South Korea Visa

Traveling to South Korea

South Korea welcomes a growing number of visitors as both tourism and business flourish in the country.

The Korea Electronic Travel Authorization or K-ETA is the travel authorization needed to be obtained by foreign nationals eligible to enter South Korea visa-free. Over 100 countries are eligible to apply online for the K-ETA in order to enter South Korea. The K-ETA usually allows for a 90 or 180-day stay within a 2-year validity period, but stay durations can vary, as they are determined according to the applicant’s nationality.

Foreign nationals who are not eligible to apply for the K-ETA, should apply for a South Korea visa at their nearest South Korea embassy or representation office abroad. A South Korea visa can be issued as a single, double or multiple entry, valid for 3 or 6 months, or 1, 3 or 5 years, depending on the traveler’s nationality and visit purpose. Foreign nationals staying for less than 24 hours in the transit areas of a South Korea airport are not required to apply for a transit visa.

South Korea visa types

Depending on the purpose of your visit, the following are the types of South Korea visas that can be applied for:

• Short Term Visit: this visa is usually issued as single entry and allows a 90-day stay. Purposes for this visa include tourism, non-taxable business, family visits, events, press, transit and other short-term activities. The following subcategories fall under the South Korea tourist visa:
  • Ordinary Tourist (C-3-9): also known as the South Korea tourist visa
  • Visa Exempted (B-1)
  • Tourist / Transit (General) (B-2-1)
  • Tourist / Transit (Jeju) (B-2-2)
  • Short-Term General (C-3-1)
  • Group Tourist (C-3-2)
  • Business Visitor (General) (C-3-4)
  • Business Visitor (Agreement) (C-3-5)
  • Business Visitor (Sponsored) (C-3-6)
  • Short term Visitor (Overseas Korean) (C-3-8)
  • Working Holiday (H-1)
  • Direct Transit Visa(Air-side)(C-3-10)

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The following visa types are for long-term purposes, including taxable employment, educational enrollment, investment and start-up, family visits, medical treatment, and other long-term activities. Depending on the visitor’s purpose and intended stay duration, these visas are usually issued as single, double or multiple entry and valid for longer periods ranging from 3 months to 5 years.

• Professional
• Investment
• Work and Visit
• Trainee
• Medical Treatment
• Intra-Company Transfer
• International Trade

• Family Visitor · Dependent Family
• Non – Professional
• Study· Language Training
• Journalism· Religious Affairs
• Overseas Korean
• Marriage Migrant
• Diplomacy · Official Business

Each South Korea visa type is classified under the following sub classes:

• Class A1 – A3: For diplomats, government officials, and agreements.
• Class B1- B2: For visa exemption and tourist/transit
• Class C1- C4: For temporary news coverage, short-term business, short-term South Korea visit visa and short-term employment
• Class D1- D10: For artists, students, industrial trainees, general trainees, journalism, religion, supervisors, corporate investors, international trade, and job seekers 
• Class E1- E10: For professors, foreign language instructors, researches, technology transfer, professional employment, artistic performers, designated activities, training employment, non-professional employment and crew employees. 

• Class F1 – F6: For visiting or joining family, residents, accompanying spouse or child, overseas Korean, permanent residents (South Korea long-term residence permit) and marriage to Korean citizens.
• Class G1: For miscellaneous issues such as medical treatment due to industrial accident and family member 
• Class H1- H2: For working holidays and working visits  
• Class M1: For the military 
• Class T1: For tourist handing

South Korea visa requirements

These are the requirements to apply for South Korea visa.

Depending on your nationality and the purpose of travel to South Korea, additional documents may be required for the respective visa type you are applying for. It is advisable to contact your nearest South Korean embassy or representation office to inquire about their specific visa requirements and application procedures.

The following documents are required to fulfill the South Korea K-ETA requirements:

Where to apply for South Korea visa

South Korea Visa

Foreign nationals not eligible to apply for a South Korea K-ETA should initiate their sticker visa application online at the Korea Visa Portal, where they will fill out, print and sign their application form before visiting their nearest South Korean embassy or representation office abroad in order to submit their visa application.

South Korea K-ETA

Foreign nationals eligible to apply for a South Korea K-ETA should fill out the South Korea K-ETA application form on the K-ETA portal or the K-ETA mobile application. 

South Korea visa processing time

The processing time for a South Korean K-ETA is 72 hours after application submission, while South Korea sticker visas are normally processed and issued within 4 working days. It is important to note that South Korea diplomatic missions have varied application procedures and processing times, which can be delayed due to unforeseen circumstances.

South Korea visa FAQ