I was on a J-1 visa and want to visit Korea and then switch jobs. Do I need a new visa?
Hello. I’m currently doing a postdoc on J-1. My DS-2019 has more than 6 months remaining.
However, I’m planning to move to a different research institute, and this has already been discussed and agreed upon in advance. In this situation, I’d like to know if I need to let my visa expire before traveling, or if I can travel and then change afterward and still be able to re-enter.
Basically, since your DS-2019 remains valid, there shouldn’t be a problem visiting Korea and re-entering, but if you’ve already given notice and left your job, the formal interpretation is that your existing visa would be considered expired. If it’s shortly after giving notice, re-entry on the existing visa may still be possible, but it would be good to coordinate with your research institute before leaving and bring something like an employment verification letter.