The Republic of Korea or South Korea is an interesting Asian country that draws attention for its culture. However, to be able to visit it, certain requirements must be met. In this guide, we explain what you need to travel to this country. In addition, we give you some important tips.
Below you have an index with all the points that we are going to deal with in this article.
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Necessary documents
The documentation required to enter South Korea varies depending on the purpose of the trip and the nationality of the traveler. Some people can enter without a visa, while others must process it:
Passport Number
All travelers wishing to enter South Korea must have a valid passport. In relation to this, if no remunerated activity is to be carried out, citizens of these territories can stay in the country until 90 days or 3 months without having to apply for a visa:
- A: Germany, Antigua and Barbuda, Saudi Arabia, Australia, Austria
- B: Bahamas, Barbados, Bahrain, Belgium, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria
- C: Chile, Vatican City, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia
- D: Denmark, Dominica
- E: El Salvador, United Arab Emirates, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, United States, Estonia
- F: Finland, France
- G: Granada, Greece, Guatemala
- H: Haiti, Hong Kong, Hungary
- I: Ireland, Iceland, Israel, Italy
- J: Jamaica, Japan
- K: Kuwaiti
- L: Latvia, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg
- M: Macau, Malaysia, Malta, Morocco, Mexico
- N: Nicaraguan, Norway, New Zealand
- O: Oman
- P: Panama, Netherlands, Peru, Poland, Portugal,
- Q: Qatari
- R: United Kingdom, Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, Romania
- S: Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint Lucia, Serbia, Singapore, Sweden, Switzerland, Suriname
- T: Thailand, Taiwan, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey
- U: Uruguay
- V: Venezuela
Likewise, the citizens of Russia and Lesotho have the same right if the stay is less than 60 days. On the other hand, these are the countries that are exempt on a visit of up to 30 days:
- A: Argentina, Andorra, Albania
- B: Bosnia and Herzegovina
- E: equator, Egypt
- C: Cyprus
- F: Fijian
- H: Honduras
- I: Marshall Islands, Solomon Islands
- K: Kazakhstan
- P: Paraguay, Palau
- G: Guiana, Guam
- M: Monaco, Montenegro, Micronesia, Mauritius
- N: Nauru, New Calzedonia
- S: San Marino, Samoa, South Africa, Seychelles, Swaziland
- T:Tuvalu,Tonga, Tunisia
- K: Kiribati
To visit Jeju, an island province of Korea, up to 30 days, it is not necessary to apply for a visa, except for people from the following States:
- Afghanistan
- Cuba
- Ghana
- Iran
- Iraq
- Kosovo
- Macedonia
- Nigeria
- Palestine
- Sudan
- Syria
Visa
People with a different nationality than the ones we have named above will need to apply for a short-stay visa to travel to Korea as tourists. One of these territories is Bolivia. For this, the following papers must be presented at the embassy:
- Application form.
- Background certificate.
- Bank statement reflecting a minimum of 8.000 USD (US dollars).
- Round-trip plane ticket.
- Trip scheduling provided by the travel agency. The latter must be in contact with a Korean agency, so a copy of the Korean agency's registration must be submitted.
- Hotel reservation confirmation.
- Photocopy of ID and passport.
- Original passport.
- Two passport-size photos (3,5 × 4,5 cm).
- Money to pay the fee.
El coste of the visa, although it may vary in some territories, is as follows:
| Type of visa | Price in dollars (USD) |
| 90 days or less, one entry | 40 |
| 91 days or more, one entry | 60 |
| Two tickets | 70 |
| Multiple entries | 90 |
If you are interested in going to study in Korea, you must apply for a D-2 visa. Also, if you want to learn the language, the necessary permission is the D-4 type.
Similarly, if what you want is to go to live and work in the country, either for a specific period or permanently, you must apply for a specific visa.
To request certain permits such as business or research, it is not necessary to go to an embassy, but can be carried out online (e-Visa) by clicking this link.
Recommendations
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Spain gives some tips or advice to those who want to travel to Korea. First, it indicates that the Korean healthcare system is of quality, but notably expensive, so it is highly recommended to take out medical insurance.
You should know that people who need hospitalization have to pay a deposit and sometimes even have the endorsement of a Korean citizen. On the other hand, it is better not to drink tap water and it is advisable to avoid fish and seafood from street stalls in summer.
Vaccines
There is no mandatory vaccination to enter South Korea. However, it is always advisable to have the following basic vaccination up to date:
- Tetanus-diphtheria
- MMR (measles, rubella and mumps)
- Hepatitis A
While for big cities like Seoul you don't need any additional protection, it is advisable to get vaccinated against japanese encephalitis if you are going to stay in rural areas. Also, on certain occasions it is also advisable to have the typhoid vaccine.
Other diseases with a low risk are malaria in the north of the country and malaria, of which only isolated cases are known in Kangwon province.
Questions from users
Are there scholarships to travel to Korea as a student?
Yes, both the government of the Republic of Korea and some of the major universities in the country offer scholarships to young foreigners who wish to study in their territory.
Is it advisable to travel to South Korea with children?
Yes, since South Korea is a safe and quiet country in which there is no danger for the little ones. However, some tourist services are not fully adapted to babies and children.
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