Visa Information

  All visitors to the Republic of Korea must have a valid passport and visa. Visitors with roundtrip tickets from countries who have a special agreement with Korea may be exempt from the visa requirement, and can stay in Korea Visa-free for periods up to thirty days, or ninety days, depending on the type of agreement between the two countries. For more information, please contact the local Korean consulate or embassy in your country, or refer to the website http://www.mofat.go.kr/.

Those that fall in the following categories will be allowed to enter Korea without a visa.

• Countries under visa waiver agreements
• Designated visa-free entry
• Frequent visitors
• Transit tourists bound for another country
• Europe bound Chinese transit tourists
• Japanese tourists / travelers
• Special Entry arrangements for the Jeju island
• Re-entry Permit holders
• Holders of Passport issued by recognized international organizations(LAISSEZ-PASSER)
• APEC Business Travel Card holders

Countries under Visa Waiver Argreements

• 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 holders

 


Continent	Countries
Asia	Macau(90 days), Brunei, Saudi Arabia, Arab Emirates, Yemen, Oman, Japan (90 days), Qatar, Taiwan, Hong Kong (90 days), Kuwait, BAHRAIN(90 days) [12 countries]
North America	United States(90 days), Canada (6 months) [2 countries]
South America	Guyana, Guatemala, 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)

Continent	Countries
Asia	Indonesia, Lebanon

• * Above information is from ‘Hi Korea’