter on may, and they never mentioned there is any fee or requirement. Yeah their management is really bad.
Now, since i have booked for my turn around flight, i need to change the return and it will charge me cost. More over i don’t know what i will do there alone..huh
I know what you mean about the possibilities. I just read it yesterday, and there’s only one thing popped up in my mind: “yooya must be angry if she know this” lol
Finally, i only asked them about possibility get the visa only with acceptance letter. i will asked by phone to Korea embassy tomorrow. If the chance is small i rather change the flight than rejected and need to wait for another 3 month to be allowed to apply again. More over it will be ridiculous if i paid BestFriend and i don’t get my money back in the end. I am certain i will get visa if i only stay for around 2 weeks.
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Yes they sent it via e-mail, if you want I can send it to you to show you. Hmm do you really need visa if you only go for 1 month?
You won’t be alone, I’m there too from Oct 2! 😀 So you’re really only going for 2 weeks? It’s a pity.. I had to change everything too and now I lost like $500… 😦 Haha yeah that’s right, I am. But I’ve been a bit angry at BestFriends since they knew I couldn’t get a visa but still they let me pay for 5 months… 😮
It’s really strange that they don’t explain it thoroughly! They really need a native English speaker to explain such things.
I hope you can still get the visa! And if not, I hope they don’t charge too much for changing the dates of your ticket. Let me know what the embassy says! Fingers crossed! 😉
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hi yooya, i want to ask you something..does BestFriend ask you to pay for the invitation letter? So yesterday, i tried to apply and today the admin sent me something like this:
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I have also notified that you need invitation letter for the course. We may write you acceptance letter for free after your payment in advance.
However, there is, $500, extra charge for invitation letter because we found out that invitation letter has effected by the law.
If you cause the trouble, we will have to charge the fine and your short-term visa will be ceased in the future. I hope you understand the situation we are facing now.
The accommodation address of BestFriend has to be included to invitation letter. Therefore, it is very important for you to apply for BestFriend accommodation.
Mail fee, $65, for visa document is on your own expense.
I hope you understand our situation, too.
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i mean $500? I don’t think i will apply then. And it’s stated that i should apply for their accommodation. maybe i will just go there for vacation for 2 weeks.
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hi, sorry to hear your problem. so, did you pay for 6 months or 4 months?i am confuse since BF replied that you booked for 4 months but you said you have paid for 6 months? if you have paid for 6 months then you should ask again & again to them about the rest refund until they give clear answer.By the way, i think the admin is not that fluent in English because i sent him e-mail ask these & these but the answer is short (it’s only happen once, the rest he answer it clearly). By the way, do you ask for invitation letter from BF? i think it will be easier to get visa if you include them but still, you can only get tourist visa.
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Hey! I paid for 4 months tuition and 5 months accomodation 😉 So they will refund 1 month (that’s what they said, I hope they mean 1 month of both tuition and accommodation!) I’ve asked the question 5 times and all the admin says is that I can always contact them if I have questions… So it’s still not clear! I have the invitation letter, but the person at the Embassy said she never heard of anything like this! But then I’ll just go for 90 days on a tourist visa. I hope I get most of my money back from BF, because it’s partly their fault that I’m in a bit of trouble now. 😦
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duh, i hate if people just make easy things become difficult.i will flood their e-mail until their give the answer i want. maybe you need to be sarcasm lol. I have bought flight ticket but i haven’t asked permission from my boos yet ;p
But i think he will give me permission, he has no option 🙂 my boss is nice anyway..
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True! I’ll keep on asking them! I hope they won’t say ” don’t hesitate to contact us ” again… 😀
Oooh really? When will you arrive in Korea? I hope to see you there! Hahaha better ask him soon then! 😉
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