What If My Country Is Not Eligible for K-ETA for Traveling to Korea?

Last week, we posted about K-ETA, which is an electronic travel authorization that visa-free foreign visitors need to obtain before entering Korea. Nationals of 112 countries are eligible to apply for K-ETA.

“What about those from other countries that are not included on the list who want to travel to Korea?”

(Click here to check out the post about K-ETA)

There are certainly some countries that are not included on the list. If you are a citizen of one of these countries and want to travel to Korea, no worries! You can apply for a tourist visa.

Ordinary Tourist C-3-9

• A person who plans to visit Korea on the purpose of travel for holidays or leisure

• Under the category of C-3 (Short-term visit within 90 days)

Things can get a little bit more complicated with more steps and documents, but it’s easier than you think if you just learn how to do it.

Step 0

Visit the website of the Korean Embassy in your country and check the latest updates related to visas.

Google “Embassy of Korea (your country)” (ex. Embassy of Korea India) and click on the first website. Different countries have different procedures and required documents, so it’s important to check the latest information related to visas.

Basic Steps

1. Fill out the visa application

-You can download the form on the Korean Embassy website.

2. Prepare the required documents

– Passport

– Photos in a standard format

– Documents demonstrating the financial capacity during the stay in Korea or a document for identification

– Additional documents depending on your country

3. Book an appointment with the Korean Embassy in your country

4. Visit the embassy with all the forms and documents

5. Get your passport with a tourist visa!

Things to Know

• All forms for visa applications are available on the Korean Embassy website.

• For a 90 days or less single-entry visa, the application fee is about 40USD (fees might be different depending on country, but you have to be careful about anything ridiculously expensive because it can be a scam).
• Call the Korean Embassy if you are confused while applying for a visa. It’s the easiest way to get the answer.
• The procedure takes longer than applying for K-ETA. So make sure to take enough time.