South Korea starts issuing short-term visas & e-visas again after 2 years

South Korea has decided to add 230 international flights this month, increasing the number of international flights to 762

Filipinos, for example, are now allowed to travel to Jeju Island and Yangyang without a visa starting in June. Alex Waltner Photography/Shutterstock

On 1 June, South Korea resumed the issuing of short-term travel visas and e-visas after more than two years of suspending new applications due to the pandemic.

Yonhap News Agency reported that this move was made to bring in more foreign visitors to boost domestic consumption and revive related industries.

Foreigners with a short-term general C-3 visa can enter the country for tourism, transit, visiting family, or other similar reasons. This is valid for a stay of up to 90 days.

Previously, the short-term visa has only been provided for those visiting for diplomacy, government affairs, or other humanitarian reasons.

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According to the ministry, an e-visa is issued online for foreigners with exceptional talents or group travellers.

Filipinos, for example, are now allowed to travel to Jeju Island and Yangyang without a visa starting in June, according to PhilStar. The Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Manila stated that the reason for this was to “promote people-to-people exchanges between Korea and the Philippines via tourism.”

Jeju Island visitors are not permitted to travel to other regions outside of Jeju unless they have been given permission to do so by the Head of the Jeju Immigration Office. On the other hand, those travelling to Yangyang must be in groups of at least five people through a travel agency recognised by the embassy. They will then be allowed to visit certain areas in Gangwon Province and the Seoul Metropolitan Area.

South Korea has decided to add 230 international flights this month, increasing the number of international flights to 762, to fulfill rising travel demand as the pandemic weakens, according to Interior Minister Lee Sang-min during a COVID-19 response meeting on 13 May.

International arrivals have been allowed to obtain PCR tests within three days of their arrival from June 1.

The Property Report editors wrote this article. For more information, email: [email protected].

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