Korea Travel, Getting to Korea, Korea Visas & Passports

Korea Travel, Getting to Korea
Korea Visas & Passports

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 their arrival. However, citizens of the 99 countries listed below are permitted to enter Korea for a limited time without a visa according to visa-exemption agreements (Table 1), or in accordance with principles reciprocity or national interest (Table 2).
 
[Table1] Countries under Visa Exemption Agreements

[Table2] Countries or Regions under principles of reciprocity and national interest

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. Barring unforseen circumstances, visa extension will be issued 1 to 3 days from the day of application. Applicants require a completed application form, a recent passport-sized color photo and the application fee. Visitors are not required to show an outbound ticket. Visas may usually be extended for a period of up to 90 days.

All visas including long-term visas are for a single visit (single-entry visa). 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 Korea. 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 1 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/or 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-size, color photograph, and such other documents as determined by the status 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 since the mutual agreement in 1994. 
 
Visa Extension  
Extensions for tourist visas are possible in special cases such as accidents, health problems, flight cancellation, etc. Visitors may apply for a visa extension at a local immigration office. Applications must be submitted at least one day prior to current visa's date of expiration.