What to Do After a Korean Visa Rejection

Korean immigration rejections fall into several patterns. Insufficient ties to home country: for short-term visas (C-3), the officer must be confident you will return home — if you lack stable employment, property, family ties, or financial assets, this raises doubt. Document deficiency: missing, expired, incorrectly apostilled, or inconsistently translated documents are a leading cause. Insufficient funds: for most visa types, you must demonstrate financial capacity to cover your stay. Prior immigration violations: previous overstays, deportation, or refused entry in Korea or other countries can cause automatic rejection. Ineligibility: not meeting the core qualification criteria for the visa type (e.g., wrong degree for E-7, income too low for F-1-D, age outside H-1 bracket). Health issues: certain communicable diseases flagged on a health declaration. Criminal record: serious criminal convictions in any country.

Korean consulates are not required to give detailed rejection reasons, and most rejection notices say only that the application 'does not meet the requirements' (자격 미달) or cite a general code. A rejection typically falls into one of these categories: (1) Ineligibility — you do not meet the base criteria; (2) Document problems — application was incomplete or documents were deficient; (3) Discretionary refusal — officer judgement based on your profile (finances, ties, past violations). The distinction matters because it determines your best path forward.

Korea does not have a formal visa appeal system at most consulates — there is no tribunal to appeal to. What you can do: (1) Reapply directly with a stronger application and additional supporting documents; there is generally no cooling-off period required, though some consulates ask you to wait 3–6 months. (2) Apply at a different consulate (if you are eligible to apply in another jurisdiction). (3) For status changes inside Korea, there is an administrative review (이의신청) mechanism you can use within 30 days of the rejection decision. (4) Consult an 행정사 who can identify the specific issue and advise on the strongest approach.

Before reapplying, audit your original application against the rejection. The most impactful changes are: fixing any document deficiency (completeness, translation quality, apostille where needed); adding more financial proof (additional bank statements, fixed deposit certificates, property documents); strengthening proof of ties to your home country (employment letter, property ownership, family dependants); getting a professional letter of support (from your employer or school); and for borderline eligibility cases, consulting a Korean 행정사 to pre-review your application before submission.