South Korea Tourist Visa Application Process

South Korea Tourist Visa Application Process

A South Korea tourist visa is a short-term visa type given to people who want to travel to South Korea for touristic purposes. A South Korea tourist visa is also known as a short-term visitor visa.

Do I Need a Visa to Go to Korea as a Tourist?

To go to Korea as a tourist, Europeans citizens with ordinary passports, diplomatic passports, special passports and service passports are exempt from visas for their travels not exceeding 90 days.

What are the Types of Korean Tourist Visa?

Types of Korean tourist visas are listed below.

• South Korea tourist visa for tourism purposes
• South Korea tourist visa for transit purposes
• South Korea health tourism visa
• Short-term South Korea visit visa
• South Korea religious, cultural and sporting event visa

What is a South Korea Short-Term Visitor Visa?

South Korea short-term visitor visa is a type of visa that allows travel in Korea for up to 90 days. A Korean short-term visit visa can be obtained for the purposes of tourism, rest, visiting relatives, attending a friendly match, attending an event or meeting, cultural and artistic visit, receiving education, attending a religious ceremony or conducting academic research. Those who earn income from their activities while in South Korea are not covered by the short-term tourist visa.

To apply for a visa, applicants must prepare the necessary documents for the visa and have a valid passport.

How to Get a Tourist Korean Visa?

Tourist Korea visas can be obtained in person or through accredited agencies. Applicants must prepare the necessary visa documents requested in accordance with the purpose of their trip to South Korea. A visa appointment must be made from the South Korean Consulate and the applicant must go to the Consulate on the visa appointment day to complete the document submission and visa fee payment procedures.

What are the Required Documents for a South Korea Tourist Visa?

The documents required for a South Korea tourist visa are listed below.

• South Korea visa application form: The visa application form must be downloaded from the Republic of Korea Consulates or the South Korea visa portal. The form must be filled in with complete and accurate information and signed by the applicant.
• Passport: You must have a valid passport that is not older than 10 years and is valid for at least 6 months after your trip to South Korea ends.
• Photo: A photograph measuring 3.5 cm x 4.5 cm, with a clear face and a white background is required.
• Criminal record: The criminal record must be obtained via e-government or submitted after being apostilled.
• Documents for the purpose of travel: The applicant must prepare and submit documents for the purpose of travel to South Korea.

In addition to the standard visa documents provided above, applicants must also submit documents appropriate to the purpose of their touristic trip to South Korea. For visa applications made by those who have a visa approval document; regardless of the visa type, it is sufficient to submit a fully completed visa application form, 1 photograph, passport and passport photocopy, criminal record, printed certificate number and receipt showing that the visa fee has been paid.

Should Hotel Reservation Be Provided for Republic of Korea Tourist Visa?

It is not mandatory to submit a hotel reservation for a tourist visa to the Republic of Korea.

Although hotel reservations are not required for a South Korean visa , in some cases, customs officers may ask for the hotel reservation document to be checked upon entry to the country; therefore, it is recommended to make hotel reservations and print out the document containing the reservation information. It is also recommended that people who are exempt from visas carry their hotel reservation information with them upon entry to the country.

How to Get a South Korea Tourist Visa Appointment?

South Korea tourist visa appointments can be made by sending an e-mail to trvisa@mofa.go.kr. The e-mail to be sent for a visa appointment must include the applicant's name, surname, nationality, passport number, telephone number, e-mail address and place of residence. The header of the e-mail to be sent to request an appointment must include the visa type and length of stay in the format "(Visa Appointment Request) ... Visa, ... Months".

Can the Korean Tourist Visa Application Appointment Be Postponed?

The Korean tourist visa application appointment can be postponed. In order to postpone the visa appointment, it is necessary to inform the visa unit of the relevant South Korean foreign mission via e-mail at least 2 days before the visa appointment date.

How Much Is the Korean Tourist Visa Application Fee?

The Korean tourist visa application fee is $40 and the fee is paid in cash in dollars to the visa unit of the Korean Consulate during the visa appointment.

For 2022, the average South Korea tourist visa cost is 125 dollars, including all visa fees, travel health insurance, hotel and transportation reservations, and, if necessary, sworn translation and consultancy fees.

How Many Days Does It Take to Get a South Korea Tourist Visa?

South Korea tourist visas are issued within an average of 14 days. The visa processing time may be extended if missing documents are submitted or if the missing documents are not completed within 3 days.

How to Track South Korea Tourist Visa Application?

South Korea tourist visa application tracking can be done online at https://www.visa.go.kr/openPage.do?MENU_ID=10301. In order to track the visa application, passport, application or invoice number, name and date of birth information must be filled in on the visa inquiry screen.

South Korea visa tracking screen image is below.

How to Find Out the Korean Tourist Visa Result?

The result of the Korean tourist visa can only be learned after the passport is returned. The passport can be collected from the foreign mission where the application was made by the applicant himself or the person he gave power of attorney after the visa result is received.

The South Korea approved visa image is given below.

How Many Months Does a South Korea Tourist Visa Take to Grant?

The duration of a South Korea tourist visa depends on the consulate conducting the evaluation; however, a tourist visa can be issued for a maximum of 90 days.

Can the South Korea Republic Tourist Visa Be Extended?

The tourist visa of the Republic of South Korea can be extended; to extend the tourist visa, it is necessary to go to the immigration office in South Korea. The tourist visa extension process must be done before the existing visa expires.

How to Get an Electronic Permit for Travel to Korea?

The electronic permit for travel to Korea is a permit that visa-exempt countries can quickly obtain online to enter South Korea. The electronic permit can be obtained online by applying at www.k-eta.go.kr or via the K-ETA mobile application.

The K-ETA document must be obtained 2-3 days before the travel date. In order to obtain the electronic travel permit, the application form containing passport information, personal information and travel details must be filled out by going to the application address or the K-ETA mobile application, uploading a photo and finally paying the fee. After the procedures are completed, the South Korea electronic visa is sent to the applicant's e-mail address within 1-2 business days. The K-ETA fee was determined as $9 in 2022.

The screenshot for the K-ETA application is given below.

What are the Popular Tourist Places in South Korea?

The top tourist attractions in South Korea are listed below.

• Gyeoungbokgung Palace, Seoul
• Gwaynghwamun Square, Seoul
• National Museum of Korea, Seoul
• Jeju Island
• Busan
• Haeinsa Temple, Gyeongsang
• Changdeokgung Palace, Seoul
• Buchon Hanok Village, Seoul
• Jongmyo Shrine, Seoul

South Korea is a country with both historical and natural beauties, and there are mostly religious architectures and historical temples in the country. At the top of the list of places to visit in South Korea is Changdeokgung Palace, which is also on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Is It Expensive to Go to Korea as a Tourist?

South Korea is one of the most expensive countries in the world and going to Korea as a tourist is expensive when you consider the flight ticket, accommodation and expenses.

Food and drink prices in Korea are around 50,000 South Korean won for a meal for two at a mid-level restaurant. Going to South Korea as a tourist can cost around 35,500 TL per person for a one-week trip.

What Are Hotel Prices Like in South Korea?

South Korea hotel prices vary depending on the hotel and location, but average one-night stay prices range from 500 to 1,500 TL.

Can You Work While Traveling to South Korea for Tourist Purposes?

It is not possible to work during tourist travel to South Korea; working with a tourist visa is considered a crime in Korea.

Foreign nationals who come to South Korea with a Korean tourist visa do not have the right to work because they do not have a South Korean work permit .