How do I apply for an electronic visa?

You apply for an electronic visa (전자사증, e-visa) online at the Korea Visa Portal (대한민국비자포털, www.visa.go.kr). You do not have to go to a Korean embassy or consulate (재외공관). But not everyone can use it. Only certain people can apply.

Who can apply

• Skilled professionals with professor (E-1), research (E-3), technology instruction (E-4), or professional occupation (E-5) status
• Foreigners with a specific activity (E-7) visa who received an employment recommendation letter (GOLD CARD) in the advanced science and technology field
• Spouses and minor children of the skilled professionals above
• Foreign patients invited by an excellent medical institution, and their accompanying family and caregivers
• People who often enter Korea for business (C-3-4) and group tourists
• Undergraduate international students at excellent certified universities, and others

Electronic visas for Chinese and Japanese nationals were announced as temporarily suspended in the past. Please check the current situation.

Application steps

1. Fill out the electronic application form at the Korea Visa Portal (www.visa.go.kr).
2. Scan and attach your passport (color scan), a standard-size photo, and other documents.
3. If you need a tuberculosis certificate, submit it too (valid for 3 months). Only people who must have it need to submit it.
4. Pay the fee.
5. When you get notice of approval, print the electronic visa issuance confirmation (전자사증 발급확인서) from the portal.

⚠️ Points to note

• If the inviting company applied for you, the company or you can print it. To print it, enter the electronic visa number, the inviter's business registration number, your passport number, and your date of birth.
• You can print the confirmation only once. If you lose it, the inviter or you must ask the portal to lift the print limit.
• You must show this confirmation to the immigration officer when you enter Korea.
• Family members of skilled professionals can apply for an electronic visa even if they do not apply together with the professional.
• Detailed documents differ by status of stay. Check the 'Visa Issuance Manual by Status of Stay' on HiKorea (hikorea.go.kr).

If you tell me which status of stay you will enter Korea with, I can explain the documents for that status in more detail. For final confirmation, contact the Immigration Contact Center (외국인종합안내센터, 1345).