- Korea
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- Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade - http://www.mofat.go.kr
- Immigration Bureau - http://www.immigration.go.kr
Any foreign visitors wishing to enter the Republic of Korea must have a valid passport and obtain a Korean visa before coming. However, nationals from 99 different countries who want to visit Korea temporarily are permitted to enter without a visa according to visa-waiver agreements (Table 1), or in accordance with reciprocity or national interest (Table 2).
[Table1] Countries under Visa Exemption Agreements
| Classification | Country/Period(days) | Country/Period(days) | Country/Period(days) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Europe | Austria / 90 | Belgium / 90 | Bulgaria / 90 |
| Czech Republic / 90 | Denmark / 90 | Estonia / 90 | |
| Finland / 90 | France / 90 | Greece / 90 | |
| Germany / 90 | Hungary / 90 | Iceland / 90 | |
| Ireland / 90 |
Italy / 60 | Liechtenstein / 90 | |
| Luxembourg / 90 |
Malta / 90 | Netherlands / 90 | |
| Norway / 90 |
Portugal / 60 |
Poland / 90 | |
| Romania / 90 |
Spain / 90 | Slovak Republic / 90 | |
| Sweden / 90 | Switzerland / 90 | United Kingdom / 90 | |
| Asia and Oceania | Bangladesh / 90 |
Israel / 90 | Malaysia / 90 |
| New Zealand / 90 |
Pakistan / 90 | Singapore / 90 | |
| Thailand / 90 | Turkey / 90 | ||
| Americas | Antigua and Barbuda / 90 |
Bahamas / 90 | Barbados / 90 |
| Brazil / 90 |
Colombia / 90 | Costa Rica / 90 | |
| Common wealth of Dominica / 90 |
Dominican Republic / 90 | El Salvador / 90 | |
| Grenada / 90 |
Haiti / 90 | Jamaica / 90 | |
| Mexico / 90 |
Nicaragua / 90 | Panama / 90 | |
| Peru / 90 |
St. Lucia / 90 | St. Kitts and Nevis / 90 | |
| St. Vincent &the Grenadines / 90 | Surinam / 90 | Trinidad and Tobago / 90 | |
| Africa | Lesotho / 60 | Liberia / 90 | Morocco / 90 |
| Tunisia / 30 |
[Table2] Countries or Regions under principles of reciprocity and national interest
| Classification | Country/Period(days) | Country/Period(days) | Country/Period(days) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asia | Brunei / 30 |
Hong Kong / 90 | Japan / 90 |
| Kuwait / 30 |
Macao / 30 | Oman / 30 | |
| Qatar / 30 |
Saudi Arabia / 30 | Taiwan / 30 | |
| United Arab emirates / 30 | Yemen / 30 | ||
| North America | Canada / 180 | United States / 90 | |
| South America | Argentina / 90 |
Chile / 90 | Guatemala / 30 |
| Honduras / 30 |
Paraguay / 30 | Uruguay / 30 | |
| Venezuela / 30 | |||
| Europe | Albania / 30 |
Croatia / 90 | Cyprus / 30 |
| Latvia / 90 |
Lithuania / 90 | Monaco / 30 | |
| Slovenia / 90 | Vatican / 30 | ||
| Oceania | Australia / 90 |
Fiji / 30 | Guam / 30 |
| Kiribati / 30 |
Marshall Islands/ 30 | Palau / 30 | |
| Nauru / 30 | New Caledonia / 30 | ||
| Africa | Republic of South Africa / 30 | Swaziland / 30 |
- Visa Type
Tourist & Business Visas
- Visitors from countries not under Visa Exemption Agreements must apply for a visa extension if planning to stay for more than 30 days.
Depending on the situation of the consulate, the visa extension will be issued one to three date from the day of application. Applicants require an completed application form, a recent passport-sized color photo and the application fee. Visitors do not require the outbound flight ticket. Visa extensions is granted usually for 90 days.
All visas including long-term visas are for a single visit. Therefore anyone who wishes to leave the country and re-enter later within the allowed period of stay should obtain the Re-entry Permit from the Ministry of Justice prior to departure. For business visas, the intention of activities must be clearly stated on the visa application form. Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade Homepage : http://www.mofat.go.kr
Work Visas
- Visitors may obtain work visas in their home country with the endorsement of the employer in Korean. If the visitor is already in Korea, he/she must obtain the work visa from an embassy or consulate in a country outside Korea. Work visas are usually valid for one year from the date of issue and take about 2-4 weeks to process.
Work visa extensions are possible if a visitor remains with the same employer. Visitors with work visas must obtain a residence permit from the Immigration Office. Visitors engaging in remunerative activities without a work visa can be subject to fines and deportation.
Application for Visas
- Visa applications should be made at Korean embassies or consulates abroad.
- It is required that visa applicants submit a passport, application forms, a recent passport-style color photograph, and such other documents as determined by thestatus of stay.
- Visa fees are as follows
a. Single-entry visa for a stay of no more than 90 days : USD30
b. Single-entry visa for a stay of more than 90 days : USD50
c. Multiple-entry visa USD80
d. Extension of Re-entry Permit : USD20 - * For Citizens of the United States of America, the multiple-entry visa fee is USD45 on the basis of reciprocity, based on the mutual agreement of 1994.
Visa Extensions
- Extensions for tourist visas are possible in special cases such as accidents, health problems, flight cancellations, etc. Applications for visa extensions can be made at a local immigration office at least one day before the day of expiration.
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