Visa free Entry

• Visa is a basic requirement for entry, a foreigner wishing to enter Korea in principle must have a visa.
• Provided that a person who belongs to one of the below items may enter without a visa. (The Article 2 of the Clause 7 of Immigration Act)
  • A person who is permitted to reenter or exempted from permission for reentry and enters before the permission or permitted period does not expire.
  • A person who is a national of the country which has visa waiver agreements with the Republic of Korea and thereby a subject of the exemption. 
  • A person who enters for the interest of international goodwill. travel or Korea and is permitted to enter by Presidential decree. 
  • A person who departed with a refugee travel certification and enters before the certification expires.
    
• For detailed information on a foreigner’s entry without a visa, please click.

VISA Types

Single Visa
 Within the term, a person can enter only once.
 Valid Term: 3 months from the date of issue

Multiple Visa
 Within the term, a person can enter up to more than twice
 Valid Term: From the date of issue

- Diplomacy(A-1) / Agreements(A-3) status of visa : 3years
- Other multiple visa : period as provided by the Multiple Visa Agreement
- On the principle of reciprocity, the period as particularly decided by the Minister of Justice

Notes
Where a person who applies for permission of a visa enters before the decision of permission is made, he or she will be deemed to give up the application and therefore not be issued that visa. 
Where a person desiring to get a visa 3 months after the date of notice from the Minister of Justice’s permission or the date of application, he or she must apply for a new visa.

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Visa Issuance Place

• R.O.K. Embassy or Consulate
  • The R.O.K Embassy or Consulate issues the visa under the assignment given by the Minister of Justice. (Immigration Act 8-2, Regulations 11 and 9)
    
    ※ In specific cases, you may apply for the visa after receiving certificate for recognition of visa issuance from the Immigration Office (Immigration Control Act 9, Regulations 17)

Submission Documents

• Passport
• Visa Issuance Application
• Required documents according to the status → See Temporary Business(C-2) Visa Required Materials(link to pop-up -> 3.Temporary Business c-2.doc), See Temporary Visiting(C-3) Visa Required Materials.(link to pop-up -> 4.Temporary Visit c-3.doc)
  ※ Submit with the certificate for recognition of visa issuance if necessary

Note
Head of Embassy/Consulate may issue the visa at his/her discretion only for the issuance-assigned visa
If the issuance of visa is not assigned, you shall request the approval to Minster of Justice (According to Regulations Article 8-1 of Immigration Control Act ) 
In case the applicant applies for the visa issuance without submitting the certificate for recognition of visa issuance, the head of Embassy/Consulate may issue the visa from the permission of Minster of Justice according to the visa issuance permission request procedure.

Notice
In case the applicant for the visa issuance permission enters Korea before the permission is not granted, it is regarded as waive the application and the permission is not granted.  

General Visa Issuance Flow

At the visa application, the foreigner shall submit the submission documents to the Embassy/Consulate after checking the stay qualification proper for the entry purpose. 


 
You shall request permission to the Minister of Justice for the visa whose issuance rights is not assigned to the head of Embassy/Consulate.
If the visa issuance rights are assigned to head of Embassy/Consulate, the visa is issued at the discretion.
Issuance to the applicant by attaching the R.O.K. visa to the passport, specifying the status of stay and effective period.
※ Please check if the visa specifies the same contents with the visa before entry.
※ Visa Issuance takes 3 days after all requirements are fulfilled.

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Temporary Business (C-2)

Application Eligibility
 a person who arrange the branch of foreign corporation or foreign invested corporation 
 self-employees who purchase  
 a person who consult or contract invited by the Korean public/private organization  
 a person who is exporters and importers or is related to acquirement of machinery knowledge of installment, repair, inspection, operation(except the person who is paid for installment and inspection, etc)  

The place to apply for visa
 The place to apply : The embassy or the consulate of the Republic of Korea

Submitted Documents
※ Documents to be filed may be added/exempted if needed in the process of review.
 passport
 application for Visa Issuance   (visa_application_form.pdf)
 trade record with Korean inviting enterprise(invitation, export and import license, contract, intent letter of business expedition, document related to import/export, etc.)
 document related to the foundation of Korean inviting enterprise(a copy of business registration, a certificate of business registration, an attested copy of corporation registry, a certificate of tax payment, etc)
 document related with the invited person(a certificate of incumbency)
 document related with the invited enterprise(business relations in the case of China, etc)
 Fee(single visa : 30 U.S dollar, multiple visa : 80 U.S dollar)

The Standard of inspection in visa issuance
 confirm the certificate of trade record, L/C, INVOICE, invitation
 import license, contract, document related with the import/export

APEC B.T.C(Business Travel Card)
 The one with APEC B.T.C is able to come into Korea and his/her status is same as C-2 with the 90 days-period of stay
 The member nation for APEC B.T.C(14 nations)
- Korea, Australia, the Philippines, New Zealand, Chile, Hong Kong, the Federation of Malaysia, Thailand, Peru, Brunei, Taiwan, Japan, China, Indonesia(Hong Kong issue ABTC to those who live in Hong Kong even though they are not citizen)

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Short Term Visit (C-3)

Application Eligibility

The one who is going to stay for a short period of time for tourism, passing by, visiting relative, all-kinds of conference, culture and art, common training, religious ceremony, collecting academicals datum, or other reason similar to these(except for those who is for profit)

The process to apply for visa

• The Applicant : the person himself/herself
• The place to apply : The embassy or the consulate of the Republic of Korea
• Submitted Documents : refer to the submitted documents below
  - On condition that the one has already get a Certificate of Recognition of Visa Issuance or Certification No. of Visa Issuance, he/she can submit nothing but the passport, Application for Visa Issuance, a Certificate of Recognition of Visa Issuance or Certification No. of Visa Issuance)

The process to apply for a certificate of recognition of visa issuance

• The Applicant : the person himself/herself
• The place to apply : competent immigration office or branch office
• Submitted Documents : refer to the submitted documents below
• The one can apply for the visa to the embassy or the consulate of the Republic of Korea after he/she gets a certificate of recognition of visa issuance or certification No. of visa issuance.
• The process to apply for a certificate of recognition of visa issuance → Click Here

Submitted Documents
※ Documents to be filed may be added/exempted if needed in the process of review.

Common submitted document
 passport(a copy of passport in the case of applying a certificate of recognition of visa issuance)
 Application for Visa Issuance   (link to download : visa_application_form.pdf)
 Fee(single visa : 30 U.S dollar, multiple visa : 80 U.S dollar)
※ There are no charges in the case of applying a certificate of recognition of visa issuance
 Two color portrait shots are needed when you apply for a certificate of recognition of visa issuance 
 size : 3.5㎝ x 4.5㎝ 
 the shots must be taken in 6 months. 
 printed photograph would not be accepted 
 the brighter color of background of the shots is preferred to the dark.

Document requirements according to the status
 Overseas Koreans over 60 years old
- document which proves whether he/she is Overseas Koreans or not as well as document to prove his/her age(a copy of family register, a certificate of incumbency, Household register, identity verification document)

 Minors whose own parents are Korean national with domestic address
- document which states the reason of invitation
- documents related with the inviting person(a copy of family register, a copy of resident registration, a front and back copy of a certificate of residence, etc)
- document which proves that he/she is an own child
- documents related with the invited person(I.D card, family registry specified all family members, etc) 
  
 The one who had come into Korea more than 2 times without record of illegal stay
- document which proves the purpose of entry
- documents related with the invited person(I.D card) 

 A person who can prove that he/she had possessed Korean nationality as registered in R.O.K family register at birth
- A copy of family register(removal) and family registry
- Identity verification document (ex ID card) 
  
 Man of merit and his/her relative
- a certificate of a man of merit of national independence or national
- a medal certificate
- a conferment certificate
- a copy of family register and family registry
- identity verification document (ex ID card) 
  
 The one employed under industrial training, training employment or employment license system, comes by himself/herself in the period of stay
- document which proves the fact that his/her he/she has worked
- family registry
- identity verification document (ex ID card) 
  
 The one who is invited by the spouse or cousin of those who has domestic address
- Documents related with the inviting person(a copy of family register, a copy of the resident registration, a front and back copy of a national identity card)
- Document which proves their relation(Family registry, Genealogical table, old photo, letters communicated for a long-time or KBS-dispersed family certificate, etc)
- Document which proves the financial capability of inviting person or his/her spouse(a certificate of incumbency, a copy of business registration, a certificate of bank balance, etc)
- Documents related with the invited person(I.D card, a certificate of holding office, etc.)
  
 Attendance of various Events • Meetings
- Documents proving purpose of stay
- Documents proving • introducing the Meeting
- Documents related with establishment of the institute opening the meeting (a copy of business certificate, a copy of corporation certificate, etc.)
- Documents related with the invitee (ID Card, a certificate of incumbency)

 The one who is going to take part in wedding
- Documents related with the inviting person(a copy of family register, a copy of the resident registration, a front and back copy of a national identity card)
- An invitation card, confirmation of reservation, etc.
- Document which proves their relation
- Documents related with the invited person(I.D card, census registry specified all family members, etc)

The Standard of inspection in visa issuance
- the legitimacy of visit
- the genuineness of submitted document

Reference
- For those who is from the country which is under the agreement of multiple visa with Korea, multiple visa would be issued at request(enforcement regulation of Immigration Control Act Article 9, Subsection 3)
- A person who comes into Korea with the Purpose of industrial training cannot apply for the C-2 or C-3, but for D-3

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A person who fall in the following categories will be allowed to enter Korea without a visa.
 Countries under visa waiver agreements
 Frequent visitors 
 Japanese tourists 
 Special Entry arrangements for the Jeju island 
 APEC Business Travel Card 
 Visa free entry as per appointment 
 A third country bound transit tourists  
 Europe bound Chinese transit tourists 
 Re-entry Permit holders

Countries under Visa Waiver Agreements

 Nationals of visa waiver countries can enter Korea without a Korean visa, if the purpose of their visit is tour or visiting. If they want to engage in remunerative activities, etc. they must apply for a Korean visa appropriate to their purpose.

Visa-free entry as per appointment

• International convention, mutuality doctrine, nation’s profitability and other such factors are considered in full to appoint countries with visa-free entry permissions. (As of today, November 2005, 49 countries)
• Are allowed to enter without visas for the purposes of touring or visiting, generally for a period of 30 days.
  However, for Canada it is 6 months, for Australia, Hong Kong, Slovenia, and Japan it is 90 days.
• Countries with visa-free entry permissions for diplomatic, government official, and general passport holders (47 countries)

• Countries with visa-free entry permission for diplomatic, government official passport holders (2 countries)

Eligible countries
 Applicable to all citizens of countries whose visa-free entry into Korea have not been permitted, except for citizens of China(P.R.C.), Cuba, and Macedonia.

Requirements
 Those who have visited Korea more than 4 times in recent two years, or those who have visited Korea more than 10 times in total can enter Korea without a Korean visa, notwithstanding the requirements above
 Of the above, foreigners who has no Immigration offence records.
 In relation to Chinese citizens, those who have visited Korea more than 4 times in recent two years or those who have visited Korea more than 10 times in total and has no Immigration offence records, will be issued visas as per the discretion of the Heads of Foreign Offices at the location.

A third country bound transit travelers

Eligible countries
 Applicable to all citizens of countries whose visa-free entry into Korea have not been permitted, except for citizens of China(P.R.C.), Cuba, and Macedonia.

Requirements
 Holding a visa or a re-entry permit of the U.S. Japan, Canada, Australia, or New Zealand (5 countries) and traveling from a third country to either of the five countries via Korea.
 Traveling from either of the five countries to a third country via Korea.

Conditions of authorization
 Holding a confirmed onward flight ticket for departure within 30 days and no Immigration offence records, while in the five countries.

Special Entry arrangements for the Jeju island

• Eligible countries
  - Applicable to all foreigners of countries whose visa-free entry into Korea have not been permitted, except for the citizens of the following countries, who enters into only the Jeju airport with the purposes of touring or passing through.
• Prohibited countries of Special Entry arrangements for the Jeju island (11 countries)
  - Iran, Iraq, Sudan, Libya, Cuba, Syria, Macedonia, Palestine, Afghanistan, Nigeria and Ghana
• Period of stay: 30 days
• Permitted area and range: Jeju island
• Conditions of entry:
  - A person who arrive directly into the Jeju island by flights or ships. 

Re-entry permit holders

• A registered foreigner who has obtained re-entry permit and re-enter Korea within the period of re-entry given will be allowed to enter without a visa.
• A registered foreigner and a national of re-entry permit waiver countries may enter within the period of re-entry given without visas.
  - France, Suriname, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxemburg, Switzerland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Liechtenstein, and Germany

APEC Business Travel Card

• In order to facilitate for the smooth running of economic operations of economists, convenience is provided to enter without visas as per the following.
  - Eligible countries
  France, Suriname, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxemburg, Switzerland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Liechtenstein, and Germany
  For Hong Kong, it is also applicable to a third country national with permanent residency in Hong Kong.
• Card Issue Procedure
  In Korea, applications made through the Korea Trade Investment Promotion Agency
• Eligibility
  - APEC Business Travel Card holders are eligible to stay up to 90 days with c-2 visa.
  

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Visa Application Fee

• Single Visa less than 90 days: Amount equivalent U$30
• Single Visa more than 91 days: Amount equivalent U$50
• For all Multiple Visa: Amount equivalent U$80

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