How to Apply for a South Korea Visa in Beijing: Documents, Cost, and Timeline

On March 30, South Korea relaxed the requirements for 10-year visas, and the document requirements were simplified for major cities. So I recently applied for one, partly as a backup plan and partly because I have not been there before.

I also ran into a few issues during the process, so I am recording them here.

I applied in Beijing, so the content below mainly applies to the Beijing consular district. Other districts may differ slightly. Use the official website for your consular district as the source of truth, and I recommend checking Xiaohongshu in advance as well.

Mini Program

• KVACin Beijing lets you fill out the application in advance through the mini program. It is best to print it out and prepare it beforehand, so once you arrive at the visa center, you only need to queue, get a number, and submit your application.

Required Documents

I do not have a Beijing household registration, while my wife does. For applications in the Beijing consular district, the required documents differ.

Beijing Household Registration

1. 2-inch white-background photo
2. ID card copy/original

Non-Beijing Household Registration

Non-Beijing household registration also has multiple cases. I happened to be from a city supported by the Beijing consular district, so the required documents were still relatively simple:

1. 2-inch white-background photo
2. ID card copy/original
3. Residence permit copy
   • During the actual application, they still asked me to show the original Jingtong residence permit to verify the information.
   • You can also use a tax payment certificate instead of a residence permit. I just found the residence permit more convenient.

Application Process

1. Queue to get a number. Staff will do an initial document check and answer questions. If everything is OK, they give you a number.
2. Wait for your number to be called, then go to the counter.
3. Answer questions, submit documents, and if everything is OK, take the slip to pay.
4. After payment, you receive a receipt. Then go home and wait for possible phone verification. Eventually you will receive an SMS notification to pick up the visa. In theory, rejection is still possible.

How Many Years Should You Apply For?

I personally chose the 10-year multiple-entry visa. If the fee difference is not large, a longer validity period does not hurt.

Cost

Using the 10-year visa as an example, one person costs 630 CNY + 120 CNY visa service fee, for a total of 750 CNY. Two people cost 1500 CNY.

Note: the 5-year and 10-year visas cost the same.

How Long Does Approval Take?

10 working days. Expedited processing is available, but it costs extra.

Picking Up the Visa

1. You can choose delivery or self-pickup. I chose self-pickup because I was not in a hurry. Delivery requires an extra fee.
2. Someone else can pick it up for you, but they need a passport pickup authorization letter. Scan the QR code in the screenshot above to download the authorization letter, print it, and sign it. No stamp is needed.

Notes

1. I recommend printing the application form in advance, so you do not need to rush to print it after arriving.
2. Documents must be authentic. Authentic, authentic, authentic. If your visa is rejected, the fee is not refunded.
3. Do not schedule your day too tightly. I saw someone trying to catch a train at 5:30 PM. If there are many applicants, you may need to wait for a while. Leave enough time. I arrived at 2 PM and was not called until after 4 PM. There were 200 numbers ahead of me.

Status Check

Visit https://visa.go.kr/openPage.do?MENU_ID=10301, choose Diplomatic Office, enter your information, and search.

My Case

1. I submitted documents on the afternoon of April 3, and received the approval SMS at noon on April 17. I went directly to pick up the passport and other materials, and received the e-visa.
2. So the visa issuance time followed the given timeline strictly. It was not early.

Final Thoughts

1. Personally, I think the South Korea visa application process is relatively simple. The main things to watch are document preparation and time planning. For applicants without Beijing household registration, preparing a residence permit or tax payment certificate is especially important.