Foreigners must obtain a visa to enter the Republic of Korea.
Entry requirements for foreigners
- Foreigners wishing to enter Korea must submit their passport and entry report to the immigration officer at the port of entry and undergo an entry inspection (Article 12(1) of the Immigration Act).
- Foreigners wishing to enter Korea must meet the following requirements to be granted entry (Articles 11 and 12(3) of the Immigration Act):
· Possess a valid passport and visa (However, a visa is required only when necessary);
· Have a valid pre-travel authorization;
· The purpose of entry must match the residence qualification;
· The duration of stay must be determined according to the law; and
· Must not be subject to entry prohibition or refusal under Article 11 of the Immigration Act.
The concept of a visa
- A “visa” is a kind of permission granted by the government of the country that one wishes to visit, specifying the type, purpose of entry, residence qualification, and duration of stay (see the Korean Legislation Research Institute’s legal terminology).
- Foreigners wishing to enter the Republic of Korea must have a valid visa (see Article 12(3) of the Immigration Act).
Types of visas
- Korean visas are divided into single-entry visas, which allow entry only once, and multiple-entry visas, which allow entry two or more times (Article 8(1) of the Immigration Act).
- The validity periods for single and multiple-entry visas are as follow (Articles 12(1) and (2) of the Enforcement Rules of the Immigration Act):
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Multiple-entry visa
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Single-entry visa
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Residence qualification for Diplomatic (A-1), Official (A-2), Agreement (A-3)
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3 years or less
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3 months from the date of issuance
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Residence qualification for Visit Employment (H-2)
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5 years or less
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Multiple-entry visa issued according to visa issuance agreement
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Duration as per the agreement
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Multiple-entry visa issued considering mutual benefit and other national interests
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Duration determined by the Minister of Justice
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Concept of “residence qualification”
- “Residence qualification” refers to certain qualifications that foreigners wishing to enter the Republic of Korea must possess (see Article 10 of the Immigration Act).
- Foreigners wishing to enter the Republic of Korea must have one of the following residence qualifications (see Articles 10, 10-2, and 10-3(1) of the Immigration Act):
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General residence qualification
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Permanent residence qualification
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Short-term residence qualification
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Tourism, visits, etc., allowing stay in Korea for up to 90 days (or longer if visa waiver agreement or mutual benefit allows)
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Qualification allowing permanent residence in Korea without restrictions on activities or duration of stay
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Long-term residence qualification
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Study, training, investment, residence, marriage, etc., allowing residence in Korea for more than 90 days within the upper limit of the duration of stay specified in attached Table 1 of the Enforcement Rules of the Immigration Act
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