Once you've been accepted to your language school program, the first thing you'll have to do is apply for a visa. The application can be extremely frustrating and stressful as much as it is a key step in the whole process. The type of visa issued varies depending on what degree you are planning to achieve. Let's take a look at all the types of visas available and which one you have to apply for, for your studies in Korea.
*Confirmation of Visa Issuance Application
Before we get into the various types of visas, let's take a look at the process of applying for visa issuance.
What is a 'Confirmation of Visa Issuance'?
A sponsor or a travel agency completes the application for the confirmation of visa issuance on behalf of its applicant through the Visa Portal without visiting the Korean Immigration Office. Once the application is approved, the applicant can quickly obtain his/her visa at a Korean diplomatic mission in his/her country of residence.
Applicable status of stay | - Long-term Korean Arts and Culture (D-1), Student (D-2), Industrial trainee (D-3), General trainee (D-4), Long-term News Coverage (D-5), Religious Worker (D-6), Intra-company Transferee (D-7), Corporate/Foreign investor (D-8), International Trade (D-9), Professor (E-1), Foreign Language Instructor (E-2), Researcher (E-3), Technical Instructor/Technician (E-4), Professional (E-5), Artists/Athlete (E-6), Foreign National of Special Ability (E-7), Non-professional (E-9), Maritime Crew (E-10), Family Visitor (F-1), Dependent Family (F-3), Miscellaneous (G-1), and Work and Visit (H-2) Visa for eligible applicants - Long-term Visa for citizens of countries with no formal diplomatic relations with Korea, or just specific countries (i.e. Cuba, Syria, and Macedonia) designated by the Korean government. - Other people recognized by the Minister of Justice as needed | |
Procedure | Step 1 | Apply for Issuance |
Step 2 | Reception and review (Visa Official) | |
Step 3 | Send visa issuance certification number | |
Step 4 | Visa issuance application (Embassy) | |
Step 5 | Visa Issuance (Embassy) | |
Step 6 | Enter Korea | |
Precautions |
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Now we can get into the types of visas issued for different study plans. Whether you're going to be studying for just one semester or two, the visa you can apply for differs so take a close look at the information below and find which one applies to you.
*Applying for 1 semester
1) K-ETA
The K-ETA is an electronic travel authorization that visa-free foreigners need to obtain before entering the country.
Eligible for | American, Japanese, Taiwanese, Hongkongese, or any other visa-free passport holders Click here for detailed information about the countries eligible for K-ETA application. |
Where to apply | Apply for the K-ETA on the official website or the K-ETA mobile app. Apply through the Creatrip K-ETA proxy service *The K-ETA official application website is only available in Korean and English and requires 7 steps and 22 different information inputs. *The Creatrip K-ETA proxy service provides applications in 6 languages and only requires 10 sections of information. |
Length of stay permitted per application |
*Generally, the length of stay permitted does not exceed 90 days and can differ depending on each country. Please check out the K-ETA homepage for detailed information. |
Precautions | - Please click here for detailed information about Creatrip's K-ETA service. - You need to apply for the K-ETA on the official website or mobile app(or Creatrip) at least 72 hours before your flight departs. - After applying for the K-ETA, you can check your application results on the official homepage within 72 hours after application. If your K-ETA application has been approved, you can board your flight. - Once your K-ETA is approved, it is valid for the next 2 years. However, if your passport expires before that, your K-ETA is valid until your passport expires. - Individuals who have their K-ETA approved do not need to fill out an Arrival Card. |
2) Tourist Visa (C-3-9)
Eligible for | People who are planning to enter the country with the purpose of vacation and leisure. - A foreign national who is unable to apply for a K-ETA and requires a visa and has a valid long-term residence visa in the United States (B1/B2 is not applicable) or a valid permanent resident visa. |
Where to apply | The Korean Embassy of the applicant's country of residence |
Length of stay per application | Until 90 days after entry |
Documents required | - 1 photo used for visas (color photo taken within 6 months) - Application for Visa Issuance - Passport & copy of passport (must have at least 6 months until expiry date) - One original and one copy of the certificate of residence in the United States (valid long-term visa or permanent resident card) : Iranian, Syrian, and Sudanese nationals must submit bank statements or U.S. tax reports for the last three months or more in addition to their residency certificate documents. - Documents needed if the applicant is of Korean descent : Basic certificate or Family census register(deleted), a basic certificate/certificate of family relations/certified copy of archived family register(submit 1 or more) including information indicating loss of nationality(issued within the last 3 months), certification documents related to name change due to foreign nationality acquisition or marriage - Fees |
Reference | - The period of validity of the visa is the visa validity period written in the Visa Issuance Application. - The visa-issuance process takes up to 14 days. Please consider sufficient time to apply for the visa. |
*Applying for more than 2 semesters
1) D-2 Visa
Eligible for | - Students planning to administer to a regular program at an educational institute above associate's level - Students whose purpose is to participate in a specific research |
Where to apply | - Korean Embassy in the applicant's country of residency or latest graduated school |
Length of stay permitted per application | 2 years |
Documents required | Common documents - Confirmation of Visa Issuance, copy of passport, 1 photo - Copy of business license for educational institutions - Standard admission letter (Approved by school dean) - Certificate of Family Relations Additional Documents - Applying for a regular course: Certificate of Latest Graduation, proof of financial ability - Researchers in a specific field: Certificate of Latest Graduation, proof of financial ability, documents to prove research activity - Foreign exchange students: Documents proving stay expenses, recommendation letter issued by the dean of the applicant's university, documents proving that he/she is an exchange student, and documents proving that the applicant has completed at least one semester. *Documents required differ depending on the applicant's nationality so please visit the Embassy's official homepage for more information. |
Reference | - Standard Admission Letter: Government scholarship students invited to the National Institute of International Education can replace their standard admission letter by submitting an invitation issued by the head of the Korean Ministry of Education. - Proof of financial ability: Amount must match or be worth more than 1 year's worth of tuition & living expenses If submitting a parent's bank statement, a Certificate of Family Relations also needs to be submitted. * Additional documents may be required during the screening of the visa issuance. |
2) D-4 Visa
Eligible for | - Those who are eligible for the D-2 visa attending an educational institute or those conducting research at a corporate company or organization. - Those who intend to stay for the purpose of engaging in research activities. |
Where to apply | - Korean Embassy in the applicant's country of residency or latest graduated school |
Length of stay permitted per application | 2 years (6 months for language exchange students) |
Documents required | - Confirmation of Visa Issuance, copy of passport, 1 photo - Copy of business license for educational institutions - Standard admission letter (Approved by school dean) - Certificate of enrollment or proof of final academic background - Proof of financial ability *Documents required differ depending on the applicant's nationality so please visit the Embassy's official homepage for more information. |
Reference | - Standard Admission Letter: Government scholarship students invited to the National Institute of International Education can replace their standard admission letter by submitting an invitation issued by the head of the Korean Ministry of Education. - Get notarization for the Certificate of enrollment or proof of final academic background under the following terms: (For notarization of Certificate of Degree) Those who have received a degree from the 21 countries stated by the Ministry of Justice or if you're from a Country Subject to Intensive Management must submit at least one of the following: (Chinese students are eligible to #3 only) 1. Degree that is apostilled along with documents of proof 2. Proof that documents have consular certification from the Korean Embassy in the country of the applicant's school. 3. For Chinese nationals: Accreditation report issued from the Ministry of Education of China or Degree Certificate Center (limited to those who have obtained a degree in China) such as academic background/degree certificate center issued by the Ministry of Education of China (limited to those who have obtained a degree in China) ※ But, If the academic certification was achieved in Korea, submit a non-officiated certificate of degree - Proof of financial ability: Examples) Bank Statement, Certificate of Scholarship, Deposit and Withdrawal Statement, etc. The Bank Statement must be submitted within the past 30 days. If submitting a parent's bank statement, a Certificate of Family Relations also needs to be submitted. |
We hope that this was helpful in your journey to obtaining a visa! If you have any questions or concerns, please leave a comment below or send us an email at help@creatrip.com! You can follow us on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook to stay updated on all things Korea!
