The C-3 visa is Korea's umbrella short-stay visa for visitors who are not visa-exempt. While often called a 'tourist visa,' C-3 actually has nine distinct subtypes — each coded for a different purpose. Immigration officers record your subtype at entry, and using the wrong subtype can cause problems if your purpose doesn't match your visa coding.
C-3-1 is for foreign nationals visiting immediate family or close relatives in Korea.
Who qualifies: Foreign nationals whose parents, siblings, grandparents, aunts/uncles, or cousins are residing in Korea as Korean citizens, permanent residents, or long-term visa holders.
Stay duration: Up to 90 days. Not renewable in-country for family visit purposes.
• Proof of relationship: family register (가족관계증명서) or birth certificate
• Proof the Korean relative is legally residing in Korea: copy of their ARC or resident registration card
• Invitation letter from the Korean relative (초청장)
• The Korean relative's income certificate or bank statement
Note: C-3-1 is not the same as F-1 (family visit/activities), which covers longer-term stays.
C-3-2 is for foreigners attending international conferences, academic seminars, corporate meetings, cultural events, or sports competitions in Korea.
Common uses:
• Attending an academic conference or trade show
• Invited speakers or panelists at one-time events
• Participating in an international sports competition
Key documents:
• Official invitation from the organizing body (초청장 or 참가확인서)
• Event registration or speaker confirmation
• Proof of return travel
Important: C-3-2 does not permit conducting commercial transactions. If your primary purpose is signing contracts or closing deals, C-3-6 (business activities) is the correct subtype.
C-3-4 is for foreign nationals attending short-term training programs or internships at Korean companies or institutions.
Common uses: Corporate on-the-job training at a Korean company, short-term internship at a Korean university lab, professional development workshops.
Key documents:
• Official training acceptance letter (연수확인서)
• Training program schedule
• Korean company's business registration certificate
Distinction: C-3-4 is for learning — not productive work output. If the trainee is doing actual productive work, D-3 or E-series may be more appropriate.
C-3-5 is the short-stay visa for foreign journalists, reporters, photographers, and film crews entering Korea for news gathering or documentary purposes.
Key documents:
• Press credential from the media organization
• Assignment letter from the editor or news director
• For freelancers: commission letter + publication history
For long-term resident foreign correspondents stationed in Korea full-time, use D-5 (journalism) instead.
⚠️ C-3-6 (preferred company invitation short-term commercial) was officially terminated in June 2025 (선정 종료). It is no longer issued as a distinct subtype.
Foreign businesspeople who previously used C-3-6 should now use C-3-9 (general short stay) or C-3-2 (conference/meeting) as the appropriate subtype for short-term business trips to Korea. The underlying activity (attending business meetings, signing contracts, conducting market research) remains permitted on a short-stay basis — only the dedicated C-3-6 coding has been discontinued.
If you have an existing C-3-6 visa that has not expired, it remains valid until its expiry date. New applications should use the appropriate alternative subtype.
C-3-9 is the general tourism subtype — for nationals of countries not eligible for visa-exempt entry who wish to visit Korea for tourism.
Key documents:
• Bank statement (guideline: ₩100,000–₩150,000 per day of stay)
• Hotel booking or accommodation proof
• Return flight booking
• Employment certificate or proof of ties to home country
Multiple entry: After 2–3 approved single-entry visas with clean history, multiple-entry C-3-9 becomes available.
The subtype on your C-3 visa matters — use the correct subtype for your actual purpose. Mismatched purpose and subtype can affect future visa applications.
C-3-3 (medical tourism) is covered in a separate guide — see the C-3-3 Medical Tourism Visa guide.
None of the C-3 subtypes permit employment or regular work.
If you are visa-exempt (K-ETA approved or nationality-exempt), you do not need to apply for a C-3 visa.
도움이 필요하신가요?
저희 전문가들은 korea c-3 short-stay visa subtypes — c-3-1 to c-3-9 explained 사례를 정기적으로 처리하며 한국 출입국관리소가 요구하는 사항을 정확히 알고 있습니다.
전문가 찾기Can I extend my C-3 tourist visa inside Korea?
Generally no — C-3 is a short-stay category and extensions are not routinely granted. In exceptional circumstances (medical emergency, natural disaster), a brief extension may be granted at an immigration office.
What is the difference between C-3-4 (training) and D-3 (industrial trainee)?
C-3-4 is for short stays up to 90 days at learning-focused training programs. D-3 is for longer-term industrial technical training where a foreign trainee works at a Korean company as part of a structured overseas development program.