Korean  
 
Mar 12 10
Jan 27 10
Korea Today
• Politics
• Economy
• IT / Biz / Science
• Culture
• Heritage
KORUS News
KORUS Forum
Feature Column
Photo Gallery
Language Classes
• Taekwondo
• People
• Entertainment
• Sports
• Calendar
Ambassador's Profile
Ambassador's Journal
Ask the Ambassador
General Information
Visa
Other Information
 
Home > Consulate Service > Visa

1. General Visa Information

Welcome to the Visa Service Section of the Korean Consulate General.

  • On November 17, 2008, the Republic of Korea joined the U.S. Visa Waiver Program (VWP). As a result, on reciprocity, U.S. citizens can visit the Republic of Korea without a visa for duration of up to 90 days of less if the purpose of the trip is for fourism, business, attendance at a conference or visiting families or relatives. (Extension of stay is not permitted)
  • A U.S. citizen, who wishes to work, or to engage in profit making activities, is kindly requested to apply for an appropriate entry visa.

More visa information is as follows:

¢¹ Making a transit in the Republic of Korea

A transit traveler may be granted visa-free entry to the Republic of Korea as long as he/she possesses a confirmed onward flight ticket for departure within 30 days after entering the Republic of Korea, in addition to having no record of criminal offence such as illegal stay in the five countries listed below, and falls under either of the following two categories.

(1) If he/she has a visa or re-entry permit for U.S., Japan, Canada, Australia, or New Zealand (five countries) and is traveling to any of these countries through the Republic of Korea; OR

(2) If he/she is traveling from any one of the five countries mentioned above and his/her final destination is not the Republic of Korea.

*NOTE: This exception does not apply to citizens of Cuba and Macedonia.

¡í For U.S. citizens and Korean-Americans, a five year valid multiple entry C-3 (Short-term visitors) Visa is issued. This visa holder can stay up to 90 days each time he/she visits the Republic of Korea until their visa expire.

(1) General requirements for Visa Application

  • A valid passport
  • A completed visa application (ms-word) (pdf)
  • Passport size photo (2¡±x 2¡± color)
  • Fee: $45 for American citizens (Cash or money order only; Pay to the Order: Korean Consulate General)

Citizens of other countries must pay a visa processing fee $30 (Single entry less than 90 days), $50 (Single entry more than 90 days), $80 (Multiple entry)
Citizens of other countries must submit their US permanent resident card or valid U.S. visa and flight ticket or flight itinerary

(2) Submitting your visa application via mail

If you submit your visa application by mail, please use certified mail so that you may track it later.

Once your visa is issued and you wish to have your passport with the visa mailed back to you, please enclose a self-addressed and pre-paid envelope provided by express mailing services, such as the U.S. Postal Service Express Mail, Federal Express, UPS, or DHL. In this regard, we do not use a regular mail to send out the applicant¡¯s visa for security purposes. (If you have a DHL or UPS account, you may use that.)

2. Required Documents for Visa Application


Status

Required Document

Diplomats
(A-1)

- Temporary duty order, statement of employment or official letter    from the Foreign Minister to certify his or her status.

(Those documents may be replaced by verbal approval when his/her status is identified by showing his/her identification card, etc.)
* A diplomatic passport is required.

If, however, an individual wishes to fulfill his/her diplomatic duty  with a general passport, the individual and his/her family members would still be included in this category.

Official Duty
(A-2)

- Temporary duty order, statement of employment or official letter from the Foreign Minister to certify his/her status (a clear statement declaring that he/she is on official duty must be included in the letter).
* An official passport or identification card is required.

If, however, an individual wishes to fulfill his/her diplomatic duty with a general passport, the individual and his/her family members would still be included in this category.

Agreement
(A-3)

- Temporary duty order, statement of employment or official letter from the Foreign Minister to certify his/her status.
- Invited Contractor: Letter of Employment : CAC Card or millitary ID card is required
* Dependents
- Spouses: copy of marriage certificate and original
- children: copy of birth certificate

Temporary News
Coverage
(C-1)

- Letter of assignment, statement of employment issued by the employing company of applicant, or certificate indicating that the applicant is a foreign news reporter.

- Purpose of entry and a detailed plan of activities.

Short-Term Business
(C-2)

- No documents are required.

Short-Term Visitors
(C-3)

- No documents are required.

Short-Term Employment
(C-4)

-Letter of employment contract.

-Letter of employment recommendaion issued by the head of the relevant central government agency (an entertainer needs a letter of performance recommendation issued by the the Republic of Korea Media Rating Board), an official letter from the relevant government agency or documents proving the necessity of the applicant's employment).


* English Instructor for Summer or Winter Camp
- Diploma

- Criminal Record (Attached Apostille)

- Employment Contract

- Document regarding Establishment of School or Organization

Culture/Art
(D-1)

- Letter of invitation
- Documents verifying that it is culture and art organization.
* Certificate of an expert's career will be required in the case that the applicant needs the expert¡¯s instruction.
- Curriculum vitae or certificate of career
- Documents proving the applicant's capability to pay his or her

 entire travel expenses during his or her stay.
    
* The above-mentioned expert refers to a person who qualifies as an intangible cultural asset or an individual who holds a certificate of qualification recognized by a government agency.

Students
(D-2)

- Admissions letter or certificate of registration issued by the president of the college or university.
- Certificate of bank balance.
- A copy of Diploma or the most recent school transcript.
- For an individual who is researching at an educational/scientific research organization:
   - Substantiating documents for the research.
   - Certificate from the most recent school.
   - Letter of personal security assurance (Form 129).

Technical Trainees
(D-3)

- Training schedule prepared by the research organization.
- Letter of personal security assurance (Form 129).
- Copy of wage or pay ledger.
- A letter of recommendation from the company, and a document which proves that the company is qualified to hire the applicant.

General Trainees
(D-4)

1. A student who learns Korean language at a language institute attached to college or university, or who is involved in study training according to academic exchange agreement between colleges or Universities needs the following documents;

    - Certificate of school enrollment or school attendance
    - Financial Affidavit
    * Certificate or remittance or money exchange (More than U.S. $3,000)
    - Letter of personal reference notarized is required in case that the applicant cannot prove his or her capability to pay travel expenses necessary to stay, including school fees etc., or if Justice Minister deems particularly necessary

2. A student who participates in other training programs will need the following documents:

    - Certificate of training - Documents regarding establishment of training institutes
    - Financial Affidavit
    * Certificate or remittance or money exchange (More than U.S. $3,000)
    - Letter of personal reference notarized is required in case that the applicant cannot prove his or her capability to pay travel expenses necessary to stay, including school fees etc., or if Justice Minister deems particularly necessary

Residence Reporters
(D-5)

- Temporary duty order or statement of employment.
- Related documents proving the establishment of a branch office in the Republic of Korea.

Religious Workers
(D-6)

- Temporary mission order.
- Copy of a certificate of the religious organization or social welfare organization establishment.
- Documents verifying that the relevant organization is responsible for the applicant's travel expenses.

Intracompany Transferees
(D-7)

- Temporary duty order or statement of employment.
- Copy of a certificate of setting up a branch office or liaison office
- Documents verifying achievement of business fund borrowing or copy of business project.
- Certificate of annual tax.

Treaty Investors
(D-8)

- Temporary duty order or statement of employment.

- Certificate of the foreigner's investment report, including a copy of the register book or certificate of business registration

- Certificate of registered investment company.

Treaty Traders
(D-9)

- Statement of employment.
- Copy of the register book or certificate of business registration.
- Documents regarding business fund borrowing or a copy of the business project.
- Receipt of annual tax-payment.

Professors
(E-1)

- Certificate of career
- Employment contract or certificate of expected employment

Teaching Foreign
Languages
(E-2)

- Certificate of academic degree or diploma
- Employment contract
- Documents regarding establishment of school or organization
- Letter of personal reference notarized
- Criminal Record (attached Apostille)
* Interview
- Applicant's Health Staternent (ms-word)
- Consul's Checklist fot E-2 Applicant (ms-word)
- Official Transcript

Research
(E-3)

- Documents verifying the establishment of the inviting organization
- Certificate of academic degree and certificate of career
- Employment contract

Special Technology
Instruction
(E-4)

- Temporary duty order or statement of employment
- Copy of the approved technology-import contract
- Import contract (or certificate of service transactions) or certificate of designated military defense industry
- Documents verifying the establishment of a public or private organization

Speciality Occupation
(E-5)

- Certificate of academic degree and certificate of qualification

- Letter of employment recommendation issued by the head the of central government agency or documents proving the necessity of employment.

- Employment contract

Art and Entertainment
(E-6)

1. People who desire to be engaged in performance or entertainment activities at tourist hotels and entertainment places require;

    - Letter of performance recommendation issued by the Image stuff classification committee - Performance project
    - Certificate of HIV test
    - Letter of personal reference notarized

2. Other require;

    - Letter of employment recommendation issued by the head of the relevant central government agency or document proving the necessity of employment
    - Certificate of qualification or certificate or career
    - Letter of personal reference notarized

Particular Occupation

(E-7)

- Certificate of academic degree or certificate of qualification
- Employment contract
- Letter of employment recommendation issued by the head of the relevant central government agency or documents verifying the necessity of employment
- Documents regarding the establishment of a public or private organization
- Letter of personal reference notarized (form 129)

Visiting & Joining Family
(F-1)

1. People who visit family or relatives who live in the Republic of Korea require:

    - Documents proving relationship of family or relatives (certificate of marriage register book or certificate of birth)
    - Letter or personal reference notarized
    * People abroad require a certificate of confirmation or statement of adopting parents

2. Domestic helpers of diplomats in the Republic of Korea require;

    - Official letter issued by foreign embassy or consulate
    - Employment contract
    - Copy of diplomat's ID

3. Foreign students who enrolled in elementary/ junior/ high school require;

    - Certificate of school enrollment or school attendance
    - Certificate of adapted person's annual tax-payment

Dependents
(F-3)

- Documents verifying their relationship with the family (certificate of marriage and register book or certificate of birth)

- Statement of employment and certificate of tax-payment

Korean Residents Abroad
(F-4)

1. A Korean-born alien

    - Substantiating documents for an applicant¡¯s ex-Korean nationality such as Korean family tree register and certified removal from family register etc.
    - Substantiating documents for the reason and the time of obtaining a foreign nationality
    - Other documents which are deemed to be necessary by the Ministry of Justice

2. An immediate family member of a Korean-born alien

    - Substantiating documents that prove his or her parent's ex-Korean nationality
    - Substantiating documents for the reason and the time of obtaining a foreign nationality of the applicant's his or her parents
    - Substantiating documents which establish the familial relationship such as a certificate of birth
    - Other documents which are deemed to be necessary by the Ministry of Justice
3. Countries Under Visa Exemption Agreements

Region

Country

Period

Americas

Antigua & Barbuda
Bahamas
Barbados

Brazil
Colombia
Commonwealth of Dominica
Costa Rica
Dominican Republic
El Salvador
Grenada
Haiti
Jamaica
Mexico
Nicaragua

Panama
Peru
St. Lucia
St. Kitts & St. Nevis
Vincent & the Grenadines
Surinam
Trinidad & Tobago
United States

90 days
90 days
90 days

90 days
90 days
90 days
90 days
90 days
90 days
90 days
90 days
90 days
90 days
90 days

90 days
90 days
90 days
90 days
90 days
90 days
90 days
90 days

Asia & Oceania

Malaysia
New Zealand
Singapore
Thailand

Bangladesh

90 days
90 days
90 days
90 days

90 days

Europe

Austria
Belgium
Bulgaria
Czech Republic
Denmark

Estonia
Finland
France
Greece
Germany
Hungary
Iceland
Ireland
Italy

Latubia
Liechtenstein

Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malta
Netherlands
Norway
Portugal
Poland
Romania
Spain
Slovak Republic
Sweden
Switzerland
Turkey
United Kingdom

90 days
90 days
90 days
90 days
90 days

90 days
90 days
90 days
90 days
90 days
90 days
90 days
90 days
* 60 days

90 days
90 days

90 days
90 days
90 days
90 days
90 days
* 60 days
90 days
90 days
90 days
90 days
90 days
90 days
90 days
90 days

Middle East & Africa

Israel
Lesotho
Liberia
Morocco
Tunisia

90 days
* 60 days
90 days
90 days
* 30 days


Copyright © 2005-2009 DYNAMIC-KOREA.COM All Rights Reserved.
Embassy of the Republic of Korea in the United States of America.