Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in San Francisco

General Information

• Following is the general information for U.S. citizen's Korean Visa application.
• A U.S. citizen with a valid passport can visit the Republic of Korea without visa for 90 days for the purpose of tourism or transient stop-over.
• Normally, the Korean visa will be available after two p.m. on the second day after the applicant submits all the required documents.
• The visa-processing fee is $45 for U.S. Citizens as of Jan. 01.
• If an applicant is requesting a visa by mail, she/he is required to enclose Self-Addressed, Stamped Envelope for the passport to be returned.
• Please include a PREPAID airway bill from a mail delivery service of your choice(i.e. FEDEX, DHL, UPS, USPS).
• We are sorry, but we cannot accept account numbers or credit card numbers as a way to pay for shipments.
• Please write your return address clearly. The Consulate is not responsible for lost mail. 

The frequently-asked visa category

The category of Korean visa varies depending on the applicant's period and purpose of stay.
The following is the detailed Information about the frequently asked visa category.

• Short-term Visitor status(C-3)
  • US citizens who want to visit Korea for the purpose of tourism, academic conference,
  • In case of US citizens, a 5-year valid multiple entry visa is usually issued.
  • This visa holder can stay up to 90 days at a time when he/she visits the Republic of Korea. 
  • The necessary documents are as follows
    • Valid passport
    • Completed visa application form with photo attached.
• Short-term Business status(C-2)
  • US citizens who want to visit the Republic of Korea for the purpose of business such as marketing research, business negotiations, pilot operation of export machines, etc, within 3 months are required to apply for C-2 visa.
  • In case of US citizens, a 5-year valid multiple entry visa is usually issued.
  • This visa holder can stay up to 90 days at a time when he/she visits the Republic of Korea.
  • The necessary documents are as follows
    • Valid passport
    • Completed visa application form with photo attached.
    • Documents proving applicant's business activity such as L/C, Invoice, invitation letter, Contract, company letter, etc
• Student status(D-2)
  • U.S citizens who wish to pursue academic degree courses of study at a university or qualified higher educational institution need to apply for D-2 visa
  • The necessary documents are as follows
    • Valid passport
    • Completed visa application form with photo attached.
    • Standard admission letter from university.
• Investor status(D-8)
  • The employees of the corporation who has invested the capital into the Republic of  Korea according to Korean Statute "Foreign Investment Act" can apply for D-8 visa.
  • The scope of employee who is eligible for D-8 visa.
    • executive or senior manager: an employee performing supervisory or executive  duties.
    • an employee with essential skills: an employee having specialized knowledge or  skills for the operation of the invested company.
  • The necessary documents are as follows
    • Valid passport
    • Completed visa application form with photo attached.
    • Temporary duty order(transfer order) or statement of employment
    • Certificate of foreigner's investment report or certificate of business registration 

  It is highly recommended for applicant to obtain Certificate for Recognition of Visa Issuance from the local Korean Immigration Service, for the expeditious and streamlined visa issuance.

• English Instructor status(E-2)
  • US citizen who want to teach English at foreign language institutions or organizations need to apply for E-2 visa.
  • The applicant is required to have a bachelor degree or equivalent degree.
  • The necessary documents are as follows
    • Valid passport
    • Completed visa application form with photo attached.
    • Certificate for Recognition of Visa Issuance from the local Korean Immigration Service (please, refer to the following about this Certificate)

  Visa Interview might required

• Visa status for Korean-Americans
  • F-1 status
    • Korean-Americans who wish to stay in the Republic of Korea to visit his/her relatives more than 90days need to apply for F-1 visa
    • F-1 visa holders can stay up to one-year in Korea but this status is extendable with the local Korean Immigration Office.
    • The necessary documents are as follows
      • Passport
      • Completed visa application form with photo attached.
      • Documents proving applicant's origin is Korean such as Korean family registry or marriage certificate , birth certificate, etc
      • Reference (Sponsorship letter) : Applicant who is under the age of 17 is exempt from this sponsorship letter
  • F-4 status
    • Naturalized Korean-American and his/her immediate descendants can apply for F-4 visa.
    • F-4 visa holders can engage in extensive activity including work in Korea up to two-years, unlike other visa status, and this status is extendable with Local Immigration Office.
    • For F-4 visa to be issued, the applicant needs to fulfil his Korean nationality renunciation report with Korean Ministry of Justice or Korean Consulate before visa application.
    • The necessary documents are as follows
      • Passport
      • Completed visa application form with photo attached.
      • Documents proving applicant's origin is Korean such as Korean family registry or birth certificate, etc
      • Document proving that applicant completed his/her Korean nationality renunciation report
      • Other documents which are deemed to be necessary by the Korean Justice Minister.

In case of a male F-4 visa applicant, there are further qualification requirements if you have not completed your Korea military service duty. If you have not, please contact our visa department for additional information.

The Validity Period of Single Visa is 3 Months

Visa Issuance Recognition Certificate(Number)

• Regardless of visa status, the following two documents are needed
  • Valid Passport
  • Completed Visa Application form with one photo attached
• Additional Documents for Visa Status each

Required Documents

• Diplomats (A-1)
  • Temporary duty order or statement of employment or official letter from Foreign Minister to certify his or her status(Those documents may be replaced by verbal notes when his or her status is identified by showing identification card etc.)

  A diplomatic passport is required. However, even a person who desires to do his diplomatic duty with a general passport and his family members will be included in this category

• Officials (A-2)
  • Temporary duty order or statement of employment or official letter from Foreign Minister to certify his or her status(Facts he or she is on official duty must be included in the letter)

  An official passport or identification card is required. However, even a person who desires to do his official duty with a general passport or who works for an international organization and his family members will be included in this category

• Agreement (A-3)
  • Temporary duty order or statement of employment or official letter from Foreign Minister to certify his or her status

  An official passport or identification card is required

• Temporary News Coverage(C-1)
  • Temporary duty order or statement of employment issued by the company where he or she belongs, or certificate of foreign news reporter Short-Term
• Business (C-2)
  • Documents proving the fact that the purpose of his or her visit to the Republic of Korea is on business
• Short-Term Visitors (C-3)
  • No documents are required
• Culture/Art (D-1)
  • Letter of invitation
  • Documents proving the fact that it is culture and art organization
    • certificate of expert's career will be required in case that the applicant needs his or her instruction Curriculm vitae or certificate of career Documents proving the applicant's capability to pay his or her whole travel expenses during his or her stay

  A above-mentioned expert means a person who qualifies intangible cultural assets or who holds a certificate of qualification recognized by government agency

• Students (D-2)
  • A student who study in junior college or university
    • An admission letter issued by the president of college or university
  • A person who research at an educational/scientific research organization
    • Substantiating documents for the research
    • Certificate of the last school
    • Letter of personal reference notarized or Financial Affidavit
• Industrial Trainees (D-3)
  • Training program written by training organization Copy of wage or pay ledger Letter of recommendation issued by aliens training company or documents proving the fact that he or she will be trained at the industrial company concerned Letter of personal reference notarized
• General Trainees (D-4)
  • A student who learns Korean language at a language institute attached to college or university, or who is involved in study training according to academic exchange agreement between colleges or Universities needs the following documents;
    • Certificate of school enrollment or school attendance Financial Affidavit
    • certificate of remittance or money exchange(more than U.S. $3,000)
    • Letter of personal reference notarized is required in case that the applicant cannot prove his or her capability to pay travel expenses necessary to stay, including school fees etc., or if Justice Minister deems particularly necessary
  • A student who study in secondary school or below
    • An admission letter
    • Certificate of graduation or school attendance
    • Financial affidavit(one of the following items)

    Letter of personal reference notarized

    Certificate of expenses burden issued by chief of the school in case that expenses for stay are borne by school authority

    in other cases, certificate of bank blance or remittance or money exchange(more than U.S $3000)

  • A student who participates in other training programs will need the following documents;
    • certificate of training
    • documents regarding establishment of training institutes
    • Financial Affidavit

      certificate of remittance or money exchange(more than U.S. $3,000)

    • Letter of personal reference notarized is required in case the applicant cannot prove his or her capability to pay travel expenses necessary to stay, including school fees etc., or if Justice Minister deems particularly necessary
• Residence Reporters (D-5)
  • Temporary duty order or statement of employment
  • Documents related to performance on operation funds for branch office in Korea
• Religious workers (D-6)
  • Temporary mission order
  • Copy of a certificate of religious organization or social welfare organization establishment
  • Documents proving the facts that relevant organizations pay the applicant's travel expenses
• Intracompany Transferees (D-7)
  • Temporary duty order or statement of employment
  • Copy of certificate of setting up branch office or liason office
  • Documents proving achievement of business fund borrowing or copy of business project
  • Certificate of annual tax
• Treaty Investors (D-8)
  • Temporary duty order or statement of employment
  • Certificate of foreigner's investment report, including copy of register book or certificate of business registration
  • Certificate of registered investment company
• Treaty Traders (D-9)
  • Statement of employment
  • Certificate of trade business code
  • Document regarding business fund borrowing or copy of business project
  • Receipt of annual tax-payment
• Professors (E-1)
  • Certificate of career
  • Employment contract or certificate of expected employment
• Teaching Foreign Languages (E-2)
  • Certificate of academic degree(Diploma)
  • Employment contract
  • Document regarding establishment of school or organization
  • Letter of personal reference notarized
  • Criminal Record(Attatched Apostille) Effective January 1, 2011, the criminal record issued by FBI will be only accepted.
  • Health Statement
  • Consul's Check List
  • Transcript Certified
• Research (E-3)
  • Documents regarding establishment of inviting organization
  • Certificate of academic degree and certificate of career
  • Employment contract.
• Instruction of Technology (E-4)
  • Temporary duty order or statement of employment
  • Copy of approved technology-import contract or copy of technology-import contract (or certificate of service transactions) or certificate of designated military defense industry
  • Documents regarding establishment of a public or private organization
• Speciality Occupation (E-5)
  • Certificate of academics degree and certificate of qualification
  • Letter of employment recommendation issued by the head of central government agency or documents proving the necessity of employment
  • Employment contract.
• Art and Entertainment (E-6)
  • 1. Person, who desire to be engaged in performance or entertainment activities at tourist hotels and entertainment places require;
    • Letter of performance recommendation issued by the Image stuff Classification committee
    • Performance project
    • Certificate of HIV test
    • Letter of personal reference notarized
  • 2. Others require;
    • Letter of employment recommendation issued by the head of the relevant central government agency or documents proving the necessity of employment
    • Certificate of qualification or certificate of career
    • Letter of personal reference notarized
• Particular Occupation (E-7)
  • Certificate of academic degree or certificate of qualification
  • Emploment contract
  • Letter of employment recommendation issued by the head of the relevant central government agency or documents proving the necessity of employment
  • Documents regarding the establishment of a public or private organization
  • Lette of personal reference notarized
• Training Employment (E-8)
  • Contract training employment
  • Letter of recommendation issued by the head of the training company
  • Certificate of technology qualification
  • Letter of personal reference notarized
  • Documents that Justice Minister deems necessary
• Visiting & Joining Family (F-1)
  • Persons who visit family or relatives who live in the Republic of Korea require;
    • Documents proving relationship of family or relatives(certificate of marriage & register book or certificate of birth)
    • Letter or personal reference notarized

    Person adopted abroad require a certificate of confirmation or statement of adopting parents

  • Domestic helper of diplomats in the Republic of Korea requires;
    • Official letter issued by foreign embassy or consulate
    • Employment contract
    • Copy of diplomat's ID
  • Foreign students who enrolled in elementary/junior/high school require;
    • certificate of school enrollment or school attendance
    • Certificate of adapted person's annual tax-payment
• Residence (F-2)
  • Documents proving family relationship(certificate of marriage or register book
  • Financial affidavit
  • Letter of personal reference notarized
  • persons who are granted a status of or stay or who change the status require ;
    • Documents certifying that an applicant has continuously lived at his or her permanent address in the Republic of Korea
    • Letter of personal reference notarized (but a child of a person having residence status is excluded)
• Dependent Families (F-3)
  • Document proving family relationship(certificate of marriage & register book or certificate of birth)
  • Statement of employment and certificate of tax-payment
• Korean Residents Abroad (F-4)
  • A Korean foreigner who had Korean citizenship before his or her obtaining a foreign nationality
    • Substantiating documents for an applicant's ex-Korean nationality such as Korean family tree register
    • Substantiating documents for the reasons and the time of obtaining a foreign nationality
    • Other documents which are deemed to be necessary by the Minister of Justice

    In case of a male F-4 visa applicant, there are further qualification requirements if you have not completed your Korea military service duty. If you have not, please contact our visa department for additional information.

  • An immediate family member of a Korean-foreigner who obtained foreign nationality
    • Substantiating documents that prove his or her parent's ex-Korean nationality
    • Substantiating documents for the reasons and the time of obtaining a foreign nationality of the applicant and his or her parents
    • Substantiating documents which establish the relationship of the family such as a certificate of birth
    • Other documents which are deemed to be necessary by the Minister of Justice
• Other (G-1)
  • Documents proving the purpose of entry(subpoena issued by the court or medical doctor's prescription)
  • Documents proving the capability to pay for the cost of litigation or medical treatment Working Holiday
  • Return flight ticket
  • Documents proving that an applicant has capability to burden expenses for travel and stay
  • Travel itinrary and plan

  This type of visa can be issued to the citizens of Australia, New zealand, Canada, Japan, France and U.S.A