C-3-8 (Short-Term Business Visitor) Korea Visa Guide | 2026

1. What C-3-8 Is

C-3-8 is a short-stay business visitor status for limited temporary business purposes such as meetings, consultations, market research, or contract-related visits. It is not a work-authorized long-stay employment status.

2. Eligibility Checklist

• Has a genuine short-term business purpose within permitted C-3-8 scope.
• Provides a coherent visit plan, host details, and return/onward travel intent.
• Can prove financial support for the visit period and compliance credibility.
• Has no unresolved immigration violations affecting short-stay trust profile.
• Submits complete host/company and applicant documents required by current mission guidance.

3. Criteria Summary

• C-3-8 is not a points-based category.
• Review is purpose-credibility based: business necessity, host legitimacy, and return intent.
• Applicant nationality/risk profile can lead to enhanced document screening.
• Always confirm whether visa-free/K-ETA channels apply first for your nationality and purpose.

4. Salary and Contract Rules

• C-3-8 is for short-term business visit activity, not salaried employment in Korea.
• Receiving Korea-source remuneration for work-like activities generally requires a proper work-authorized status.
• Invitation and meeting purpose documents should align with temporary, non-employment intent.
• If activity crosses into labor/service delivery scope, refusal or entry issues can occur.

5. Employer and Workplace Change Rules

• C-3-8 does not function as an employer-sponsored work visa.
• Business host documents can still be required to verify visit necessity and legitimacy.
• On-site activity should remain within declared short-term business scope.
• For repeated or extended business operations, immigration may expect an appropriate long-stay status route.

6. Required Documents

• Visa application form + passport + photo + applicable fee proof.
• Business invitation/host documents and purpose statement.
• Applicant company/employment verification and travel itinerary evidence.
• Financial proof and return/onward travel support documents.
• Any additional mission-specific documents requested for risk control.

7. Fees and Processing

• C-3-8 issuance fees follow official short-stay visa fee schedules.
• Processing times vary by consulate workload and case profile.
• Purpose or host-document ambiguity often triggers supplement requests.
• Apply with margin before planned meetings, especially in peak periods.

8. Common Rejection Reasons

• Business purpose is unclear, inconsistent, or appears work-like beyond C-3-8 scope.
• Host/company documents are weak or unverifiable.
• Financial/return-intent evidence is insufficient for risk profile.
• Prior overstay/immigration history undermines short-stay credibility.
• Application uses outdated assumptions on short-stay business policy handling.

9. FAQ