All my papers were in order, and I got processed within 15 minutes. When I got to Immigration, I asked the front-desk people whether I needed to pay for my "revenue stamp" first (this has evolved from actual stamps back in the 1990s to a black-and-white, laser-printed sheet with a dojang stamp printed on it; it's not even watermarked letterhead), and whether I needed to grab a waiting number since I already had an appointment at a specific time. The front-desk folks were friendly and patient; they told me to get the revenue stamp first and, if I'd received a text-message confirmation of today's reservation, the waiting number was already listed in the text. I went over to the little office where the stamp-giving gnome lives and got my revenue stamp, then I checked my text-message archive to look at the confirmation message again and, sure enough, call number "115" was printed there. I'll be damned. So it was literally a matter of waiting a few minutes until my number was called before going over to the appropriate window. While I waited, I listened to a tall African guy at another information window as he spoke in perfect Korean—intonation, cadence, everything—and seethed with envy. "115" was called; I went over to the relevant desk, presented my passport, my photos, my F4-visa card, and an insurance statement serving as proof of residence. The lady at the window (sort of a sit-down carrel with a clear plexiglass wall) accepted my passport, card, and proof of residence; she told me she didn't need the photos because we wouldn't be changing cards today: there was still one more space left for a final update of the card's validity. I asked about coming back for the card on the pick-up day, and the lady said she'd give me the card back today, in just a few seconds.
So that was the good news: up to that point, everything was going smoothly. Then came the hitch: my US passport expires in October next year, and the F4-visa extension can't go beyond the passport's expiration date. This means I have to renew my passport next year, after which the new passport will be valid for ten years. Immediately after that, I have to go back to Immigration and get another F4, but this time, it'll be valid for the full three years. I need to find out how early I can renew my US passport; if I can do it early in the year, there won't be so much time pressure to get the new, full-validity F4. As things stand, I'm still in the country legally, but only until late October. I have time, but I need to figure out the timing.
From what I've seen online, passport renewal for US citizens in the ROK always goes through the US Embassy; processing normally takes 6-8 weeks. The US Embassy website is recommending renewing the passport about 9 months before expiration; for me, that means January 2025. This is good because I need to know, first, whether I'm still going to have a job at my current company next year. If not, there's a good chance I may be moving. Whether I move or not, I need to wait until very early next year before I renew my passport.
I also need to renew my Virginia driver's license next year. Since I'm going to the States next year, anyway, I may as well get everything done then. But here's the thing: I want to visit my brother David in New Mexico, my brother Sean in a suburb of Chicago, and my buddy Mike in Fredericksburg, Virginia. I used to live in Virginia, so I assume I'll be going to Front Royal's DMV (my last place of residence) to get the renewal done. Front Royal's DMV has the virtue of being tiny, quiet, and therefore fairly speedy. But there's a wrinkle: my driver's license lapses on my birthday (August 31), so I can't visit America in the fall: that'd be too late. (The Virginia DMV website leads me to believe I can't renew my license remotely; I have to go in person.) Hmmm. Maybe what I should do is just visit my buddy Mike next year, spending a hot, summer month in Virginia and getting my license renewed while I'm there. I can then visit David and Sean (and maybe others...?) in 2026.
I'll have to think about this a little more. This is complicated.
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