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South Korea

Every South Korea visa route, explained

South Korea has a route for every purpose — short visits (K-ETA or a C-3 visit visa), plus the D-2 student, E-7 work, F-6 marriage, H-1 working holiday and F-2 long-term residence routes. Routes with verified step-by-step guides link straight to them; the rest link to the official Korean portals.

The routes

Visit & tourism

K-ETA / C-3 short-term visit

Short visits for tourism, business or family — visa-free with a K-ETA (or temporarily K-ETA-exempt), or a C-3 short-term visit visa.

  • Tourists, short-term business and family visitors
Up to 90 days

10 verified step-by-step guides →

Study

Student (D-2)

For full-time degree programmes — bachelor's, master's or PhD — at Korean universities.

  • Degree-seeking students at Korean universities

official page →

Work & business

Foreign National of Special Ability (E-7)

For specialist and professional positions in fields designated by the Korean government.

  • Skilled professionals sponsored by a Korean employer

official page →

Family & residence

Marriage Migrant (F-6)

For foreign spouses of Korean citizens settling in South Korea.

  • Spouses of Korean nationals

official page →

Other routes

Working Holiday (H-1)

Lets young people from partner countries work and travel in South Korea for up to a year.

Up to 12 months

official page →

Long-term residence (F-2)

Points-based long-term residence status for qualifying foreign nationals.

  • Long-term residents qualifying on points or status

official page →

Workation / Digital Nomad visa (F-1-D)

Status launched in 2024 for foreign remote workers and their families to reside in Korea while working for an overseas employer or business.

  • Remote workers / location-independent professionals employed or contracting outside South Korea
Up to 1 year, extendable by 1 year

official page →

Verified step-by-step guides

Grounded on official sources — documents, fees, timeline, every fact dated and linked.

🇧🇩 Bangladesh → South KoreaVisit — C-3 short-term visit visa
Bangladeshi citizens need a C-3 short-term visit visa for South Korea — apply at the Korean embassy/consulate or Korea Visa Application Center for where you live.
🇨🇳 China → South KoreaVisit — C-3 short-term visit visa
Chinese citizens need a C-3 short-term visit visa for South Korea — apply at the Korean embassy/consulate or Korea Visa Application Center with jurisdiction over where you live.
🇮🇩 Indonesia → South KoreaVisit — C-3 short-term visit visa
Indonesian citizens need a C-3 short-term visit visa for South Korea — apply at the Korean embassy/consulate or Korea Visa Application Center for where you live.
🇮🇳 India → South KoreaVisit — C-3 short-term visit visa
Indian citizens need a C-3 short-term visit visa for South Korea — apply at the Korean embassy/consulate or Korea Visa Application Center for where you live.
🇱🇰 Sri Lanka → South KoreaVisit — C-3 short-term visit visa
Sri Lankan citizens need a C-3 short-term visit visa for South Korea — apply at the Korean embassy/consulate or Korea Visa Application Center for where you live.
🇳🇵 Nepal → South KoreaVisit — C-3 short-term visit visa
Nepali citizens need a C-3 short-term visit visa for South Korea — apply at the Korean embassy/consulate or Korea Visa Application Center for where you live.
🇵🇭 Philippines → South KoreaVisit — C-3 short-term visit visa
Filipino citizens need a C-3 short-term visit visa for South Korea — apply at the Korean embassy/consulate or Korea Visa Application Center for where you live.
🇷🇺 Russia → South KoreaVisit — C-3 short-term visit visa
Russian citizens need a C-3 short-term visit visa for South Korea — apply at the Korean embassy/consulate or Korea Visa Application Center for where you live.
🇹🇭 Thailand → South KoreaVisit — C-3 short-term visit visa
Thai citizens need a C-3 short-term visit visa for South Korea — apply at the Korean embassy/consulate or Korea Visa Application Center for where you live.
🇻🇳 Vietnam → South KoreaVisit — C-3 short-term visit visa
Vietnamese citizens need a C-3 short-term visit visa for South Korea — apply at the Korean embassy/consulate or Korea Visa Application Center with jurisdiction over where you live.