South Korea Visa for Indians - Definitive Guide

At the times of planning a trip to a foreign country, there are certain formalities that you need to complete first. For South Korea, there are criteria that you must meet so as to travel to this country for whatever your desired purpose be. One of the most important and the initial priority is the issuance of visa for South Korea. The holder of this permit will be able to stay in the country for entertainment, education or enterprise depending on the kind of visa that you have issued. The validity of the visas will also differ as per the type and the purpose of travel. There are certain other benefits associated with the visa as per the types.

The process for the application of a visa for South Korea is mainly offline. According to the Consulate/Embassy of South Korea, there are two ways you can apply for the visa. You can either apply directly to the consulate/embassy, else you can submit your application to the visa application centre. But before, it is essential that you go through the eligibility criteria. You need to match the eligibility criteria to be able to apply for a South Korea visa. The steps for the procedure are listed as follows:

1. Download the South Korea visa application form from the official website of the visa application centre.
2. Fill out all the required information on the form and go through the checklist provided.
3. Fulfil all the requirements that are asked by the authorities.
4. Attach all the supporting documents along with the photographs as per the specifications.
5. Submit the application form to your nearest branch of the visa application centre.
6. Pay the fee at the time of submission.
7. Collect your passport after the processing of the visa.

After you have submitted the application form along with your passport and other documents, all you have to do is wait for the processing before you can collect your passport. You can choose any feasible branch of the visa application centre as per your reach. Meet the checklist that is provided by the centre in order to get the visa sooner. If the documents are missing, it will only take time for the processing and verification of the same.

When you are filling out the form, you must make sure that you fill out all the correct information. The information provided must match the details on the passport and other documents. If in case, any issues are found with the application, there are chances that your visa may get refused. A visa refusal can affect applications for your further visa for South Korea or any other country. To avoid the same, it is safe to acquire a professional visa consultation.

The visa for South Korea can be classified into different types based on the purpose of the visit, the validity of the visa, the number of entries and re-entries permitted, and other related parameters. If you are issuing a visa for South Korea, you must first know that you know what kind you need as per your purpose. In general, the South Korea visa can be categorized as visitor and resident visas. Detailed classification can be understood as follows:

• Visitor visa
  It is mainly a short term visa that is issued for a shorter period of time. It could be for about 3 months. The stay permitted will differ as per the agreement made with the Consular. It can further be divided into two more categories -
• Single-entry
  This means that once you travel to South Korea and exit the country, you will not be able to re-enter on the same visa again even if the visa is still valid. If you are willing to return, you will have to issue another visa again. An example of this kind of visa is a South Korea tourist visa.
• Multiple-entry
  With this kind of visa, you will be allowed to enter and re-enter the country multiple times. Although the permitted stay per visit will vary but is generally permitted for 30 days. Generally, a South Korea business visa is issued under this category.
• Resident visa
  This kind of visas are mainly long term. These are issued at the time when the applicant is planning onto staying in the country for a considerable period of time. Even these can be further classified into the following categories:
• Single-entry
  As per this visa, once you travel to South Korea and return, you will then be not able to re-enter the country on the same visa again. It is irrelevant to the fact that whether the visa is still valid or not. If you wish to return, you will have to issue another visa again. An example of this kind of visa is a South Korea student visa.
• Multiple-entry
  On this visa, the applicant will be allowed to enter and re-enter South Korea multiple times. The permitted stay per visit will differ from the visitor multiple-entry visa. Certain cases of South Korea work visa may fall under this category.

There are different documents that are needed. These are generally differentiated depending on the type of the visa. Common requirements for a South Korea visa for Indian passport holders are listed as follows:

• Original passport with validity at least 6 months ahead of the date of travel
• Completely filled visa application form
• Two photos as per the photo specifications
• Proof of identification and nationality
• PAN card
• Adhaar card
• Proof of confirmed travel dates 
• Confirmation slip 
• Air tickets
• Proof of sufficient funds to support your stay in South Korea
• Travel requisition by employer
• Letter of mission
• Certificate of income or tax payment issued by a public agency
• Certificate of deposit balance
• Proof of accommodation
• Invitation letter
• Hotel reservation
  
  
  

• Two copies must be provided
• South Korea visa photo size: 35mm x 45 mm.
• Coloured copy must be provided.
• The face must cover about 70-80% of the frame - 32mm x 36mm.
• Head should well-centred.
• A gap of 2mm to 6mm must be kept between the top of the head and the frame.
• The picture must not be older than 6 months.
• The background must be white
• Neutral expressions
• Glasses are not permitted.
• Headgears are not allowed except for religious reasons.
• Clothing shouldn’t match the background.

The fee for Indian applicants to get a visa for South Korea is estimated based on several parameters and it will vary as per the type of visa too. It is to be paid to the visa application centres along with the service charges. Also, you must pay the fee in cash or a demand draft, else if you do not have access to a visa application centre branch, you can send in the fee with just a demand draft.

To check the status of your visa for South Korea, you can visit the official website of the visa application centre. You will need to enter your reference number and your date of birth to check the processing of the visa. 

You will have to apply offline to the visa application centre to get the visa or approach the embassy yourself. You can download and fill out the visa application form from the embassy website.  After this process is done, the application form is to be printed and signed by the applicant and submitted to the visa application centre with the required supporting documents. When the process is completed by the centre, you will be called for the interview if required. After the interview, you can indirectly or directly reach out to the visa application centre for the submission of the final documents (if required) and the visa stamp will then be provided.

At certain times, the process may seem complicated and the formalities involved can seem difficult to be carried out individually. In such cases, professional visa consultation can be considered from the visa agencies. This will allow you to have your documents handled professionally and the procedure may even be quicker than the normal process. Professional consultation also minimizes the chances for visa rejection.