Korea Visas & Passports
Foreign nationals entering Korea are generally required to have a valid passport and a Korean visa assigned by overseas branch of Korean embassy or consular offices. However, many are now permitted visa-free for a limited period under certain conditions following the "Citizens of the Countries under the Visa Exemption Agreement" [See Table 1]. In order to check whether you're allowed to enter Korea without visa issuance and for other requirements, please contact the Korean immigration offices or visit the following websites to confirm.
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- www.mofa.go.kr (Korean, English)
- Korea Immigration Service
- www.immigration.go.kr (Korean, English)
- Hi Korea (e-government for foreigners)
- www.hikorea.go.kr (Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese)
1. Example of Entry Visa to Korea
* Countries under Visa Waiver Agreements (English)
2. [Table 1] Designated Countries & Regions Granted Visa-Free Entry to Korea
Allowed to stay in Korea for 30 days only (unless otherwise specified below) for the purposes of tourism and visitation only.
| Countries | |
|---|---|
| Asia | Japan (90 Days), Hong Kong (90 Days), Macao (90 Days), Taiwan (90 Days), Kuwait(90 Days), Brunei, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Oman, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain (90 Days) |
| North America | United States (90 Days), Canada (6 Months) |
| South America | Argentina, Honduras, Paraguay, Uruguay (90 Days), Ecuador, Guyana |
| Europe | Andorra, Monaco, San Marino, Cyprus, Albania, Croatia, Slovenia (90 Days), Vatican, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro |
| Oceania | Australia (90 Days), Guam, Fiji, Nauru, Palau, Marshall Islands, Solomon Islands, Micronesia, New Caledonia, Samoa, Tuvalu, Tonga |
| Africa | Republic of South Africa, Mauritius, Seychelles, Swaziland, Egypt |
3. Visa-Free Entry to Jeju-do Island
- Applicable countries
With the exception of the countries listed below that are not eligible for visa-free entry
- Countries NOT eligible for visa-free entry to Jeju-do (11 countries)
Ghana, Nigeria, Libya, Macedonia, Sudan, Syria, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Cuba, Palestine
- Period: 30 Days
- Allowed region and range of activity: Jeju-do
- Conditions: Those eligible must take planes or ferries with direct routes to Jeju-do.
Customs Allowances
All visitors who enter Korea must submit a written baggage declaration to a customs officer upon entry. If a passenger declares non-duty free articles voluntarily, the declared amount will be accepted and the clearance procedure will be expedited, unless the declared price of articles is questionable. More information about customs allowances and currency regulation can be found at the website below.
- Korea Customs Service
- www.customs.go.kr (Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese, Spanish)
Duty Free Allowance
For items that are taxable, US $600 per capita from the total dutiable value shall be exempted from imposition of duty tax. Additional duty free exemptions are: 1 bottle of liquor (less than 1 liter, not over US $400), 1 carton of cigarettes (200 cigarettes, 50 cigars or 250 grams of tobacco) and 2 ounces of perfume (about 60㎖). For amounts that exceed the duty exemption, duty on the amount over will be charged per capita. Also, the liquor and cigarette exemptions are only permitted for those over 19 years of age.
- 1330 Korea Travel Hotline: +82-2-1330 (Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese)
This page was last updated in May 2016, and therefore information may differ from what is presented here. We advise you to check details from the official websites before visiting.
<Last updated on May 24, 2016>