Visa to South Korea for Russians in 2021: is it necessary, work registration, cost

Thanks to a number of new agreements recently concluded between South Korea and the Russian Federation, A visa to Korea for Russians in 2021 will not be required if the period of stay does not exceed sixty days, the purpose of the visit can be any.

For a longer visit, an entry visa is obtained in advance at the South Korean Embassy or at the Consulates located in the cities of St. Petersburg, Vladivostok, Irkutsk. Also, travel agencies accredited at the Embassy have the right to issue a Korean visa.

The Republic of Korea is one of the four “Asian Tigers” - the most economically developed countries in the region.

Requirement for a Korean visa

For Russians who plan to visit the state for the purpose of tourism, a private visit (to friends or family, for other personal purposes), a business trip, transit, a visa to South Korea will not be required if their stay is short. That is, the rules of a visa-free regime apply when, when crossing the border, the corresponding entry stamp is simply placed in the foreign passport. If you are planning a long visit, study, work or long-term treatment, then an application for a visa to South Korea must be submitted in advance in Russia.

It should be remembered that South Korea and North Korea are two different states that are still in a state of military conflict (a peace treaty has not been signed between them). North Korea's visa laws differ significantly from those of its southern neighbor. It is not easy to get into North Korea, and if it is possible, then severe restrictions are imposed on the movements of a foreigner. Do you need a visa to North Korea or not? There is a clear answer to this question: yes, you do. This issue will be discussed further.

Who is eligible for an F4 visa?

The F4 visa was introduced to simplify the procedure for ethnic Koreans coming to South Korea without an invitation. It is also intended for citizens who were educated in South Korea and who have worked for at least six months in their specialty.

Sample visa to South Korea

This type of visa can be obtained by professional workers who are in high demand at Korean enterprises and who have not previously violated the visa regime.

The right to obtain an F4 visa is given to citizens of the Russian Federation up to three generations, which also includes those who were born and lived in the Union before August 15, 1945.

Therefore, visa applications can be submitted by citizens who were born before 08/15/1945, their children, this is considered the second generation, and their grandchildren, the third generation. There is no quota for obtaining a visa. There are no age restrictions for registration of documents.

In 2021, citizens who have received this type of visa can find employment in such industries as:

Industry;
Livestock farming;
Fishing and processing;
Agricultural activities.

Visa-free entry

South Korea is becoming an increasingly attractive tourist destination for Russians, especially those living in Southern Siberia or the Far East. For example, residents of Vladivostok, Khabarovsk and Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky have a much shorter flight time to Seoul than to Moscow. Moreover, many Russian companies have business ties with South Korean partners, who in turn have economic interests in the Russian Federation.

, a reciprocal visa-free border crossing regime was introduced . Now you don’t need to worry about whether you need a visa to South Korea for short-term visits and calmly get ready for your trip - the borders are open.

Documents for visa-free entry

To cross the border freely, a citizen of the Russian Federation will need to present only a few documents:

A current passport, which is valid for another six months (the report starts from the moment of entry into the state, and not from the moment of departure, as in many other states);
A pre-filled migration card, which is issued on board the plane (or other transport by which the passenger arrives in the state);
Customs declaration (even if there is nothing to declare, this document still needs to be filled out);
Return tickets from South Korea for any transport (these can be either air tickets or ship tickets), or travel documents to a third country if the foreigner is traveling in transit;
Confirmation of the availability of money for a stay in South Korea, or confirmation of solvency (a paid hotel reservation, a printout from a bank account, from a credit card valid in the state, cash, and so on will do).

Korean border guards are not very picky about Russian citizens; they do not conduct a thorough search and study of documents. Often the procedure is quick and formal, the process takes a few minutes.

Migration card

This is a small form in which personal information about the arrival, his address for the time of his stay in South Korea, and passport details are entered. It’s easy to fill out; if you have any questions or difficulties, you can contact the flight attendant (on the plane) or the border guards at the airport.

Customs declaration

Completing this form will require some knowledge of English. All columns must be marked with an “X” if the traveler does not bring with him:

Animals;
Plants;
Any goods for sale;
Weapon;
Money of more than 10,000 US dollars (or 10,000 Korean won);
Other items prohibited for import.

If you have any difficulties filling out the declaration, you should ask the aircraft or ship personnel for help. If such an opportunity is not given, then you can turn to a compatriot or a foreigner who speaks English.

Conditions for entry into South Korea

Visa exemptions for citizens of 90 countries with an ordinary passport have been temporarily suspended. That is, Russians need to get a visa to get to South Korea (before the pandemic there was a visa-free regime). But the Koreans do not yet issue tourist visas; you need to justify the need for the trip.

Short-term visas (types C-1 and C-3) issued on or before April 5th are no longer valid.
PCR test: required . To enter, you need to fill out forms and have a PCR test result received a maximum of 72 hours before departure.
Upon arrival in South Korea, you will have to take a test within three days and, regardless of the results, go into quarantine for 14 days at your own expense. The South Korean authorities will provide premises, for which you will have to pay up to 150 thousand won ($137) per day. Full vaccination exempts you from quarantine, but only if done in South Korea.
Transit through South Korea is possible, but up to 24 hours.
Restrictions in the country: strict mask regime and social distance. Most establishments are open with limited occupancy, but most establishments require a QR code app to enter.
What's going on with the coronavirus? The number of new cases in South Korea is at a stable level, the pace of vaccination is low (one dose - 7.8%, two doses - 3.9%)
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Traveling with children

Children are also subject to visa-free entry rules. In order for a minor child to be able to safely enter the country, his parents only need a birth certificate (the requirement is not mandatory, but it is better to take it with you)

A child traveling accompanied by one parent needs a power of attorney authorizing his or her removal from the country from the other parent. The same rule applies to official guardians.

If a long-term visa to Korea is required for a child, it is obtained according to the same rules as for adults.

Apply for a business visa to Korea

A business visa to Korea is issued to citizens of Ukraine who are going on a business trip, or for the purpose of negotiating, finding partners, or concluding contracts.

To obtain a business visa to Korea, the applicant must provide:

round trip air tickets;
hotel reservation for the duration of your stay in Korea;
assignment on a business trip from a Ukrainian company;
certificate from the place of work;
an invitation from the host party, indicating the details of the Korean organization, purpose, travel plan;
draft contracts for the supply of products, performance of works, services;
certificates of registration of counterparty enterprises.

The validity period of a short-term business visa is 90 days. Its owner is allowed to cross the Korean border once. If you receive a multiple-entry visa, you can visit the country as needed. Thus, there is no need to prepare documents and issue an exit permit every time.

Types of entry visas to Korea

If the purpose of a trip to South Korea requires a long-term stay (for example, contract work or study), then the question of whether a visa to Korea is needed is not necessary - it must be obtained in advance from the South Korean Embassy or the country's Consulates. Visas are assigned different categories depending on the purpose and duration of stay: D, E, H, F-4.

Work visa (D, E, H)

South Korea is a developed country with a fairly strong economy, progressive innovation and many practical areas that advance science. That is why a work visa to Korea for Russians in 2021 may be available only to those professional specialists who have high qualifications, in-demand knowledge and relevant experience. Competent managers and specialists can also apply for employment in South Korea (and therefore for the appropriate level of pay).

It should be remembered that the country has its own candidates for vacant positions, but if a Korean employer still wants to hire a foreigner, then he has the right to do so.

A work visa to Korea is obtained not only on the basis of an official invitation from the employer company, it can also be obtained by submitting an application to the Embassy (without yet having an employment contract). This option is more complicated, but it can also be implemented.

Student visa (D, E, H)

Such a document will be required for students who want to study in South Korea. There is a list of Universities that have the right to accept foreign students for study . It can be viewed on the website of the Korean Embassy (it is updated periodically).

Foreign National Visa (F-4)

This visa is intended for Koreans who permanently live in other countries, but not everyone is eligible for such a document. Only highly qualified workers, master's and graduate students with an academic degree, or employees of South Korean companies who have previously worked in the country and have shown themselves to be good can receive this type of visa.

Research Visa (E-1, E-3, E-5)

Such a visa will be required for a narrow circle of people who conduct scientific research or conduct any research activities. This type of visa is easiest to obtain if you justify the purpose of your visit to the Embassy. You can find out more about the possibility of obtaining a document on the website of the Korean representative office.

A Korean visa for researchers can be applied for online; in this case, in response to the request, an electronic document is sent (if the visa is approved), which must be shown at passport control.

How to get a visa to Korea?

To get a visa to Korea you need:

decide on the visa category and travel dates;
collect the necessary list of documents;
fill out a visa application;
submit documents to the Korean Embassy in Kyiv.
get a passport with a visa attached.

Visa documents must be submitted in person, through an authorized representative, or through a tour operator accredited at the Korean Consulate. When applying for a visa through a proxy, a notarized power of attorney is provided to represent interests on behalf of the applicant.

You won't have to go through an interview. You can get more detailed advice on how to get a visa to Korea from the managers of the Tour-Partner company.

Features of long-term visas

To be able to obtain a long-term visa to South Korea, you need to provide confirmation that a Russian citizen has a guarantor on the territory of this state. They can be either an employing company (in the case of a work visa) or a private individual (friend, relative) who is a citizen or resident of South Korea.

The guarantor submits an application to the Immigration Service, after which the visa applicant is allowed to submit papers to the Consular Section of the Embassy (Consulate) in Moscow or other cities.

Money

Tourists on the forums wrote that all ATMs in South Korea charge a commission of around $3 per transaction. And only at Citibank ATMs you can withdraw money without commission. We found only one - not far from the city hall, in the center.

The ATM will offer different options when dispensing cash. Important: do not select Check - these are traveler's checks and will have to be exchanged for cash at a bank branch. The first time we made a mistake: we thought that check was a receipt.

We exchanged very little at the airport - only for a bus ticket. The exchange rate is bad, but tolerable with a small exchange.

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The ATM gave us this check for 100K won; we had to exchange it for cash at the branch.

Documents for a long-term visa

The list of required documents for a long-term visa to South Korea is not very long. You will need to provide:

Application form filled out in English and Korean (two copies of the form - one in English, the other in Korean);
A foreign passport, which must be valid for another six months (these 6 months are counted from the moment of leaving the country), with free space for a visa;
A copy of the passport page with personal data and photograph;
If you have an old passport with Schengen visas, as well as visas from Canada, the USA, Japan, Australia, then you will need a copy of it;
Photo size 35 by 45 mm with standard parameters on a light background, the size of the head should occupy 80% of the photo;
Invitation from an employer/individual/university.

No hotel or other accommodation reservations are required..

Sample of a completed application form for a visa to the Republic of Korea

Application procedure

The applicant can bring the necessary documents personally to the South Korean mission, or send them from any place (region) in Russia using the Pony Express service.

Residents of Moscow and nearby regions can apply for a Korean visa on their own at the consular section of the South Korean Embassy in Moscow;
Residents of the Northwestern Federal District, as well as the Kaliningrad region, need to submit papers to the Consulate in St. Petersburg;
Residents of Khabarovsk, Kamchatka, Primorsky Krai, Magadan, Amur, Sakhalin regions, as well as the Jewish Autonomous Okrug and Chukotka Autonomous Okrug - to the Consulate in Vladivostok;
Residents of Irkutsk, Novosibirsk, Tomsk, Kemerovo, Omsk regions; Krasnoyarsk, Altai, Trans-Baikal Territories, the Republics of Sakha (Yakutia), Altai, Buryatia, Khakassia, Tuva - to the Consulate in Irkutsk.

After submitting the papers, you just need to wait for the decision. Korean immigration law does not require financial information, employment certificates, or bank statements . In this sense, it is quite loyal to the Russians.

Documents for F4 visa

In order to obtain a visa at the South Korean Embassy, you must present original documents or their notarized copies. In addition, you need to make copies of all documents, including the passport of the Russian Federation. If documents are drawn up by ethnic Koreans up to the third generation, documentary evidence of kinship along the entire line is required.

Required documents for visa:

A foreign passport, which must be valid for another six months after the visa expires;
Passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation;
Visa application form, which must be completed in either Korean or English;
1 color photo measuring 3.5 by 4.5 on a gray background;
$120 to pay the fee;
A certificate from a TB doctor stating that you are not sick with tuberculosis.

Sample of filling out an application form for a visa to Korea

If a citizen enters the country confirming kinship, he must present all the necessary documents confirming the ancestral line. Such documents include:

If you are a first generation applicant, you must present your birth document with a copy and translation.
Applicants belonging to the second generation are required to submit a birth document, both their own and that of the parent through whom the relationship must be confirmed.
For applicants of the third generation, it is required to present their birth document, the birth document of the parent, and the birth document of the grandmother or grandfather through whose line of kinship. If the grandmother or grandfather has already died or there is no birth certificate, you can present a death certificate, a copy of your passport, or a military ID. Any document that indicates the date of birth.
If you have ever changed your last name, you must provide a supporting document (marriage certificate or name change).

If you are eligible for an F4 visa in connection with higher education in South Korea, you must provide a transcript of completion of your studies at the university, the original diploma and a grade sheet.

Price

Each visa to Korea has its own price; the current amounts are shown in the table below.

Type of visa	Cost (consular fee)
Short-term entry stamp (under visa-free regime)	For free
Single-entry long-term visa (D, E, H, F-4)	90 US dollars (payment in rubles at the exchange rate)
Multiple entry long-term visa (D, E, H, F-4)	120 US dollars (payment in rubles according to the exchange rate)

If documents are sent via Pony Express, then the price for forwarding services is added to the consular fee.

Registration period

Obtaining a long-term visa to Korea for Russians will take from 10 days to 4 weeks, depending on the completeness of the package of necessary documents.

Do I need an invitation to apply for a visa to Korea?

In order to apply for business, visitor and student visas to Korea, you need to have an invitation for a visa to Korea.

full name of the foreign guest;
purpose of visit to Korea;
duration of the trip;
address and details of the receiving party;
source of travel funding.

An invitation for a Korean visa must be certified by the Korean Immigration Service. Students present a letter from the educational institution confirming enrollment in the course and payment of tuition. Businessmen – a commercial offer from a Korean company. Relatives and friends of Korean citizens submit a special form with a detailed travel plan (Schedule of stay). The detailed tour program indicates: the places that the applicant plans to visit, dates, contacts of accompanying persons.

Visa to North Korea

You can get a visa to North Korea in two cases: if you go on a group organized tour or as an individual tourist with a professional Korean guide. A foreigner is not given the right to move within the country.

If a foreigner wants to visit North Korea, it will not be easy to obtain a visa; it is generally impossible to do it on your own. The country continues to build communism under the leadership of the permanent ruling Kim clan, which has established a total dictatorship on the territory of the state. In order not to shake the foundations of its power, the leadership limits the entry of foreigners as much as possible.

In the case of a group tour, the visa is issued by a tour operator that is officially recognized by the North Korean authorities. If you are planning an individual trip, then it can also be done only with a tour operator, who in this case will act as an applicant for a visa to North Korea.

A visa application takes a month to be processed, and a regular tourist application must be filled out in as many as 3 languages: Russian, Korean and English . The North Korean Embassy in the Russian Federation does not even have a website, so it is impossible to see any more or less correct examples or tips, from which the conclusion is drawn that in the presence of such barriers, most likely independent tourists are not welcome in North Korea; a visit is possible only through an approved tour operator.

conclusions

South Korea is of great interest among tourists from Russia. The country has everything - beach holidays, megacities, and natural attractions. The simplified entry regime, which has become possible since 2014, eliminates many formalities and waste of extra time when planning a trip. Russians who wish to go on holiday (or with other people) to this country need to remember the following main points:

Now you don’t need to worry about whether you need a visa to Korea for a short tourist trip - according to the new legislation, a stay of 2 months is allowed without first obtaining an entry document at the Embassy;
The Korean authorities are loyal to Russian tourists; to travel to the country you do not need to collect an endless list of documents to confirm your intentions or connection with your homeland;
Unlike some countries (primarily the Schengen area), the immigration visa service does not consider every person arriving from another country as a potential illegal immigrant, so viewing documents at the border is a rather formal procedure, but nevertheless, you should always have a complete list of documents with you ;
When visiting North Korea, you need to take into account the peculiarities of this country: you cannot use a mobile phone, the Internet, move without a guide, or scold the current leader Kim Jong-un (or his relatives).

Contacts of the Embassy and Consulates

Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Moscow

Address: Moscow, Plyushchikha street, building 56, building 1;
Telephone;
Open daily: Monday – Friday;
Working hours: 9.00-18.00.

Consulate of the Republic of Korea in St. Petersburg

Address: St. Petersburg, Nekrasova street, building 32, letter “A”;
Telephone;
Open daily: Monday – Friday;
Working hours: 9.00-18.00.

Consulate of the Republic of Korea in Vladivostok

Address: Vladivostok, Pologaya street, building 19;
Telephone;
Open daily: Monday – Friday;
Working hours: 9.00-18.00.