Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Hong Kong

Visa Application to Enter the Republic of Korea and Issuance Procedure

I. Visa Application Procedure

a. Visa Application Location

b. Office hours for Visa Application and Collection

c. Eligible Applicant

• o A foreign resident in Hong Kong/Macau with avalid passport and Hong Kong or Macau identification card(ID)
• o A foreigner who temporarily stays in or travels via Hong Kong/Macau, and whose nationality is not of the countries mentioned below :
  The People's Republic of China, Philippines, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Mongolia, Thailand, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Iran, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Ukraine, Nigeria, Ghana, Egypt, Peru, Syria, Cuba, Sudan, Macedonia, Kosovo, Palestine, Afghanistan, Iraq, Yemen, Gambia, Senegal, Somalia, Cameroon (34 countries in total)
  ※ details please refer to Notice #30 ※
  

d. Visa Inspection Processing Times and Procedure

• o Processing Time : 7 working days(2~3 working days if applicant presents the 'Certificate for Confirmation of Visa Issuance') (The submission day, Sat, Sun and public holidays are excluded) 


※ Insufficient supporting documents will cause unnecessary delay in the processing of the application, therefore applicants must prepare a complete set of required documents upon submission.




- During this time, the applicant’s original passport will be kept at the Consulate and a receipt will be issued as proof. Please consider your travel plans carefully.




- There is no express service available. Calling the Consulate to hasten your application process will cause further delay instead.




• o Visa Processing Procedure
  • - Application Submission: Applicants must submit a complete set of application form and other required documents.
  
  ※Applicants not submitting their Visa Application in person but through a representative are required to submit 'Authorization Form' on the back page of the Visa Application Form.
  • - Visa Application Assessment : Assessment is based on the validity and adequacy of the submitted documents according to purpose of visit to the Republic of Korea.
  • - Visa Issuance: An applicant or a representative who submits the application in behalf of the applicant should present the ‘Application Receipt’ and Identification Cards upon visa collection.
  
  ※ Applicants without the ‘Application Receipt’should collect the visa in person at the consulate office.

II. Visa Application Fee

※Countries and conditions for Visa Fee Exemption under agreements

III. Important Notice for Visa Application

a. Grounds for Visa Refusal

• o Applicants without a valid passport or without clear purpose of visit and period of sojourn
• o Applicants who are considered to engage in activities that harm the interest of the Republic of Korea and public safety(Illegal stay, etc)
• o Applicants who are considered to engage in activities that harm economic or social order or virtuous customs
• o Applicants with communicable disease of public health significance; a substance abuser; suffers from a mental disorder that is a threat to others; homeless; entry-restricted persons, etc.
• o Applicants who fail to adhere to the requirements, providing false statement in the application form or submitting false documents may lead to a denial.
• o Applicants who do not respond to an interview request from a consular officer; who do not conducts themselves honestly in answering questions

b. How to prepare and fill out the required documents

• o It is important that visa applicants should submit all the required documents according to the respective type of visa for the purpose of visit.
  • - If any specific documents are not available for submission, applicants should provide supplementary documentations that can prove exactly the same contents of this specific document.
  • - Required documents for Visa Application such as application form and the sample of invitation letter can be downloaded at the homepage of Korean Consulate General.
    ※ Submitted documents for application will not be returned.
• o Visa Application Form
• o Applicant must write his/her details in the form with phone number and duly sign. (Application may be denied if false statements are found.)
• o Letter of Invitation (Letter of Reason for Invitation)
  • - The following information is required in the Letter of Invitation with sign and seal: personal particulars of applicant and person(s) who invite the visa applicant, contact information, purpose of invitation (reason for invitation), and personal reference during stay in Korea.
• o Documents as listed below should be issued within the past three months of application submission date: Business Registration, Corporate Registration, Tax Payment Proof, Family Registry Certificate, Marriage Registry Certificate, etc.
  ※ Business Registration Certificate and Tax Payment Proof Certificate can be issued at the Korean National Tax Service 'HomeTax' (http://www.hometax.go.kr) or Tax Office

c. Effectiveness of Visa

• o Visa Expiration Date is the last date you are permitted to enter the Republic of Korea.
  • - The length of your visit as indicated on your visa is the maximum period you can stay with the same visa in the Republic of Korea.
  
  ※Permission for extension of stay in Korea should be requested in advance before expiration to the Korea Immigration Service Office in the Republic of Korea.
• o Visa Category (S/D/M) means the number of entry you are permitted to make until the visa expiration date.
  • - Single Entry (S): You may enter one time before the visa expiration date (3 months from visa issuance date)
  • - Double-Entry (D): You may enter two times before the visa expiration date (6 months from visa issuance date)
  • - Multiple-Entry (M): You may enter freely before the visa expiration date (1~5 years from visa issuance date)
    ※ Note that a visa does not guarantee entry to the Republic of Korea. You may be denied entry into the Republic of Korea if you do not satisfy all eligibility requirements for entry. In such circumstances, the embassy or consulate office which issued your visa does not take any responsibility.
• o Foreigners' sojourn qualifications as shown on the visa indicate the range of activities that is permitted in Korea. Foreigners who intend to engage in activities outside the scope allowed by the visa must obtain a permit from the Minister of Justice (Korean Immigration Service) in advance.

d. Previously denied visa applicant may reapply after two months under normal circumstances.

e. Each person can only have one type of visa at a time.

• o The previous visa will be cancelled upon the issuance of a new one.