🇰🇷 South Korea Visa Guide for Indian Passport Holders

Important: K-ETA does not apply to Indian passport holders

You may see South Korea's K-ETA (Korea Electronic Travel Authorization) mentioned online as a simple pre-travel form, similar to the US ESTA. This does not apply to Indian passport holders. K-ETA's own official portal is explicit that it is only for "citizens who can enter the Republic of Korea without a visa" — the Indian passport is not on Korea's visa-waiver list. If you're Indian, you need a proper C-3-9 Short-Term Tourist visa (or the equivalent business category) applied for in advance — K-ETA is not a substitute and will not get you into Korea on its own.

At a glance

Indian passport holders need a C-3-9 Short-Term Tourist visa (or C-3 for general/business short-term visits) to travel to South Korea — applied for in advance through the Korea Visa Application Center, operated by VFS Global as the official partner of the Embassy of the Republic of Korea and its Consulates General in India.

Choose your purpose of travel

• C-3-9 (Tourist): holidays, sightseeing, and leisure travel.
• C-3 (Short-Term General): business meetings, short commercial visits, and other short-term general purposes not covered by the tourist category.
• A separate multiple-entry visa scheme exists for frequent visitors who have visited Korea 4+ times in the last 2 years, or 10+ times in total — issued visa-fee-free as a Short-term-General (C-3-1) visa valid 5 years, 30 days maximum stay per visit.

Visa requirement for an Indian passport holder

A visa is required for every visit; K-ETA is not an alternative route for Indian passport holders, as explained above.

Where and how to apply

• Complete the online e-form on the official Korea Visa Portal (visa.go.kr), print it with its barcode, and sign it.
• Submit your application at the Korea Visa Application Center, operated by VFS Global as the Embassy/Consulate's official partner — centres exist across India, with specific consular jurisdictions (for example, the Consulate General in Chennai covers certain southern states, with Chennai and Bangalore VFS centres serving that jurisdiction).
• Applications are also accepted by mail in some jurisdictions, per individual Consulate notices — check your specific Consulate's current instructions.

iamravi.com is not affiliated with the Government of the Republic of Korea, any Korean Embassy or Consulate, or VFS Global. All application, payment, and issuance steps happen through the official Korea Visa Portal and the VFS Global-operated Korea Visa Application Center — never here.

Eligibility and passport conditions

Your passport must be valid for more than 6 months from your intended travel date.

Application steps

1. Complete the e-form on the official Korea Visa Portal (visa.go.kr), filling every section without leaving blanks.
2. Print the e-form with its barcode — even if completed online, you must bring the printed, signed copy to your appointment.
3. Gather your supporting documents per your Consulate's current checklist (published on your regional Consulate's own website).
4. Submit at your Korea Visa Application Center, either in person by appointment or by mail if permitted in your jurisdiction.
5. Pay the visa fee, per the current fee schedule (see below).
6. Wait for a decision — per the Consulate General Mumbai's own notice, visas are generally issued within 10 days, and processing times and document requirements are applied uniformly and cannot be adjusted for individual circumstances.
7. Collect your passport with the visa, or check status via the official visa portal.

Forms required

The e-form (Visa Application), completed on the official Korea Visa Portal and printed with its barcode, is the core document — it must be signed on the final page.

Document checklist

Requirements vary somewhat by consular jurisdiction and visa category (each Consulate General publishes its own current checklist), but typically include: the signed e-form printout, your passport (6+ months' validity) plus a photocopy, a recent photo (35mm × 45mm, taken within 6 months), and supporting documents relevant to your purpose (employment letter, bank statements, travel itinerary, invitation letter for business visits). Check the checklist published by the Consulate serving your jurisdiction, since the Consulate General Mumbai's own notice states document requirements are applied uniformly and cannot be individually adjusted.

Photo and biometric requirements

A recent photo (35mm × 45mm or 2×2 inch, taken within the last 6 months) is required with your application. Biometrics requirements are set by your specific Consulate/VFS jurisdiction — check current guidance for your centre.

Fees

Per the Korea Visa Application Center's own official India site, effective 1 August 2026:

• Single Entry, up to 90 days: ₹3,600
• Single Entry, more than 90 days: ₹5,400
• Multiple Entry (all categories): ₹8,100
• Express visa fee (where available) is higher — for example, ₹6,300 for short-term single entry at Chennai/Bangalore, per that Consulate's specific notice.
• A separate VFS Global/KVAC service fee applies on top of the government visa fee — reported as ₹1,600 per application at the Chennai and Bangalore centres effective 25 August 2026, though this can vary by centre.

Confirm the current fee for your specific jurisdiction and category directly with your Korea Visa Application Center before applying, since fees are periodically revised and can differ slightly by consular jurisdiction.

Processing information

Per the Consulate General in Mumbai's own guidance: visas are generally issued within 10 days of application, and applicants are strongly advised to apply at least one month before their planned travel date. Express/expedited processing is not available in all jurisdictions and, where offered, cannot be requested after a regular application has already been submitted.

Common mistakes

• Assuming K-ETA lets you enter Korea without a visa — it does not apply to Indian passport holders.
• Submitting an incomplete e-form (leaving required fields, such as national ID or address sections, blank) — Consulates state incomplete forms will be rejected.
• Assuming document requirements can be adjusted for individual circumstances — Consulates explicitly state they cannot.
• Applying without enough lead time — the Consulate General Mumbai recommends at least one month.

Official links

• K-ETA official portal (for reference — does not apply to Indian passport holders)
• Korea Visa Portal — official e-form application
• Embassy of the Republic of Korea in India
• Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Mumbai — Visa Requirements
• Korea Visa Application Center — official India site