South Korea visa guideIndian passport holders need a visa for mainland South Korea, and for a holiday it is the C-3-9 tourist visa, for stays of less than 90 days. Applicants from Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi file at the VFS Global Korean Visa Application Centre in New Delhi, and the Embassy of the Republic of Korea decides.
The visa fee is ₹3,600 for a single entry on normal processing (checked 14 Oct 2026), plus the centre's service charge. Allow at least 10 working days, or 5 on express. The Embassy's core documents are proof of occupation, 2 years of ITRs and 6 months of bank statements.
Do Indians need a visa for South Korea, and which one?
Yes. Indian passport holders need a visa for mainland South Korea, applied for before travel, and there is no visa on arrival. For a holiday, the visa is the C-3-9 tourist visa, a short-term visit visa for stays of less than 90 days. Two sister categories cover other short trips: C-3-1 for general visits such as seeing family, events and conferences, and C-3-4 for business.
A single-entry visa allows one entry and, as the Korean visa centre in New Delhi puts it, is valid for 90 days from the date it is issued. Multiple-entry visas exist, but the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in New Delhi grants single or multiple entry at its own discretion, and first-time applicants are usually given a single entry.
South Korea tourist visa for Indians at a glance
- VisaShort-term visit, less than 90 days
- C-3-9 tourist visa
- Who decides for Punjab
- Embassy of the Republic of Korea, New Delhi
- Where you applyShivaji Stadium Metro Station, Connaught Place
- VFS Global Korean Visa Application Centre
- Visa feeChecked 14 Oct 2026; plus the centre's service charge
- ₹3,600 single entry, normal process
- Single-entry validity
- 90 days from issue
- ProcessingAt least 5 on express
- At least 10 working days
Embassy of the Republic of Korea in India and VFS Global Korea India, checked 14 Oct 2026
The C-3 visas do not allow paid work. Korea has separate employment categories, which are outside this page.
Where do applicants from Punjab apply?
At the VFS Global Korean Visa Application Centre in New Delhi, at Shivaji Stadium Metro Station, Connaught Place. The Korean Embassy's jurisdiction list puts Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and the Union Territories of Delhi, Chandigarh, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh under the Embassy in New Delhi. Maharashtra, Gujarat and nearby states go to the Consulate-General in Mumbai, and the southern states to Chennai.
How it works in New Delhi:
- Online form first. Fill in the application on the Korea Visa Portal, visa.go.kr, print it and sign it.
- Hand it in at the centre. Individual applicants submit between 0900 and 1500 hrs; travel agents and representatives between 0900 and 1300 hrs. An agent submitting more than 5 applications must inform VFS in advance.
- Nothing to the Embassy directly. The Embassy says no visa document should be sent to it directly or separately, that it is not responsible for documents sent that way, and that doing so brings no benefit.
- Beware fake portals. The Embassy has issued a warning about counterfeit Korea Visa Portal websites and fake Korean visas. Use visa.go.kr and the VFS centre, nothing else.
Which documents depend on your situation?
The Embassy keeps its core list short. From you: proof of occupation (business registration if you own a business, an employee certificate if you are salaried), income tax returns for the last 2 years and bank statements for the last 6 months. From a Korean inviter, if there is one: the invitation letter and the inviting company's business registration, or an individual inviter's employee certificate. The Embassy adds that the visa consul can always ask for more.
What changes with your situation:
Salaried
- What to add
- Employee certificate (an employment letter on the centre's format) and recent salary slips
Business owner
- What to add
- Company registration certificate and an MSME certificate or business profile, with personal ITRs
Student
- What to add
- Bonafide certificate from your school or college
Visiting family or friends in Korea (C-3-1)
- What to add
- Invitation letter with your full name, date of birth and passport details, and the inviter's name, ID or Foreigner Registration Number, address, phone and signature
Family member living in Korea
- What to add
- Their Foreigner Registration Number or a copy of their Alien Card, which the Embassy says can help speed up processing
Business meetings (C-3-4)
- What to add
- Invitation from the Korean company with its seal, and a photocopy of its business registration certificate
A photocopy or scan of the invitation letter is accepted, and it needs no attestation.
How much is the South Korea visa fee for Indians?
VFS's Korea page for India lists the visa fee at ₹3,600 for a short-term single entry under 90 days, ₹6,300 for a double entry and ₹8,100 for any multiple-entry visa on normal processing, and ₹6,300 for a single entry on express (checked on 14 October 2026). The Embassy issued a notice of revised Korean visa fees with effect from 1 August 2026, so older figures you may see online are out of date. Each centre adds its own service charge, collected at submission. Our filing fee is shown at the top of this page.
How long does it take, and when should you apply?
Plan on at least 10 working days on normal processing at the New Delhi Embassy, or at least 5 on express. These are minimums. VFS's Korea page for India says decisions on issuing a visa, the number of entries and its duration are at the sole discretion of the consulate, and the officer can ask for more documents, which adds time.
Apply 2 to 4 weeks before you fly, and earlier for the spring cherry-blossom and autumn foliage seasons, when Korea is busiest. Book flights you can change. A single-entry visa is valid for 90 days from issue, so applying months ahead risks the visa running out before you travel.
Why do South Korea visas get refused for Indian applicants?
Korea does not publish reasons case by case, but the Embassy's list shows what the officer weighs, and most refusals trace back to a gap in it.
Income that the documents do not prove
The Embassy asks for 2 years of ITRs and 6 months of bank statements. Missing returns, thin statements or a sudden deposit leave the officer unable to see how you pay for the trip. Give the full set, and add an explanation letter if you do not file ITRs.
No proof of a job or business to return to
The occupation proof is the Embassy's first item: an employee certificate or a business registration. Without it, nothing shows why you will come back. Add salary slips or an MSME certificate and business profile.
An invitation letter that leaves things out
The Embassy lists what the letter must contain: your full name, date of birth and passport details, the inviter's details, and the inviter's seal, stamp or signature. A letter missing these, or without the inviting company's business registration, weakens a family or business visit.
A trip that does not hang together
The visa type, the purpose on the form, the itinerary and the bookings should describe one trip. A tourist file with a business invitation, or a 10-day plan with a month of hotel bookings, invites questions.
Applying through the wrong door
Files go to the centre for your jurisdiction, never straight to the Embassy, and only through visa.go.kr and the VFS centre. The Embassy has warned about counterfeit visa portal websites and fake visas.
Tips for a stronger file
- Follow the centre's checklist order. The New Delhi centre publishes a checklist for each category; arrange the documents in its sequence.
- Use the centre's formats. It provides a format for the employment letter used as occupation proof.
- Photos to Korean size. VFS asks for a 3.5 cm by 4.5 cm photo on a white background.
- Show steady money. Six months of personal bank statements with regular salary or business credits read better than a large balance with no history.
- Explain a missing ITR. If you do not file returns, give an explanation letter rather than leaving a gap.
- Ask for single entry on a first trip. Multiple entry is at the Embassy's discretion; a clean first visit makes the next request stronger.
- Keep the old passports. Earlier visas for Korea and other countries show your travel record.
Can Indians visit Jeju Island without a visa?
Yes, as a special case. Korea allows most foreign nationals, Indians included, to visit Jeju Island without a visa for up to 30 days for tourism, provided they remain on the island. A trip that also takes in Seoul or Busan needs the C-3-9 visa described above. Check your route before you rely on this: the visa-free stay covers Jeju only. For other ways to plan your trip, see the South Korea country page.
