General Information

We hope you fully enjoy beautiful sights in Korea. To find out more, please visit the links as follows;



Visit Korea
http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/index.kto






Visit Seoul
http://www.visitseoul.net/en/index.do?_method=main






Seoul City Tour Bus
http://en.seoulcitybus.com






Seoul Metro
http://www.seoulmetro.co.kr/eng/






Korea Immigration Service
http://www.immigration.go.kr/indeximmeng.html

Countries under Visa Waiver Agreements

● Nationals of visa waiver countries can enter Korea without a visa as long as the purpose of their visit is tourism or temporary visit. If they want to engage in profitable activities such as employment, they must apply for a Korean visa suitable for their purpose.
→ Find Countries under Visa Waiver Agreements with Korea

Designated visa-free entry

● Considering international convention, mutuality doctrine, national profit and other such factors, certain countries are granted visa-free entry permissions.




● Nationals of the following countries are allowed up to 30 days of visa-free sojourn for tourism or visitation




● Exceptions: Canada is allowed up to 6 months, and United States, Australia, Hong Kong, Slovenia, and Japan are allowed up to 90 days.




● Countries that are granted visa-free entry for diplomatic, government official, and general passport holder
Asia : Macao(90 days), Brunei, Saudi Arabia, Arab Emirates, Oman, Japan (90 days), Qatar, Taiwan, Hong Kong (90 days), Kuwait, Bahrain [11 countries]
North America : United States(90 days), Canada (6 months) [2 countries]
South America : Guyana, Honduras, Argentina, Ecuador, Uruguay, Paraguay [6 countries]
Europe : Monaco, Vatican, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Albania, Cyprus, San Marino, Serbia, Montenegro, Slovenia (90 days), Andorra, Croatia [11 countries]
Oceania : Guam, Nauru, New Caledonia, Micronesia, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Kiribati, Fiji, Australia (90 days), Marshall Islands, Palau, Tuvalu, Tonga [13 countries]
Africa : South Africa, Seychelles, Mauritius, Swaziland, Egypt (5 Countries)





● Countries that are granted visa-free entry for diplomatic and government official passport holders (2 countries)
Asia : Indonesia, Lebanon

Frequent visitors

● Eligible countries
Applicable to all countries (save for China, Cuba, and Macedonia) that are not granted visa-free entry into Korea.

● Applicable to…
Those who made more than 4 visits to Korea in the past two years, or more than 10 visits overall may enter Korea without a Korean visa as long as they have no Immigration offence or other criminal records.

※ Chinese nationals meeting the above requirements will be issued appropriate visas as per discretion of the Head of the local foreign office.

Transit tourists bound for another country

Eligible countries Applicable to all countries (save for Macedonia, Cuba, Syria, Sudan and Iran) that are not granted visa-free entry into Korea.

Applicable to…
Those with a visa (excluding Japanses Group Visa) or a re-entry permit for U.S., Japan, Canada, Australia, or New Zealand (5 countries) and traveling to any one of those countries through Korea.

Those traveling from any one of the five countries mentioned above, whose final destination is not Korea.

However, please note that the first bullet points are not applicable to those travelling to/from Guam and Saipan, which are unincorporated territories of the United States.

Requirements
Must have a confirmed onward flight ticket for departure within 30 days after entering Korea, in addition to having no record of criminal offence in the five countries mentioned above.

Europe bound Chinese transit tourists

Eligible foreigners
Chinese citizens with an entry visa (including permanent residency visa) for 1 of the 30 nations listed below and connecting flight tickets to the final destination. Example) China -> Korea -> Europe, Europe -> Korea -> China

30 European countries
Greece, Netherlands, Norway, Denmark, Germany, Latvia, Rumania, Luxemburg, Lithuania, Liechtenstein, Malta, Belgium, Sweden, Switzerland, Spain, Slovakia, Slovenia, Iceland, Ireland, Estonia, United Kingdom, Austria, Italy, Czech, Cyprus, Portugal, Poland, France, Finland, Hungary

※ Not applicable to the following:
Those being forcefully relocated back to China from Europe
Those traveling through Europe as a part of a group tour

No-visa Entry for foreigners in Transit (Transit Tours)

Purpose
The Government of the Republic of Korea has established a policy of no-visa entry for foreigners in transit in order to promote the transit tourism industry through a vitalization of the Transit Tourism Program. Policy Summary

Policy Summary
The policy allows foreigners satisfying certain requirements who transit through the Incheon International Airport to a third country or through the Incheon International Airport, Gimhae International Airport, Yangyang International Airport, Cheongju International Airport or Muan International Airport to Jeju Island to enter Korea without visa.

Eligibility for No-Visa Entry for Foreigners in Transit

1. No-Visa Entry for Transit Tourists (Existing Policy)

A. Eligibility
i. A national of one of the countries prohibited from no-visa entry into Korea, except for a national of Macedonia, Cuba, Syria, Sudan and Iran; and
(1) Who holds an entry visa for, and is bound for one of the following countries via Korea: United States, Japan, Canada, Australia or New Zealand (excluding Japanese group visa); or
(2) Who follows under A-i-(1) and is bound for the country of nationality or a third country via Korea, through direct flight from the United States, Japan, Canada, Australia or New Zealand to Korea after staying in these respective countries.

ii. A Chinese national
(1) Who holds an entry visa for, and is bound for one of the 30 European countries (Greece, the Netherlands, Norway, Denmark, Germany, Latvia, Romania, Luxembourg, Lithuania, Liechtenstein, Malta, Belgium, Sweden, Switzerland, Spain, Slovakia, Slovenia, Iceland, Ireland, Estonia, the United Kingdom, Austria, Italy, the Czech Republic, Cyprus, Portugal, Poland, France, Finland, Hungary) via Korea; or
(2) Who returns to China via Korea departing from the above-mentioned countries.

B. Criteria for Permission
The person must hold a reserved airline ticket for a flight that departs within 30 days.

C. Status of Stay and Period: Tourism & Transit (B-2) visa, 30 days


2. No-Visa Entry for Transit Tourists Participating in the Transit Tourism Program

A. Eligibility
i. A foreigner who transfers at the Incheon International Airport to the country of nationality or a third country and participates in the Transit Tourism Program, except for a national of one of the 11 countries prohibited from no-visa entry for Jeju Island (Ghana, Nigeria, Macedonia, Sudan, Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, Kosovo, Cuba, Palestine); or

ii. A foreigner who holds a Japanese group visa and participates in the Transit Tourism Program.

B. Criteria for Permission
i. The person must hold an airline ticket for transit within 72 hours.
ii. The person must stay only in the possible destination for tourists of Seoul (Seoul, Incheon, Gyeonggi Province)


C. Status of Stay and Period : Tourism & Transit (B-2) visa, Within 72 hours

3. No-Visa Entry for Chinese Group Tourists in Transit to Jeju Island

A. Eligibility
A Chinese group tourist arriving at the Incheon International Airport, Gimhae International Airport, Yangyang International Airport, Cheongju International Airport or Muan International Airport, departed from China (including Hong Kong and Macao), who intends to stay, respectively, in the possible destination for tourists of Incheon (Seoul, Incheon, Gyeonggi Province), in the possible destination for tourists of Gimhae (Busan, Daegu, Ulsan, North Gyeongsang Province, South Gyeongsang Province, Seoul, Incheon, Gyeonggi Province), in the possible destination for tourists of Yangyang (Gangwon Province, Seoul, Incheon, Gyeonggi Province), in the possible destination for tourists of Cheongju (Daejeon, North Chungcheong Province, South Chungcheong Province, Seoul, Incheon, Gyeonggi Province), or in the possible destination for tourists of Muan (Kwangju, North Jeolla Province, South Jeolla Province, Seoul, Incheon, Gyeonggi Province) within 72 hours under a condition to travel to Jeju Island

B. Criteria for Permission
i. The person must hold a passport issued by the People's Republic of China
ii. The person must join a Chinese group tourist program hosted by Korean or Chinese travel agents recognized by the Korea- China memorandum
iii. The person arriving at the Incheon International Airport must depart from Korea through the Incheon International Airport, Gimpo International Airport or Jeju International Airport
iv. The person arriving at the Gimhae International Airport must depart from Korea through the Gimhae International Airport, Incheon International Airport, Gimpo International Airport or Jeju International Airport
v. The person arriving at the Yangyang International Airport must depart from Korea through the Yangyang International Airport, Incheon International Airport, Gimpo International Airport or Jeju International Airport
vi. The person arriving at the Cheongju International Airport must depart from Korea through the Cheongju International Airport, Incheon International Airport, Gimpo International Airport or Jeju International Airport
vii. The person arriving at the Muan International Airport must depart from Korea through the Muan International Airport, Incheon International Airport, Gimpo International Airport or Jeju International Airport

C. Status of Stay and Period: Tourism & Transit (B-2) visa, 15 days Date of Initiation: April 6st, 2014

Japanese tourists/travelers

● An agreement was made between Korean and Japanese governments on March 1st, 2006 in the interest of reciprocity and encouraging individual interchanges between Korea and Japan. Based on this agreement, nationals of both countries whose purpose of travel is short term visit or tourism are granted visa exemption, so long as the following conditions are met.

● ADuration of stay: Up to 90 days

● Purpose:
- Tourism, business, attendance of a conference, private visit (relatives, friends, etc), or any such non-profit activities.

Special Entry arrangements for the Jeju island

● Eligible foreigners
- Nationals of all countries not allowed visa-free entry into Korea (save for the exceptions listed below) that enters via Jeju airport for tourism or transit.

● Special entry arrangements for Jeju island is denied to nationals of the following 11 countries.
- Iran, Iraq, Sudan, Libya, Cuba, Syria, Macedonia, Palestine, Afghanistan, Nigeria and Ghana

● Duration of stay: Up to 30 days

● Permitted area / range: Jeju island

● Conditions of entry:
- Those that arrive directly into Jeju island by flights or ships.

Re-entry permit holders

● Registered foreigners with re-entry permit that enters Korea within the given re-entry date are allowed to enter without a visa.

● Registered foreigners who are nationals of countries that are exempt from re-entry permit (listed below) may enter without a visa as long as it is within their initial period of sojourn.
- France, Suriname, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxemburg, Switzerland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Liechtenstein,and Germany

Holders of Passport issued by recognized international organizations

A staff of the United Nations or special organization who have a travel document, namely, LAISSEZ-PASSER issued by U.N. office is allowed to enter Korea without a visa and is granted to stay for 30 days.

APEC Business Travel Card(ABTC)

● In order to facilitate smooth economic operations of economists, visa-free entry is permitted to those that meet the following conditions.

● Eligible countries (18 countries as of October, 2009)
- Korea, Australia, Brunei, Chile, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Peru, Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, Indonesia, China, Vietnam, Singapore, Papua New Guinea, Mexico.

● Eligibility
- APEC Business Travel Card holders are given Short Term Business (C-2) visa status, and are allowed to stay for up to 90 days.