Korean visa types start with one fact that surprises many travellers: a Korean visa is not the same thing as permission to enter Korea. In the Republic of Korea, a visa works as the consul’s recommendation for a foreigner’s entry request. Even if you hold a Korean visa, you can still be denied entry if an immigration officer finds some requirements unsatisfactory after inspection.
This guide explains how the immigration authorities group visas, when you may enter Korea without a visa at all, and what every item printed on a Korean visa means. It also covers the two dates on your visa that people most often mix up, and the two timing rules that can cancel a visa before you ever use it.
At a glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Who this applies to | Any foreign national who needs a visa to enter the Republic of Korea, and anyone holding a Korean visa who wants to read it correctly |
| Main Korean visa types | Single entry visa and multiple-entry visa |
| Single entry visa validity | 3 months from the date it was issued |
| Multiple-entry visa validity | 3 years from the date of issue for Diplomacy (A-1) and Conventions/Agreements (A-3); the duration specified by an agreement for a visa provided under a multiple-entry visa agreement; the duration specified by the Minister of Justice for a visa provided for national benefit |
| Deadline to claim your visa | Within 3 months after the date of application, or after the notification date of the Minister of Justice’s approval when approval is needed |
| Visa-free entry | Possible for a person who meets any one of the conditions in Article 7, Section 2 of the Immigration Act |
| Does a visa by itself allow entry | No. Entry can still be refused by an immigration officer after inspection |
| Cost | The fee depends on your case, so check the current amount on the official immigration page before you apply |
What a Korean Visa Really Means
Around the world, the word visa is used in two general ways. One is the permission to enter a given country. The other is the consul’s recommendation for a foreigner’s entry request. The Republic of Korea uses the second meaning.
This matters in practice. A visa in your passport means a Korean consul has recommended your entry. It does not mean the border is already open to you. The final decision is made by an immigration officer when you arrive.
- Visa as permission to enter: one of the two general meanings, but not the one Korea uses.
- Visa as the consul’s recommendation for your entry request: this is the Korean meaning.
- The entry decision itself: made by an immigration officer after inspection on arrival.
⚠️ A valid visa can still end in refused entry if an immigration officer finds some requirements unsatisfactory after inspection.
Korean Visa Types: Single Entry and Multiple Entry
The immigration guidance divides visas into two groups by the number of entries allowed. This is the difference that decides whether you can leave Korea and come back on the same visa. A single entry visa is used up once you enter Korea one time.
| Visa type | What it allows | How long it stays valid |
|---|---|---|
| Single entry visa | Only a single entry is permitted for the duration of the visa | 3 months from the date it had been issued |
| Multiple-entry visa | Multiple entries are permitted for as long as the visa remains valid | Depends on the status or on the agreement behind the visa |
For a multiple-entry visa, the valid period is not one fixed number for everybody. It follows the basis on which the visa was granted.
- Diplomacy (A-1) and Conventions/Agreements (A-3) visa status: 3 years from the date of issue.
- A visa provided under a multiple-entry visa agreement: the duration specified by that agreement.
- A visa provided for national benefit: the duration specified by the Minister of Justice.
If you are not sure which of the Korean visa types you are holding, you do not have to guess. The Entries item printed on the visa states whether it is a single-entry visa or a multiple-entry visa.
When You Can Enter Korea Without a Visa
A visa is a basic requirement for entry, and in principle a foreigner who wishes to enter Korea must have a visa. Article 7, Section 2 of the Immigration Act sets out the exceptions to that rule.
A person who meets any one of the following qualifications may enter Korea without a visa.
- A person granted permission or immunity for re-entry who enters before the expiration date.
- A national of a country that signed a visa waiver agreement with the Republic of Korea and is thereby a subject of exemption.
- A person entering for the interest of international goodwill, travel, or a purpose beneficial to Korea, who has been granted permission to enter by presidential decree.
- A person who departed with a refugee travel certification and enters prior to the expiration date.
Visa waiver treatment depends on your nationality and on the agreement that applies to it, so the detail is not the same for every passport. Confirm your own case on the official immigration page before you book a flight.
How to Read the Information Printed on a Korean Visa
A Korean visa prints seven items. Read in order, they tell you what your stay is based on, how long you may stay, and how long the visa itself lasts. Each item answers a different question, so do not read only the dates.
| Item on the visa | What it means |
|---|---|
| No. of Visa | The serial number of the visa issuance |
| Status | The type of social activities or status of foreigners while their stay in Korea |
| Period of Sojourn | The permitted term of stay, starting from the date of entry into Korea |
| Entries | The visa type: single-entry visa or multiple-entry visa |
| Issue Date | The visa issuance date |
| Expiration Date | The valid term of the visa. After this date, the visa is automatically rendered void |
| Issued at | Where the visa was issued |
The two dates do different jobs, and this is where readers make the most mistakes. The Expiration Date ends the validity of the visa document itself. The Period of Sojourn is the permitted term of stay, and it starts from the date you actually enter Korea.
A simple order for checking your own visa
- Read Status first. It states the type of social activities or status your stay in Korea is based on.
- Read Entries next, so you know whether you may leave Korea and return on the same visa.
- Read the Expiration Date, because after that date the visa is automatically rendered void.
- Read the Period of Sojourn last, remembering that it is counted from the date of entry into Korea.
- Note the No. of Visa and Issued at details, so you can refer to the exact visa if you contact the authorities.
⚠️ Once the Expiration Date has passed, the visa is void even if the Period of Sojourn printed on it looks long.
Korean Visa Types and the Status Printed on Your Visa
The Entries item separates visas by the number of entries allowed, but the Status item is the part that describes your activity in Korea. Status is defined as the type of social activities or status of foreigners while their stay in Korea. So Status, not the number of entries, is what explains the purpose of your stay.
Because Status covers the type of social activities or status of foreigners during their stay in Korea, check the official immigration page for the code printed on your own visa. In the guidance on multiple-entry validity, two statuses are named directly, and both are given the same 3-year period from the date of issue.
| Status shown on the visa | What the guidance states |
|---|---|
| Diplomacy (A-1) | A status that can hold a multiple-entry visa valid for 3 years from the date of issue |
| Conventions/Agreements (A-3) | A status that can hold a multiple-entry visa valid for 3 years from the date of issue |
| Other status codes | The guidance names Diplomacy (A-1) and Conventions/Agreements (A-3) for the 3-year multiple-entry period. For any other status, check the official immigration page for the code printed on your visa |
The Status item on your visa shows the type of social activities or status for your stay in Korea, and the multiple-entry guidance names Diplomacy (A-1) and Conventions/Agreements (A-3) explicitly. For any other code printed on your visa, check the official immigration page rather than applying another person’s situation to your own.
Mistakes That Can Cancel Your Visa
Two timing rules decide whether a visa you applied for actually reaches you, and both are easy to break by accident. If you enter Korea before the visa is actually issued, it is assumed that you are withdrawing your application and the issuance will be cancelled.
- Do not travel to Korea before the visa is issued. Entry prior to the actual issuance is treated as a withdrawal of the application, and the issuance is cancelled.
- Claim your visa within 3 months after the date of application, or within 3 months after the notification date of the Minister of Justice’s approval if approval is needed in your case.
- If you miss that 3-month window, you must apply for a new visa.
Other common misunderstandings come from reading only part of the visa, or from assuming that one person’s conditions apply to everyone.
- Treating the visa as permission to enter. Entry is still decided by an immigration officer after inspection.
- Leaving Korea on a single entry visa and expecting to come back on it. Only a single entry is permitted for the duration of that visa.
- Counting the Period of Sojourn from the Issue Date. It starts from the date of entry into Korea.
- Assuming every multiple-entry visa runs for 3 years. That 3-year period from the date of issue is stated for Diplomacy (A-1) and Conventions/Agreements (A-3) visa status.
- Ignoring the Expiration Date because the visa still looks valid. After that date the visa is automatically rendered void.
This immigration guidance covers what a visa means, the visa types, visa-free entry and the items printed on a visa. Fees, required documents and processing details vary with your case, your status and where you apply, so confirm them on the official immigration page before you submit anything.
Frequently asked questions
What are the main Korean visa types?
The immigration guidance groups Korean visa types into the single entry visa and the multiple-entry visa. A single entry visa permits only a single entry for the duration of the visa and is valid for 3 months from the date it had been issued. A multiple-entry visa permits multiple entries for as long as the visa remains valid.
Does a Korean visa mean I can enter Korea?
Not by itself. In the Republic of Korea, a visa means the consul’s recommendation for a foreigner’s entry request, not permission to enter. Even with a Korean visa, you can be denied entry if an immigration officer finds some requirements unsatisfactory after inspection.
How long is a multiple-entry visa valid?
It depends on the basis for the visa. For Diplomacy (A-1) and Conventions/Agreements (A-3) visa status, it is 3 years from the date of issue. A visa provided under a multiple-entry visa agreement runs for the duration specified by that agreement, and a visa provided for national benefit runs for the duration specified by the Minister of Justice.
What is the difference between Period of Sojourn and Expiration Date on my visa?
Period of Sojourn is the permitted term of stay, and it starts from the date of entry into Korea. Expiration Date is the valid term of the visa itself, and after that date the visa is automatically rendered void. One limits how long you may stay, the other limits how long the visa can be used.
What happens if I do not collect my visa after applying?
You must claim your visa within 3 months after the date of application, or within 3 months after the notification date of the Minister of Justice’s approval if approval is needed for your case. Otherwise you must apply for a new visa.
Start by reading the Status and Entries items on your visa, because those two decide what your stay is based on and whether you can re-enter Korea. Then check both dates, since the Expiration Date ends the visa itself while the Period of Sojourn only begins on the date you enter the country. Rules for Korean visa types and the conditions attached to each status can change, so confirm the current details on the official immigration page before you apply or travel.
Last checked: October 24, 2026. Rules, fees and required documents in Korea change often, and some depend on your visa type and district office. Always confirm the current details on the official pages below before you go.