Foreign nationals willing to enter South Korea on short- or long-term visas must comply with specific rules. Korea entry requirements are specific which help travelers safe, timely, and hectic free entry into the country.
General Entry Requirements
The following are the general entry requirements for foreigners entering South Korea:
- a valid passport and if they try to enter with an expired or fake passport, immigration officers will deny the entry;
- a valid visa and they must make sure to enter the country before the visa expiry. Additionally, immigration officers might refuse entry if the type of visa you have doesn’t match the reason for your visit.
Furthermore, entry without a visa is possible only in the following cases:
| Entry Category | Description |
| A person with a valid re-entry permit or exempt from a re-entry permit | Someone entering Korea before their re-entry permit expires or is exempt from needing one. |
| Visa exemption agreement | A citizen from a country that has a visa exemption agreement with Korea. |
| Traveler approved by Presidential Decree | Someone specially approved by the Presidential Decree to enter Korea for contributing to international relations, national interests, or the tourism industry. |
| Traveler with a refugee travel document | Someone with a refugee travel document entering Korea before its expiry date. |
Korean Visa and Entry Types
The Korean visa and entry types are:
- Single-entry Visa: The bearer can enter once before the expiry date.
- Double-entry Visa: The bearer can enter twice before the expiry date (6 months).
- Multiple-entry Visa: The visa bearer can enter unlimited times before the expiry date (1 year, 3 years, 5 years).
Arrival Card
When a foreigner arrives in Korea, they must go through immigration at the entry point. They need to show your passport and a completed arrival card (Form No. 41-2), which includes details like the purpose of your visit and where you’ll be staying, to the immigration officers.
Employment Visas and their Range
Foreigners in Korea are allowed to stay based on the type and duration of stay specified on their visa. To work in Korea, foreigners must have the appropriate visa that permits employment and can only do the job assigned to them.
The eligible visa types for employment are as follows:
| Visa Code | Description |
| C-4 | Short-term Employee |
| E-1 | Professor |
| E-2 | Foreign Language Instructor |
| E-3 | Researcher |
| E-4 | Technical Instructor/Technician |
| E-5 | Professional |
| E-6 | Artist/Athlete |
| E-7 | Special Skills |
| E-9 | Non-professional Worker |
| E-10 | Maritime Crew |
| F-2 | Resident |
| F-4 | Overseas Korean |
| F-5 | Permanent Resident |
| F-6 | Marriage Migrant |
| H-1 | Working Holiday |
| H-2 | Work and Visit |
Even if you have the correct visa, working for a different employer or doing a different job than what is stated on your visa without prior approval from or notifying the Immigration Office is a violation of visa rules.
If you change employers, work location, or other job details, you must follow the proper procedures, which you can check by contacting the Immigration Office or the Immigration Contact Center at 1345 (no area code). Always report changes in advance or within the allowed time frame.