The economy of South Korea has managed to keep up its rank among the top economies in the world. Even in the cases of foreign investors, the country welcomes numerous entrepreneurs on a South Korea business visa . With a vast scope of business and enterprise, even Indian entrepreneurs have been doing business in the country.
At the time of doing business in foreign, there are certain procedures that you need to follow. In the case of South Korea, to be able to enter the country for carrying out any of the business activities, you will have to acquire a South Korea business visa . There are several benefits to this permit. With this visa, you can visit the country to attend business meetings, exhibitions and conferences, business meetings for a branch of your own company or a sister company, or attend client meetings and other business errands. There are different types of visa as well. These are classified based on the nature of business. The validity will change as per the type of visa too.
These visa types may also fall under the category of a work visa for South Korea. They are listed as follows:
The process for the application of South Korea business visa is mainly offline. However, you first need to check if you match the eligibility criteria. These are the parameters that tell you what are the requirements for getting this particular kind of visa. To get the visa, you can apply to the visa application centre. The procedure is given as follows:
When you are filling out the form, you must make sure that you fill out all the correct information. The information provided must match the details on the passport and other documents. If in case, any issues are found with the application, there are chances that your visa may get refused. A visa refusal can affect applications for your further visa for South Korea or any other country. To avoid the same, it is safe to acquire a professional visa consultation.
In order to be able to apply for the South Korea business visa , you need to meet the criteria first. It must be made sure that this is the right type of visa for you and you have all the requirements for the same:
There are specific documents required as per the type of the visa. They may even vary from applicant to applicant depending on their visa history and the type of passport. The common South Korea business visa requirements for Indian citizens are listed as follows:
The processing time required for the issuance of the business visa is about 2 to 5 days. The time span will still vary depending on certain factors like the workload at the embassy office, the staff availability, whether the documents are complete or the rest of the documents are yet to be submitted and others. The time increases and decreases affected by these parameters.
The fee for Indian applicants to get a visa for South Korea is estimated based on several parameters and it will vary as per the type of visa too. It is to be paid to the visa application centres along with the service charges. Also, you must pay the fee only in cash, else if you do not have access to a visa application centre branch, you can send in the fee with a demand draft.
| Entry | Stay Duration | Validity | Fees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single entry Normal | 30 days | 3 months | 3775.0 |
| Multiple entry Normal | 30 days | 3 months | 7275.0 |
| Single entry Express | 30 days | 3 months | 5875.0 |
| Multiple entry Express | 30 days | 3 months | 10075.0 |
| Single entry Normal | 90 days | 3 months | 3775.0 |
| Multiple entry Normal | 90 days | 3 months | 7275.0 |
| Single entry Express | 90 days | 3 months | 6700.0 |
| Multiple entry Express | 90 days | 3 months | 9100.0 |
| Double entry Normal | 90 days | 3 months | 5875.0 |
| Double entry Express | 90 days | 3 months | 5875.0 |
After you have submitted the South Korea business visa application form along with your passport and other documents,
To check the status of your business visa, you can visit the official website of the visa application centre. You will need to enter your reference number and your date of birth to check the processing of the visa.
When the application has been submitted, the visa application centre will process the documents and provide you with the visa stamp. However, once you have the visa there are certain things that you need to keep in mind. Some of the pointers are listed below:
To get the visa extended, you first need to have legitimate reasons for the same and documentary proof if applicable. For the extension of the visa, you need to apply to the Seoul Immigration Office. It is also important to note that you have to apply for the extension at least 2 months prior to your existing visa expiration. If late, the application may not be accepted.
When your visa has expired, not only that you are not allowed to stay in the country longer, but you may also be deported and in certain cases banned from returning to the country. If you can foresee your stay longer than existing expiry, you can apply for an extension.
A medical test is a health examination performed by an authorized doctor to ensure that the applicant does not possess any kind of contagious diseases. These do not just include HIV/AIDS, but also other contagious diseases that can spread. However, this medical test is not necessarily required for all kinds of visa. These are mandated for the long term visas and may not be compulsory for all types of short term visas.
No, you are not allowed to convert your business visa into a work permit. These two are totally different kinds of visas and there are rules that you agree to when you issue a business visa. One of the most important rules is that you are not allowed to carry out any kind of employment in the country and a work permit is issued for employment. If you require a work permit, you must apply separately. Although, with the application for this new visa, your previous visa will get cancelled.
The amount that is required in your savings bank account is not specified clearly by the South Korean Embassy. There may be requirements as per the type of your visa and whether the visa is a long term or a short term visa. The requirements may change based on several factors. For a business visa, make sure that your enterprise has enough funds to be able to support your business trip to South Korea.
