South Korea Tourist Visa

South Korea is a country in East Asia with a variety of traditions, beautiful coastline with sandy beaches, exciting music culture, traditional old town, scenic national parks, and plenty of fascinating places. There are countless things to do, see and explore. It is a land of tiny rustic villages where you find peace. The well-structured railway and bus systems make it easy to explore the areas of the country. It is home to 22 national parks with countless mountains. 

According to the visa policy of South Korea, it allows the nationals of certain countries to visit South Korea visa-free for a limited period. To visit South Korea, the first thing you need to check is whether you need a visa or not.

Who does not need a South Korea visa?

If you are a national of any of the following countries, you can enter South Korea for a limited period without a visa. The number of periods which you can stay in South Korea depends on your nationality. 

With a stay of up to 180 days

• Canada

For up to 90 days

• Austria
• Belgium
• Bulgaria
• Croatia
• Czech Republic
• Denmark
• Estonia
• Finland
• France
• Germany
• Greece
• Hungary
• Ireland
• Italy
• Latvia
• Lithuania
• Luxembourg
• Malta
• Netherlands
• Poland
• Portugal
• Romania
• Slovakia
• Slovenia
• Spain
• Sweden
• United Kingdom
• Antigua and Barbuda
• Australia
• Bahamas
• Barbados
• Brazil
• Chile
• Colombia
• Costa Rica
• Dominica
• Dominican Republic
• Ecuador
• El Salvador
• Grenada
• Guatemala
• Haiti
• Hong Kong
• Iceland
• Israel
• Jamaica
• Japan
• Kuwait
• Liechtenstein
• Macau
• Malaysia
• Mexico
• Morocco
• New Zealand
• Nicaragua
• Norway
• Panama
• Peru
• Saint Kitts and Nevis
• Saint Lucia
• St Vincent & the Grenadines
• Serbia
• Singapore
• Suriname
• Switzerland
• Taiwan
• Thailand
• Trinidad and Tobago
• Turkey
• United Arab Emirates
• United States
• Uruguay
• Venezuela

With a stay of up to 60 days

• Lesotho
• Russia

For up to 30 days

• Albania
• Andorra
• Argentina
• Bahrain
• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Botswana
• Brunei
• Cyprus
• Eswatini
• Fiji
• Guam
• Guyana
• Honduras
• Kazakhstan
• Kiribati
• Marshall Islands
• Mauritius
• Micronesia
• Monaco
• Montenegro
• Nauru
• New Caledonia
• Oman
• Palau
• Paraguay
• Qatar
• Samoa
• San Marino
• Saudi Arabia
• Seychelles
• Solomon Islands
• South Africa
• Tonga
• Tunisia
• Tuvalu
• Vatican City

Note that if your country is not in the above list, you need to apply for a visa to visit South Korea.

How to get a South Korea Tourist Visa?

If you want to visit South Korea as a tourist and you are not from any visa-exempt countries listed above, you need to apply for a South Korea Tourist Visa. It will allow you to enter South Korea for tourism, to visit friends and family, or to attend conferences, cultural events or artistic events, and a religious ceremony. It is a single entry visa that is valid for up to 3 months from the issuance date. You need to apply for a tourist visa at least four weeks before your arrival plan.

Note that a South Korea Tourist Visa does not permit you to do any employment work in South Korea. 

Requirements for a South Korea Tourist Visa

You must have the following documents to apply for a South Korea Tourist Visa.

1. Completed South Korea Tourist Visa Application Form

2. Valid passport with the validity of at least six months

3. Passport-size photo 

4. Proof of financial stability

5. Return ticket

6. Proof of accommodation in South Korea, i.e., rental agreement

7. You have to leave South Korea at the end of your authorised stay

Note that payment of visa fee must be by cash or postal order.

South Korea Tourist Visa fees 

It will cost USD 30 for a single entry with a stay of up to 90 days.

Processing time for the South Korea Tourist Visa

It will take a maximum of 10 days to visa processing.

Can you extend a South Korea Tourist Visa?

The extension of a tourist visa is possible in some instances such as accidents, health problems, flight cancellation, etc. You need to apply for a visa extension at a local immigration office in South Korea at least one day before your visa expiry.

Is it expensive to visit South Korea?

It depends on your budget. Generally, for one person you can expect to spend between $ 50 to 150 in a day.

The 8 Top Tourist Attractions in South Korea

Where should you go to South Korean? Here is the list of some of the best places to visit in South Korea.

1. Changdeokgung Palace

2. Busan

3. Jeonju

4. Seoul Tower

5. Bukchon Hanok Village

6. Seoraksan National Park

7. The DMZ

8. National Museum of Korea