South Korea Tourist visa
Required Documents for South Korean Visa
For e-visa through the Visa Portal
- Scanned image files of passport pages
- Valid for at least 6 months and with at least 2 blank pages for stamps
- Digital Photograph
- Size 3.5cm x 4.5cm, front view, and taken within the last 6 months
- Completed visa application e-form through the Visa portal
- Other documents for the status of stay
For sticker visa applications
- Passport
- Valid for at least 6 months and with at least 2 blank pages for stamps
- Scanned copies of the passport data page
- Completed and signed visa application form No.17
- Passport-sized photograph
- Size should be 3.5cm x 4.5cm
- Documents demonstrating the applicant’s financial capacity during stay in the country, if applicable
- Original and stamped bank statements for the past 3 months.
Note: Contact the Korean consulate or embassy in your country to check for any additional requirements. Required documents may vary depending on the country of residence or jurisdiction.
South Korea Visa Application Steps
For e-visa applications via the portal
- Gather the required documents
- Fill out the application form
- Visit the official Korea Visa portal to fill out the form.
- Submit the application form online.
- Attach your digital passport photo and submit the South Korea visa application form online.
- Pay the South Korean visa application fee.
- The fee can be paid online using debit or credit cards.
- Note: For applicants who have inviters or sponsors:
- For e-visa, the sponsor needs to initiate the application process by going to the Korean Visa Portal, filling out the Korea visa application form for the applicant, and submitting it for review. After which, the sponsor must send the confirmation number to the applicant and the applicant must download the form and submit it to the respective Korean diplomatic mission along with the other requirements and pay the visa fee for the visa to be issued.
For sticker visa applications
- Gather the required documents
- Fill out the e-form through the Korean Visa Portal
- Visit the official South Korean Visa website, select your nationality, and choose a short-term visit for the tourism purpose, select the length of stay and click Start.
- Fill out the South Korean visa application form. The form must be filled out in block letters in either English or Korean.
- Check with the Korean diplomatic mission in your country if they allow applicants to download the form from the website and fill it out by hand.
- Schedule your South Korean visa appointment.
- Contact the South Korean consulate, embassy, or VAC to enquire if you need to schedule an appointment or if it is possible to submit your South Korean visa application without an appointment, as long as you do so within the normal operating hours.
- Submit your printed South Korean visa application form.
- Submit the printed application form to the South Korean consulate, embassy, or VAC along with the other South Korea visa requirements, supporting documents and photo.
- Pay the South Korean visa application fee.
- Note: For applicants who have inviters or sponsors
- For sticker visa applications, the inviter or sponsor needs to fill out the South Korea visa application form for the applicant and submit it for review to the Korean Immigration Office. After which, the sponsor must send the confirmation number to the applicant so the applicant can submit it to the Korean diplomatic office in his country of citizenship or residence so that a visa can be issued.
South Korea Visa Fees
The processing fees for South Korean visa applications are US $40 for a single-entry visa with a stay of fewer than 90 days and US $60 for a single-entry visa with a stay of 91 days or more. However, visa fees may differ because of the principle of reciprocity, the applicant’s nationality, international practices, and international agreements. Additional fees may also be charged when the visa is paid online through the portal.
Where to Apply
There are two ways to submit South Korean visa applications. Applicants can submit their South Korean visa applications online through the official South Korean e-visa portal. Alternatively, for sticker visas, applications can be submitted through South Korean consulates, embassies, or visa application centers. You can check the list of South Korean visa application centers here. Applications can only be submitted in countries where the applicant is a citizen or a resident.
For e-visa applications submitted by a sponsor on behalf of the applicant, applications can be initiated by the inviter or sponsor on the visa portal. For sticker visa applications, the inviter or the sponsor needs to initiate the application process and submit the South Korea visa application form to the Korean Immigration Office.
South Korea Visa Application Processing Time
The processing time for a South Korean e-visa is within 3 working days after submission. However, there are some cases when the processing time takes longer, e.g. when additional documents are required. If processing takes longer than usual, a notice will be sent to the applicant via e-mail or SMS.
South Korean visa applications submitted to the South Korean diplomatic missions are processed within working 5 days of submission. However, in some cases it might take longer. Applicants are advised to refer to the notice boards of the Diplomatic mission where submission was made for the duration of the process as each office might have different processing times, depending on their workloads.
For approved visa applications
It is advised to check the details on the visa and make sure they match the information on the passport.
