Short-Term Visit (C3)
Scope of activity
A C3 visa is required to visit family, participate in various events, collect academic data, and conduct non-profit activities such as medical care, rehab, business trip and market research in South Korea. The period of stay is 30 or 90 days.
Nationals of specific countries below don't need a C3 visa for short term visits. (B1, B2)
Visa Exempt (B1)
*Diplomat and public official excluded
Asia: Malaysia (3 months), Singapore (90 days), United Arab Emirates (90 days, passport validity of at least 6 months), Israel (90 days), Kazakhstan (30 days), Thailand (90 days), Turkey (90 days) days), Qatar (90 days)
America: Guatemala (90 days), Grenada (90 days), Nicaragua (90 days), Dominican Republic (90 days), Dominica (90 days), Mexico (3 months), Barbados (90 days), Bahamas (90 days) days), Venezuela (90 days), Brazil (90 days), Saint Lucia (90 days), Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (90 days), Saint Kitts and Nevis (90 days), Suriname (3 months), Haiti (90 days), Antica and Barbuda (90 days), El Salvador (90 days), Uruguay (90 days), Jamaica (90 days), Chile (90 days), Costa Rica (90 days), Colombia (90 days), Trinitad and Tobago (90 days) days), Panama (90 days), Peru (90 days)
Europe: Greece (3 months), Netherlands (90 days), Denmark (90 days), Germany (90 days), Latvia (90 days), Russia (60 days), Romania (90 days), Luxembourg (3 months), Lithuania (90 days), Liechtenstein (3 months), Malta (90 days), Belgium (3 months), Bulgaria (90 days), Sweden (90 days), Switzerland (3 months), Spain (90 days), Slovakia (90 days), Iceland (90 days), Ireland (90 days), Estonia (90 days) days), UK (90 days), Italy (90 days), Czech Republic (90 days), Portugal (90 days), Poland (90 days), France (90 days), Finland (90 days), Hungary (90 days)
Africa: Lesotho (60 days), Morocco (90 days), Tunisia (30 days)
Oceania: New Zealand (3 months *except Cook Islands, Nue and Tokelau)
Tour and Transit (B2)
Asia: Saudi Arabia (30 days), Macau (90 days), Bahrain (30 days), Brunei (30 days), Oman (30 days), Japan (90 days), Kuwait (90 days), Taiwan (90 days), Hong Kong (90 days)
North America: US (90 days), Canada (6 months)
South America: Guyana (30 days), Argentina (30 days), Ecuador (90 days), Honduras (30 days), Paraguay (30 days)
Europe: Monaco (30 days), Montenegro (30 days), Vatican (30 days), Bosnia and Herzegovina (30 days), Cyprus (30 days), San Marino (30 days), Serbia (90 days), Slovenia (90 days) days), Andorra (30 days), Albania (30 days), Croatia (90 days)
Africa: South Africa (30 days), Mauritius (30 days), Seychelles (30 days), Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) (30 days), Botswana (90 days)
Oceania: Guam (30 days), Nauru (30 days), New Caledonia (30 days), Marshall Islands (30 days), Micronesia (30 days), Samoa (30 days), Solomon Islands (30 days), Kiribati (30 days) days), Tonga (30 days), Tuvalu (30 days), Palau (30 days), Fiji (30 days), Australia (90 days)
Posts about B1, B2
Visa types
C3 visa has sub categories based on visit purpose.
- General short-term (C3-1): General purpose such as family visit, event, academic data
- Group tour (C3-2): Group tour or small trade activities in airport and seaport
- Medical tour (C3-3): medical treatment or rehab in hospitals
- General business (C3-4): business activities such as market research, correspondence for work, consultation, and contract
- Short-term business based on treaty (C3-5): Business activities of Indian and Chilean
- Ethnic Korean visit (C3-8): overseas Koreans
- General tour (C3-9): Tourists except group tour
- Transfer (C3-10): Nationals of specific countries who have general passport and want to travel to 3rd party countries via South Korea
Visa issuance
1. General short-term (C3-1)
① Without visa eligibility certificate
You need some documents to prove the purpose of the visit such as an invitation letter.
Principally, single entry visa (90 days, valid for 3 months) or double entry visa (30 days, valid for 6 months) will be issued. However, with specific requirements, multi entry visa can be issued.
② With visa eligibility certificate
An investment promotion company can invite foreigners who invested certain amount of money to real estate or some public services in South Korea.
2. General business (C3-4), General tour (C3-9)
No need visa eligibility certificate
Principally, single entry visa (90 days, valid for 3 months) or double entry visa (30 days, valid for 6 months) will be issued. However, with specific requirements, multi entry visa can be issued.
Posts about C3
Service
I will respond during office hours. / Free consulting: Simple questions, information which can be obtained by internet search / Paid consulting by email and chat: Requirements check, required documents guide, administrative process guide
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J. Bang