Kara,

You were *very* lucky to be able to get your no-fees for your follow-on before you left..most of the folks I know on AFCrossroads who didn't come over NCS are having to wrestle with trying to get their no-fees while their husbands are here...and having *such* pains.

And yes, if you have a no-fee passport, you can get into Korea with them, but by AF and passport policy, you're not supposed to. No fee passports are technically only supposed to be used for travel to the overseas duty station they're assigned for...which would be, in your case, Germany. It used to be standard procedure to use a no-fee for all travel, it didnt matter, but recent changes to the new passport regs, etc., not only in the U.S. , but other counties are making it far more difficult to use the no-fee for leisure travel,etc. For example, if you're stationed in say, Aviano, and have a no-fee passport that is for Aviano, and you want to go visit Germany, you are supposed have a tourist passport for that travel.

Another reason that there's becoming such a push for folks who aren't on *official* travel to their duty stations to use tourist passports instead of no-fees, is the simple fact that God forbid, some sort of terrorist act should occur, etc, anyone holding an obvious military passport could be singled out as a target.

The use of no-fee passports for travel to other places besides their official duty station has recently been the subject of a lot of discussion on the AF spouses board, as understandably,these changes have caused a lot of confusion,and disquiet,among those who have used their no fees for all sorts of travel, like a normal passport, and of course, th
ere are many like yourself, who have used their passport with no complications at all,so, the general impression is that it's okay, however, strictly by reg and passport policy, it's not.


An article at :

http://www.aviano.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123049496

does a wonderful job of breaking down the different types of passports and the uses for them. :)

Dee :)

Our passports look no different than civilian passports. I was expecting brown, but they're blue and look exactly like my civilian passport. I have a German visa and a Korean visa stamped in there, but nowhere does it say that I am only allowed to use it on official orders.

I'm not refuting your facts regarding the regs, but I had no troubles using it.

Kara

Oh, I definitely understand, Kara, and I'm certainly not refuting your experience. Honestly, if so many people *hadn't* successfully used their no fee passport in travelling, there wouldn't be what seems to be so much confusion as there seems to be all over about the use of no-fee passports vs. tourist passports. :) Trust me,there have been some downright nasty threads that have come up on AF Crossroads over this subject, simply because using the no-fee for every travel is so commonplace..and personally, other than the supposed reasoning of the different color triggering a terrorist's attention, I don't really see what the big deal is, a passport is a passport, and no-fee or tourist,they all have to go through the State Department.

I've personally never seen a no-fee, so I can't say that I've seen the little note that is supposed to be in there, but according to the articles,and info that I'm getting filtered down to me, somewhere on the back cover,there's supposed to be the notice about not using it for travel. I know several folks though, who have said it's there, so maybe you got lucky and got a regular passport for the price of a no-fee. :) LOL :)

It is something for those coming over to be aware of, however,given the new emphasis that's been put on the difference between the two.....and honestly, given that the cost of a tourist passport, when stretched over the 10 years its good for for an adult, is actually quite nominal, it's never a bad idea to have one, just in case.

With my luck,the one time I tried to use a no-fee to go to another country would be the one time they actually looked at the passport and said "No,this isn't right" :) LOL :)


Dee :)

I did my visa when I got over here. I went to Osan Airbase with my husband and got it done. It was quick and easy. When you get here you are on a 30 day visa and as long as you get over there before then you're good. You have to have his orders, id, your id and a letter from his command saying he works where he says he does and such and then you get it right away. His deros at the time was only a year and he AIP'd so now I have to go back and get another year tacked on mine. Well I hope I helped some.

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Honestly, while you can get your visa upon arrival in Korea, in my opinion (and note, I said my opinion) it's *much* better to get it done before you arrive if at all possible for a couple of reasons..

a) Things can be chaotic with in-processing,etc, when you arrive, so having your visa before you arrive is one less thing to worry about.

b) Having your VISA in hand allows you to expedite housing paperwork. If you have it in your hands on the day you arrive, you can go get your paperwork done the same day,etc.

c) There's less "Iffiness" about paperwork if you do it before you arrive.. things like the letter from commanders, etc. aren't necessary. You just need your documentation papers and a copy of orders.

and d) You don't have to worry about having to go back to get dates changed, as the VISAs that come from the embassy here in the states are extended.

The bottom line is, however, you can get it done here, it's a matter of personal preference.

If you're Army, however, and, as previous posters have said, you can get the passport office and VISA office to help you, by all means, I'd say go that route, it's -much- easier that way.

Dee :)