Tourism, short business trips, medical care, and family visits — up to 90 days.
Written by James Chae — Co-Founder, Expert Sapiens
Platform expertise: Immigration consulting & visa services · Reviewed July 2026
Reviewed against
James Chae, 행정사 (Korean Licensed Administrative Attorney). License No. 220-06-06463 · 대한행정사회 (Korean Administrative Agents Association). Reviewed against the HiKorea 사증·체류업무 자격별 안내 매뉴얼 and cross-checked with Ministry of Justice issuances.
Last reviewed
July 14, 2026
Source references
Filing caution
Requirements can change by nationality, local immigration office, and filing channel. Confirm exact requirements with HiKorea, the responsible Korean consulate, or a licensed immigration specialist before filing.
Stay Duration
Up to 90 days per entry (single or multiple-entry depending on sub-type and consulate decision); stay period stamped at entry
Processing
3–10 business days at Korean consulate; can vary by country and season
Visa Fee
$29.85–$44.78 (single entry); $44.78–$67.16 (multiple entry); varies by nationality and reciprocity agreement
Fees and processing times sourced from HiKorea & Ministry of Justice. Figures are updated periodically but may change — verify before submitting.
Readiness check
Use this quick self-check before you spend time on forms or book a consultation for Short-Term Visit Visa.
Next focus
Eligibility fit
I meet the core C-3 requirements and understand any sponsor, degree, income, family, or experience conditions that apply.
The C-3 visa is South Korea's standard short-term entry visa, covering tourism, transit, medical tourism, family visits, cultural activities, short-term study, and brief business travel. It allows a maximum stay of 90 days per entry and does not permit paid employment or long-term study in Korea. C-3 is issued in ten sub-types (C-3-1 through C-3-10), each targeting a different purpose of visit. Nationals of countries with a bilateral visa-exemption agreement with Korea may enter without a C-3 visa for up to 30–90 days depending on the treaty.
Foreign nationals who wish to visit Korea for tourism, short business trips, medical treatment, visiting family or friends, attending conferences or cultural events, or transit. Nationals of countries that do not have a visa-exemption agreement with Korea must obtain a C-3 before arrival.
Valid passport with at least 6 months validity beyond the intended stay
Genuine short-term purpose (tourism, business meetings, family visit, medical care, etc.) — no intent to take paid employment
Sufficient funds to support the visit (bank statements or sponsorship letter)
Confirmed return or onward ticket
No history of immigration violations in Korea
For C-3-3 (medical tourism): the inviting Korean medical institution or facilitator must be registered with the relevant city/provincial governor under 의료해외진출법 (the international-patient-attraction law, not the general Medical Act) as a foreign-patient-inviting medical institution or agency (유치기관/유치업자); excellence-designated institutions (우수 유치기관, re-designated annually each September–October) may invite patients with financial proof waived
For C-3-3 (medical tourism): eligible companions (동반입국) are the patient's spouse and direct-line family members, plus siblings (배우자, 직계가족, 형제, 자매) — expanded as of December 2025
For C-3-3 (medical tourism): as of a July 2026 manual update, the prior restriction limiting nationals of 21 countries (China, Philippines, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Mongolia, Thailand, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Iran, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Ukraine, Nigeria, Ghana, Egypt, and Peru) to single/double-entry-only C-3-3 was removed — those nationalities can now also receive multiple-entry C-3-3 visas valid up to 5 years, same as other nationalities
For C-3-3 (medical tourism): short-stay treatment (≤90 days) gets C-3-3 status, up to 90 days per stay, with visa validity of single-entry 3 months, double-entry 6 months, or multiple-entry up to 5 years; treatment expected to run 91+ days instead gets G-1-10 status, a 1-year multiple-entry visa (Vietnamese nationals have been excluded from CVI/e-visa issuance for this category since April 2016)
Delay and refusal risks
Business-investor cases are document-heavy because immigration reviews both the legal investment route and the real business activity.
D-8 review can stall when the investment amount, sender, receiving company, bank trail, foreign-exchange documents, or investor identity do not line up cleanly.
Manual basis: The D-8 manual references investment funds, remittance/payment evidence, foreign-investment registration, and related supporting documents.
Company registration alone is not enough. Thin operating records, no real business activity, or weak continuity evidence can invite additional review.
Manual basis: The stay manual includes D-8 extension and business-continuity review points for investor status management.
Some industries or business structures are restricted or do not fit the claimed D-8 route. A filing built around the wrong route can be refused or redirected.
Manual basis: The D-8 sections refer to restricted industries and cases where the applicant is not considered essential management or production-technology personnel.
If relying on a technology startup pathway, OASIS, IP, corporate setup, and founder activity evidence must support the specific route claimed.
Manual basis: The manual separates investor and technology-startup founder pathways and lists different documentary expectations.
Source note
These are practical risk factors for Short-Term Visit Visa, not a complete list of legal refusal grounds. Final review can vary by nationality, filing channel, consulate, immigration office, and case facts.
Valid passport + completed visa application form + passport photo
Bank statements or proof of financial means (last 3 months)
Proof of accommodation in Korea (hotel booking, host's address)
Round-trip or onward flight reservation
Purpose-specific documents: business — invitation letter from Korean company; medical — hospital confirmation letter; family visit — Korean resident's ARC copy and proof of relationship
Employment certificate or student enrollment letter (to demonstrate ties to home country)
Check if you need a visa
Korea has visa-exemption agreements with over 110 countries. Check whether your nationality is exempt before applying. If exempt, you generally enter without a visa for 30–90 days (check your country's specific terms).
Choose the correct C-3 sub-type
Select the sub-type matching your purpose: C-3-1 (general), C-3-2 (group tourism), C-3-3 (medical), C-3-4 (general business), C-3-5 (treaty-based business), C-3-7 (on-arrival tourism), C-3-8 (ethnic Korean visit), C-3-9 (general tourism), or C-3-10 (pure transit). Note: C-3-6 (priority company invitee) was discontinued as of May 2025 — business invitees now use C-3-4 or C-3-5.
Apply at the Korean consulate
Submit your application in person or through an authorised agency at the Korean embassy or consulate in your country. Some nationalities may apply online via the e-Visa system (evisa.mofa.go.kr).
Receive visa and travel
Once approved, your visa will be stamped in your passport. At entry, an immigration officer will stamp the authorised period of stay (up to 90 days).
Observe stay limits
Do not exceed the stamped stay period. C-3 cannot be extended inside Korea except in exceptional circumstances (medical emergencies, natural disaster). If you need a longer stay, apply for the appropriate long-term visa before travelling.
Need help with your C-3 visa?
Connect with a verified specialist who handles C-3 applications.
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Unfamiliar with a term? Browse the full Korea Visa Glossary
Visa Process
Alien Registration Card (ARC)
The Alien Registration Card (ARC) is the official ID card issued to foreigners staying in South Korea for 91 days or longer. It is required to open a bank account, sign a phone contract, and access most public services.
Visa Process
HiKorea
How to use HiKorea (www.hikorea.go.kr) — Korea's official immigration portal for visa extensions, status changes, and ARC renewal. Processing time: 3-10 business days.
Visa Process
Visa Extension (Stay Period Extension)
A visa extension — officially called a 'stay period extension' (체류기간 연장) in Korean immigration law — allows a foreigner to legally remain in Korea beyond the expiry date on their current visa or ARC without leaving the country.
Visa Process
Status of Sojourn Change (체류자격 변경)
A status of sojourn change allows a foreigner already in South Korea to switch from one visa category to another without leaving the country — for example, from a D-2 student visa to an E-7 skilled worker visa upon graduation and employment.
Get instant answers to these visa questions with our Korea-focused AI assistant.
Specific tracks under the C-3 category. Pick the one that matches your situation for track-level documents, criteria, and filing notes.
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