Visa-Free Entry to Korea: The Complete Guide

For anyone planning to travel through or transit South Korea, the most important question is: can you enter without a visa? This guide covers all the types of visa-free entry to Korea, which countries' citizens qualify, the permitted length of stay, and the conditions involved. The information is based on the official source of the Korea Immigration Service.

Visa-Free Entry: The Basic Rule

A visa is the primary requirement for entering the Republic of Korea, and as a rule foreign nationals must hold a valid visa when traveling. However, those who fall into one of the categories below may enter Korea without a visa (Article 7, Paragraph 2 of the Immigration Act).

Important note: even if you hold a valid visa or fall into a visa-free entry category, the immigration officer at the border checkpoint may still deny you entry to the country.

Types of Visa-Free Entry

• Visa-free entry for designated countries
• Travelers transiting to a third country
• Foreign transfer (transit) passengers
• Visa-free entry to Jeju Island
• Holders of a Re-Entry permit
• Holders of an international organization passport
• Holders of an APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC)

Visa-Free Entry for Designated Countries

Visa-free countries are designated based on international conventions, the principle of reciprocity, and national interests (45 countries according to official data).

As a rule, citizens of visa-free countries may travel to Korea without a visa and stay in the country for up to 30 days. In addition, citizens of the following countries may stay longer:

• Canada — up to 6 months
• Up to 90 days: USA, Australia, Japan, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Slovenia, Argentina (as well as citizens of Macau)

Visa-Free Entry for Diplomatic and Service Passport Holders

• Asia: Indonesia, Lebanon

Visa-Free Entry for Diplomatic, Service, and Ordinary Passport Holders

• Asia: Brunei, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain, Japan (90 days), Hong Kong (90 days), Macau (90 days), Taiwan (90 days), Kuwait (90 days)
• North America: USA (90 days), Canada (6 months)
• South America: Argentina (90 days), Honduras, Paraguay, Ecuador (90 days), Guyana
• Europe: Andorra, Monaco, San Marino, Cyprus, Albania, Croatia (90 days), Slovenia (90 days), Vatican, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia (90 days), Montenegro
• Oceania: Australia (90 days), Guam, Fiji, Nauru, Palau, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Solomon Islands, Micronesia, New Caledonia, Samoa, Tuvalu, Tonga
• Africa: Republic of South Africa, Mauritius, Seychelles, Eswatini (Swaziland), Botswana

Travelers Transiting to a Third Country

(Temporarily suspended due to COVID-19.)

Except for citizens of the 24 excluded countries listed below (including Uzbekistan), citizens of countries that do not have visa-free entry rights to Korea may transit under the following conditions:

• Those who hold a visa for the USA (including Guam and Saipan), Canada, Australia, or New Zealand and transit through Korea to reach those countries; or
• Those arriving from one of the countries above and transiting through Korea to their own country or a third country.

Or those who hold a visa (or permanent residence right) of one of 30 European countries and transit through Korea to those countries, or from them to their own or a third country.

Conditions for Permission

• Holding a confirmed airline ticket to depart within 30 days after entering Korea, and not having committed offenses such as overstaying in the countries mentioned above;
• Not having been denied entry to Korea within the past 3 years, not having been fined more than 5 million won, not having been forcibly removed, and not having received a deportation order;
• Not having stayed more than 3 days in the transit/stopover country.

Chinese Group Travelers with a Japanese Group Visa

(Temporarily suspended due to COVID-19.)

For Chinese group travelers who hold a Japanese group-tourist visa and travel from China through Korea to Japan, or from Japan through Korea to China or a third country. The group list must be submitted at least 48 hours before entering Korea, and travelers must hold a transfer ticket to depart within 15 days.

Foreign Transfer Passengers

(Temporarily suspended due to COVID-19.)

Passengers who transfer through Incheon Airport en route to a third country or their own country and who participate in the Transit Tourism Program. Here too, citizens of the 24 countries restricted from visa-free entry (including Uzbekistan) are excluded.

Conditions and Duration of Permission

• General transfer passengers: holding a transfer ticket and staying up to 72 hours in the Seoul capital region — Tourist/Transit (B-2) status.
• Jeju group transfer passengers: a group organized through an authorized travel agency, with a domestic flight ticket departing for Jeju within 5 days (within 10 days via Yangyang Airport).

Chinese Travelers Transiting to Europe

(Temporarily suspended due to COVID-19.)

For Chinese citizens who hold an entry visa (or permanent residence right) of one of 30 European countries and an airline ticket to their final destination. For example: China → South Korea → Europe or Europe → South Korea → China.

Visa-Free Entry to Jeju Island

Those arriving visa-free for travel or transit at Jeju's border checkpoints, except for citizens of the following countries restricted from visa-free entry.

Countries restricted from visa-free entry to Jeju: Ghana, Nigeria, Kosovo, Sudan, Syria, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Cuba, Palestine, Yemen, Egypt, Gambia, Senegal, Bangladesh, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Somalia, Uzbekistan, Nepal, Cameroon, Sri Lanka, Myanmar.

Length of stay / area: 30 days / Jeju only. Condition: arriving directly to Jeju Island by international flight or ship.

Holders of a Re-Entry Permit

Those who have obtained a re-entry permit or been exempted from one and return to Korea before it expires. Citizens of the following countries may enter without a visa if they have completed alien registration:

France, Suriname, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Liechtenstein, Germany, Chile (C-3-5, D-7, D-8, D-9).

Holders of an International Organization Passport

Those arriving on official business with a United Nations (LAISSEZ-PASSER) passport may enter Korea without a visa and stay for up to 30 days.

Holders of an APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC)

Privileges are granted to ABTC holders to support the business activities of entrepreneurs in the Asia-Pacific region.

• Status and duration: Short-Term Business (C-3-4) status, stay of up to 90 days.
• ABTC member countries (19): South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Vietnam, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Peru, Chile, Mexico, Russia.

An Important Note for Citizens of Uzbekistan

As the information above makes clear, Uzbekistan is included in the list of restricted countries in a number of Korea's visa-free/transit programs (including visa-free entry to Jeju and the transit programs). For this reason, in most cases citizens of Uzbekistan are required to arrange the appropriate visa in advance in order to travel to or study in Korea.

Note: these rules change from time to time, and some programs were temporarily suspended during the pandemic. Before traveling, always check the information of the Republic of Korea's official immigration service (hikorea.go.kr) or a nearby embassy.

Ray Consulting specialists provide full assistance in arranging a Korean student visa (D-2, D-4) and other documents. Contact us for a free consultation.