Yes, Indian passport holders must have a valid visa to visit South Korea (or Seoul) for leisure, business, or family visits. You must apply for your visa in advance to ensure sufficient time for processing.

Even minors or children need to get a South Korea tourist visa, which requires additional documents from their parents.

The South Korean tourist visa gets issued electronically. It contains your personal details, the visa's validity, and entry conditions. This visa is connected to your passport number, allowing immigration officials to check your entry and stay easily. Be sure to keep a printed and digital copy with you while travelling.

Here is what a South Korean tourist visa looks like:

No, Indian passport holders can not apply for a visa upon arrival in South Korea; you must have a valid visa before travelling to the country.

You should apply for your South Korean visa at least one month before your travel date.

No, Indians cannot apply online for an e-visa to South Korea. You must visit an application centre when applying for a tourist visa.

South Korea stopped issuing physical visas in passports in July 2020. All visas are now part of the new visa grant notice system, which is a digital visa. After your visa is approved, you will receive a visa grant notice that you can download and print. This digital document serves as your official visa.

The visa processing time for South Korea from Indians typically ranges between 20-25 days for the entire journey.

At Atlys, we pride ourselves on processing your application as fast as possible. Our ETA includes shipping your passport from your location to our fulfilment centre, processing your visa at the embassy, and getting back to you.

Fun fact: We determine your ETA the moment you enter your PIN code using our consulate detector tool. Simply enter your current PIN code in the 'Check Serviceability' section.

The South Korea visa fees for Indians is for a single entry (excluding service fees). The visa is valid up to 90 days.

No, Indians do not need a visa if travelling directly to Jeju Island. For example, India to Jeju Island to India. If you need to transit through Korea, you will need to obtain a Korean tourist visa.

No, the South Korean tourist visa is not difficult for Indians, but travellers need to ensure that the right documents are submitted in accordance with the requirements.

Here are the South Korea visa requirements for Indians:

• Passport: Your passport must be valid for at least six months and have at least 2 blank pages. Need a copy of the first and last page of the passport.

• Photo: You will require a passport-sized photo that meets the South Korea visa photo requirements.

• Flight Tickets: Please submit your return or onward flight ticket.

• Hotel reservations: You must provide proof of accommodation, such as a hotel reservation.

• Bank statements: Stamped and signed bank statements from the last six months to show proof of sufficient funds. A hard copy of the same is required to be submitted to the consulate.

• No Objection Certificate - Stamped and signed hard copy of a no objection letter from your employer (if employed) or on your company letterhead (If self-employed)

• Proof of funds and employment: The South Korean government checks whether you have funds to sustain your travel and stay in the country. To substantiate this, they request important documents, such as bank statements from the last six months, ITRs from the last three years, salary slips from the last 6 months (if employed), or equivalent documents.

If unable to submit any of the ITR, then a letter of explanation mentioning the reason must be submitted.

• Sponsor's documents: If your trip is sponsored, you will generally need to submit salary slips, bank statements and the sponsor's IT Returns.

• Invitation Letter: When applicable. 

• Cover letter: The cover letter shall briefly state the purpose of the visit. It must include the traveller's full name, date of birth, passport number, mobile number, purpose of visit and duration of stay. Atlys will help with cover letter during the process

Note: You must also submit documents confirming special circumstances in your visa application. For example, if invited, you will be asked to provide an invitation letter and a marriage certificate if your spouse's name is not updated on the passport.

No, Indians holding a Valid US/UK/Schengen visa are not exempt from the South Korean visa requirements, and there is no change in the requirements. You must apply for your tourist visa as usual in advance.

Yes, you must submit your passport and supporting documents at the application centre when applying for a South Korean visa.

After your visa is approved, you can print your visa grant notice from the authorised channel or the official South Korean website. After downloading the visa, make sure to print a copy to keep with you during your travels.

No, you are not required to attend an interview when applying for a South Korean visa as an Indian. However, the visa officer can request that you attend one during your application.

• Authorised by the government: Atlys is authorised by the Government of South Korea (Western Region) to handle your visa application.

• You do not need to visit a centre: Atlys will collect your documents from home and submit them to the Embassy on your behalf.

• Communication: You will be notified once your visa gets approved.

• Easy to apply: The application on Atlys is straightforward and allows you to complete the online application in just a few minutes.

Here's how to get a South Korea tourist visa for Indians:

1. Start your application: Visit the Atlys app or website and click ‘Apply Now’ to start your application.

2. Upload your documents: You can upload your photo and passport from your device or capture them using your device’s camera. 

3. Supporting documents: In PDF format, provide your flight tickets, hotel reservations, and bank statements.

4. Personal information: Enter your personal details, including your parents’ names, date of birth, and place of birth.

5. Enter your address: The South Korean embassy requires your physical passport for processing. Enter your current address, including your location pin code.

6. Select a courier date: Select the most convenient date for the courier to collect your documents. Hand over the required documents to the courier.

7. Check out: Complete your application by reviewing all details and paying the visa fee to finalise the process.

8. Receive your visa: After approval, Atlys will collect your passport from the embassy and send it to you via courier.

These are the documents you must hand over to the courier:

• Passports (All, Old and New)

• Bank Statements, which are stamped and signed by the branch manager (should not be more than 2 days old)

• Signed and stamped No Objection Certificate from the employer / in a company letterhead (if self-employed)

• Invitation letter (if applicable)

Note: You must also submit documents confirming special circumstances in your visa application. For example, if invited, you will be asked to provide an invitation letter and a marriage certificate if your spouse's name is not listed on your passport, and additional documents may be requested depending on your employment status. Atlys will help you during the process.

At Atlys, we partner with reliable and well-known delivery services to ensure that your documents are handled with the utmost care and security. 

We understand the concerns that come with sending important documents like passports, so we provide regular notifications throughout the delivery process, keeping you informed every step of the way. Rest assured, we take every precaution to protect your personal information, and your documents are always in safe hands with Atlys.

At Atlys, we determine your jurisdiction the moment you enter your pin code using our consulate detector tool. Just insert your pin code in the check serviceability section, and we will do the rest!

But just to make you an expert in South Korea visas, your consulate jurisdiction depends on two factors: the address on the back of your passport and your current address. 

If your current address is in a different consulate from your passport address, you need to provide proof of address (rent agreement/utility bill (electricity/gas)) for your current address as well.

Embassy of the Republic of Korea in New Delhi

(1) Jammu and Kashmir, (2)⁠ ⁠Himachal Pradesh, (3)⁠ ⁠Haryana, (4) ⁠Delhi and NCR, (5)⁠ ⁠Punjab, (6)⁠ ⁠Chandigarh, (7)⁠ ⁠Uttarakhand, (8)⁠ ⁠Rajasthan, (9)⁠ ⁠Bihar, (10)⁠ ⁠Jharkhand, (11)⁠ ⁠Sikkim, (12)⁠ ⁠Assam, (13)⁠ ⁠West Bengal, (14)⁠ ⁠Meghalaya, (15)⁠ ⁠Odisha, (16) ⁠Andaman and Nicobar, (17)⁠ ⁠Chattisgarh.

Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Mumbai

(1) Maharashtra, (2)⁠ ⁠Madhya Pradesh, (3)⁠ ⁠Dadra and Nagar haveli, (4)⁠ ⁠Daman and Diu, (5)⁠ ⁠Goa, (6)⁠ ⁠Gujarat, (7)⁠ ⁠Telangana.

Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Chennai

(1) Tamil Nadu, (2)⁠ ⁠Kerala, (3)⁠ ⁠Andhra Pradesh, (4)⁠ ⁠Karnataka.

Yes, you can reapply for a South Korean visa after a rejection. If your visa was rejected due to an error in your application, correcting the mistake and reapplying can lead to a successful outcome. However, if your visa was rejected due to security issues or because you are on a blacklist, reapplying will likely result in another rejection.

Here are the South Korea entry requirements for Indians:

1. Valid Passport

2. Valid Visa

3. E-Arrival card (needs to be filled 3 days before the arrival)

4. Must not fall into the prohibited entry category: those who are classified as international terrorists, former illegal immigrants, or other such categories are forbidden from entering Korea.

Here's a comprehensive guide on how to track your South Korean visa status.